JP2901436B2 - Communication method between carrier and equipment - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a communication method between a carrier and equipment used in semiconductor manufacturing equipment and the like.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, as this kind of communication system ,
For example, SEMI (Semiconductor Equipment and Materi
als International (US semiconductor standard)
There is In this system , as shown in the block diagram of FIG.
A shelf controller 11 for controlling a shelf 15 containing 6;
It is connected to the transport controller 12 for controlling the equipment 14 by a cable 21.

A host (computer) 10 issues an instruction such as a transport instruction. The shelf controller 11 manages the storage position of the lot (work (A, B) 16) in the shelf 15 and management of putting in and out. The transport controller 12 is provided with a transport vehicle (A
GV) 13, 13a and interlock with the equipment 14 are performed. The host computer 10, the shelf 15, and the transport controller 12 are connected by a cable 21 , and
The rollers 12 and the equipment 14 are connected by a cable 23, and the transport controller 12 is connected to the transport vehicles 13 and 13 a by infrared optical communication 22.

The communication procedure of this system is, as shown in the timing chart of FIG.
L REQ), the transport vehicle 13 sends a transfer request (CS
TRREQ). Upon receiving the transfer request, the equipment 14 issues a transfer preparation completion (CS READY), and in response, the transport vehicle 13 issues BUSY and starts transport. When the transfer is completed, the transfer vehicle 13 lowers the busy signal (BUSY) and outputs a transfer completion signal (COMPT). This C
The carrier 13 lowers the CSTR REQ by OMPT,
Equipment 14 lowers CS READY. Also, this CS
At the timing lowered by READY, the transport vehicle 13
Lower MPT, and work A (B) 16 alone A or B
Is completed.

[0005]

In the conventional communication method between the transfer and the equipment, when the single work 16 is transferred, the completion of the transfer (COMPT) can be used as a trigger to cause the equipment 14 to execute the processing. If a plurality of works 16 (A, B) capable of performing the same processing are transferred in a plurality of times and the total number of works to be transferred is not limited, the processing start trigger is generated in the equipment 14 only by the end of the transfer (COMPT). There was a problem of not knowing.

An object of the present invention is to solve such a problem and to provide a method of communication between a carrier and a facility which makes the facility recognize the completion of the transport for each work and each lot and improves the processing efficiency. It is in.

[0007]

According to an aspect of the present invention, there is provided a communication method between a carrier and a facility when a workpiece is set on the facility by the carrier , wherein the carrier is a single piece of the workpiece.
Indicates that the carrier set the equipment
A first transfer completion signal is output , and a second transfer completion signal indicating that a lot has been set in the equipment for each lot of a plurality of work units is output. the conveyance completion, characterized in that as recognizable by the equipment.

[0008]

FIG. 1 is a timing chart for explaining a first embodiment of the present invention. This embodiment is applied to the system shown in FIG. Two works / two pieces of equipment 14 with two loaders
This is a sequence when a lot is set and the equipment 14 recognizes the end of the lot transfer. Here, the load request (CS
L REQ) (1) and (2) are sent from the facility 14 .
Looking at this, first, the transfer request (CS ) of the loader (1) side
TR REQ) (1) rises from the carrier 13. In response, preparations completed (CS READY) (1 )
4 and the carrier 13 responds to the busy signal (B
USY) to start conveyance. When the transfer is completed, the transfer vehicle 13 lowers the BUSY and ends the transfer COMP.
Raise T1 . At the timing of the transfer end COMPT 1 , CS READY (1) of the equipment 14 falls, and CS TR REQ (1) of the transport vehicle 13 falls. This CS
When READY (1) decreases, the transfer end COMP T 1 decreases, and the transfer of the loader (1) ends.

Next, the loader (2) performs processing in the same sequence as the loader (1), but when the BUSY corresponding to the loader (2) falls, COMP T 1, CO
If MP T2 rises at the same time and CS READY (2) goes down, the transfer ends COMPT1 and COMPT2 go down at the same time, so that the equipment 14 can recognize the end of the second work transfer and the end of the lot transfer.

FIG. 2 is a signal arrangement diagram of the transport end signal (COMPT) in the system of FIG.
Shows the case of the first embodiment in which two works are conveyed in one lot.
There is one transport end COMPT2, and FIG.
Is the second implementation of transporting 2 lots of 4 workpieces as described below
In the example shown, there are two transport end COMPT2, COMPT3.
Ri, each output child the COMPT2,3 in each lot
It has been shown the door.

FIG. 3 is a communication sequence diagram in the system of FIG. 5, in which a work ID, a destination, and a transfer end signal are sent from the host computer 10 to the shelf controller 11,
A destination and transfer end signal is sent from the shelf controller 11 to the transfer controller 12 and transmitted to the equipment 14. This indicates that the interlock signal is returned from the equipment 14 to the transport controller 12.

FIG. 4 is a timing chart of a second embodiment of the present invention, in which two (plural) workpieces can be processed by one transfer , and the processing is performed twice (multiple times). After execution, transfer end
The signal COMPT is notified to the facility 14 .

The basic sequence in this case is almost the same as in the first embodiment. COMPT1 stands after the transfer of the first work of the first lot, and COMPT1 and COMPT2 stand after the transfer of the second work of the first lot.
Knows the end of conveyance of the first lot and performs lot ID recognition. At this point, the two loaders of the equipment 14 are loaded with works. However, since the COMPT 3 does not stand, processing cannot be performed, and the two works are taken into the equipment for the time being and wait for the next lot to be transported. The second lot is transported in the same manner, but after the second workpiece has been transported, COMPT1 and COMPT
At T2 and COMPT3, the facility 14 knows the end of the transfer of the lot and the end of the transfer of all the lots to be processed, and recognizes the ID of the second lot and starts the processing.

[0014]

As described above, according to the present invention, by providing a signal indicating the completion of the transfer of a plurality of works, the equipment can recognize the completion of the transfer of the plurality of works, and start processing to the plurality of work processing facilities. Can be controlled from the transport system side.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a signal timing chart for explaining a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a layout diagram of a message from a host having a two-work / lot configuration shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a sequence diagram in the communication of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a signal timing chart according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a block diagram of a communication system including a conventional transport-equipment.

FIG. 6 is a signal timing chart of the operation example of FIG. 5;

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 Host computer 11 Shelf controller 12 Transport controller 13, 13a Transport vehicle 14 Equipment 15 Shelf 16 Work A, B 21, 23 Communication cable 22 Light (communication)

Claims (1)

(57) [Claims] In a communication method between a carrier and a facility when a work is set on the facility by the carrier , the carrier is provided.
In the car, the work alone is set in the facility by the carrier.
When the first transport completion signal indicating that the
Both are set in the equipment for each lot of multiple work units.
Output the second conveying completion signal indicating that it was, these transportable
Transmission completion signal by a transport vehicle, characterized in that the transport completion of the plurality workpiece units was to be able to recognize the plant -
Communication method between equipment.