A system for identifying the sealing of wafer carrier packaging using images

Abstract

A system for image recognition of the sealing performance of a wafer carrier package, the system comprising a wafer carrier having a base and a housing connected to the base. The system includes a transport channel and an image recognition module, the transport channel allowing the wafer carrier to pass through, the image recognition module including a plurality of image capturing units and a computing unit connected to the image capturing units. The image capturing units are located in the transport channel, and their positions are required to capture images of opposite sides of the wafer carrier as it passes through the transport channel. The computing unit executes an image recognition program based on at least one image captured by the image capturing units to determine whether the seam between the base and the housing in the at least one image is greater than a threshold.

Description

A system for identifying the sealing of wafer carrier packaging using images Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to a system for image recognition of the sealing properties of wafer carrier packaging. Prior Technology

[0002] In the semiconductor industry, wafer carriers can be wafer boxes, wafer boats, etc. Wafer carriers are containers used to protect, transport, and store wafers. The integrity and airtightness of the wafer carrier packaging are crucial indicators of preventing contamination during wafer transfer between different production facilities. Incomplete packaging or insufficient airtightness of the wafer carrier can affect wafer purity, thereby impacting the stability of subsequent processes. Therefore, determining the airtightness of wafer carrier packaging has become an important issue.

[0003] However, existing systems for judging the sealing performance of wafer carrier packaging still have shortcomings, and the aforementioned shortcomings are the goals of this invention. Summary of the Invention

[0004] The main purpose of this invention is to address the shortcomings of existing systems for determining the sealing performance of wafer carrier packaging.

[0005] To achieve the above objectives, this invention provides a system for image recognition of the sealing performance of a wafer carrier package. The system includes a wafer carrier with a base and a housing connected to the base. The system comprises a transport channel and an image recognition module. The transport channel allows the wafer carrier to pass through. The image recognition module includes multiple image capturing units and a computing unit connected to the image capturing units. The image capturing units are located in the transport channel, and their positions must allow them to capture images of opposite sides of the wafer carrier as it passes through the transport channel. The computing unit executes an image recognition program based on at least one image captured by the image capturing units to determine whether the seam between the base and the housing in the at least one image is larger than a threshold.

[0006] In one embodiment, the number of image capturing units is three.

[0007] In one embodiment, the image recognition program includes a pixel analysis subroutine, a seam finding subroutine, and a seam measurement subroutine.

[0008] In one embodiment, the image recognition module has a plurality of supplementary lights respectively provided for one of the image capturing units.

[0009] In one embodiment, the image recognition module has a dimming unit that connects to the fill lights and controls the amount of light projected by the fill lights.

[0010] In one embodiment, the system includes a prompting unit controlled by the computing unit.

[0011] Through the aforementioned implementation of this invention, compared with conventional methods, it has the following characteristics: This invention arranges the image capturing units on two opposite sides of the wafer carrier when the wafer carrier passes through the transport channel, so as to take pictures of the two opposite sides of the wafer carrier, and uses the computing unit to execute the image recognition program to determine whether the seam between the base and the cover in the at least one image is greater than the threshold, thereby determining the packaging seal of the wafer carrier. Simple Explanation of the Diagram

[0012] Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of one embodiment of the present invention.

[0013] Figure 2 is a schematic diagram of one embodiment of the present invention (II).

[0014] Figure 3 is a unit diagram of an embodiment of the present invention. Implementation

[0015] The detailed description and technical content of this new invention are explained below with reference to the accompanying drawings:

[0016] Please refer to Figures 1 to 3. This invention provides a system 20 for identifying the sealing of wafer carrier packaging using images.

[0017] Referring to Figure 1, before explaining the system 20, it should be noted that the wafer carrier 40 has a base 41 and a cover 42. The base 41 provides a place to hold at least one wafer, and the cover 42 is assembled with the base 41 to seal the at least one wafer. In the current semiconductor field, the cover 42 and the base 41 are easily misassembled, causing contaminants to flow in through the seam 43 between the base 41 and the cover 42 and contaminate the at least one wafer. Therefore, this new system 20 uses image recognition to identify the seam 43 between the base 41 and the cover 42 to determine the sealing performance of the wafer carrier 40.

[0018] Referring again to Figures 1 and 2, the system 20 includes a transport channel 21 and an image recognition module 23. The transport channel 21 allows the wafer carrier 40 to pass through. More specifically, the transport channel 21 may be located between two workstations in a semiconductor manufacturing plant, connecting the two workstations and transporting the wafer carrier 40 from one of the two workstations to the other. In another embodiment, the transport channel 21 is formed within the internal space of a single workstation, transporting the wafer carrier 40 between two working positions within the single workstation. In one embodiment, the transport channel 21 is formed by a plurality of supports 211.

[0019] Referring to Figure 3, the image recognition module 23 includes multiple image capturing units 231 and a processing unit 232. The image capturing units 231 are located in the transport channel 21. The positions of the image capturing units 231 are such that they capture images of opposite sides of the wafer carrier 40 as it passes through the transport channel 21, generating at least one image 233. It should be understood that when the image capturing units 231 capture images of the wafer carrier 40, the speed at which the wafer carrier 40 passes is set to be sufficient for the image capturing units 231 to capture at least one image 233. The wafer carrier 40 may also pause briefly for the image capturing units 231 to capture images, but the wafer carrier 40 will not remain stationary for an extended period, thus delaying transport. In one embodiment, each of the image capturing units 231 is a camera.

[0020] The processing unit 232 is connected to the image capturing units 231. The processing unit 232 can be a computing chip or composed of at least one electronic component. The processing unit 232 includes logic operation functions and memory functions. The processing unit 232 pre-stores an image recognition program. The processing unit 232 can continuously execute the image recognition program during the transport of the wafer carrier 40, or it can execute the image recognition program only when the at least one image 233 is received. The image recognition program operates based on the at least one image 233 to determine whether the seam 43 corresponding to the base 41 and the cover 42 in the at least one image 233 is greater than a threshold. This threshold is based on the designed size of the seam 43 when the base 41 and the cover 42 are basically assembled. If the seam 43 between the base 41 and the cover 42 is greater than the threshold, it indicates that the assembly of the base 41 and the cover 42 is not secure. The threshold setting of this new invention is based on actual usage requirements. Considering that when the base 41 and the lid 42 are actually assembled, the joint 43 between the base 41 and the lid 42 may still exceed the design size, the threshold can be adjusted based on the aforementioned requirements.

[0021] For a detailed description of the implementation of system 20, please refer to Figures 1 to 3. When the wafer carrier 40 moves within the transport channel 21 to the location where the image capturing units 231 capture images of the wafer carrier 40, the image capturing units 231 capture images of the wafer carrier 40 from two opposite sides as it passes through the transport channel 21, generating at least one image 233. After receiving the at least one image 233, the processing unit 232 executes the image recognition program to determine whether the seam 43 between the base 41 and the cover 42 in the at least one image 233 is greater than a threshold. Once the processing unit 232 determines that the seam 43 between the base 41 and the cover 42 is greater than the threshold, the processing unit 232 will issue a corresponding signal, such as a prompt signal 230.

[0022] As can be seen from the foregoing, this invention uses the image recognition program to interpret the at least one image 233 generated by the image capturing unit 231, and thereby determines the size of the joint 43 between the base 41 and the cover 42 in the at least one image 233, so as to determine whether the base 41 and the cover 42 of the wafer carrier 40 are indeed assembled.

[0023] Referring again to Figure 1, the number of image capturing units 231 in this novel invention is preferably sufficient to capture images from two opposite sides of the wafer carrier 40. This allows the image capturing units 231 to be positioned facing opposite sides of the seam 43 between the base 41 and the cover 42, thereby improving the accuracy of the image recognition process. In one embodiment, three image capturing units 231 are preferred. Two of the image capturing units 231 capturing images from the same side of the wafer carrier 40 can respectively capture images of different positions of the seam 43 between the base 41 and the cover 42.

[0024] Referring again to Figures 1 and 3, in one embodiment, the image recognition module 23 has a plurality of supplementary lights 234, each of which is disposed corresponding to one of the image capturing units 231. The supplementary lights 234 are located within the transport channel 21, and their light projection direction is towards the position of the wafer carrier 40 as it passes through the transport channel 21. The supplementary lights 234 supplement the light within the transport channel 21 to enhance the brightness of the at least one image 233 generated by the image capturing units 231. In one embodiment, the light projected by the supplementary lights 234 is yellow light. Referring to Figure 3, in another embodiment, the image recognition module 23 of this invention further includes a dimming unit 235, which is connected to the supplementary lights 234 and used to control the amount of light projected by the supplementary lights 234.

[0025] Referring again to Figures 1 and 3, in one embodiment, the image recognition program of this novel invention includes a pixel analysis subroutine, a seam finding subroutine, and a seam measurement subroutine. The pixel analysis subroutine analyzes the pixels of the at least one image 233, filtering the wavelengths of specific colors in the at least one image 233. For example, the pixel analysis subroutine may adjust the grayscale of the at least one image 233 to make the lines corresponding to the seam 43 between the base 41 and the lid 42 in the at least one image 233 clearly distinguishable in black and white. The seam finding subroutine is based on the pixel-analyzed at least one image 233, and its purpose is to locate the edges of the base 41 and the lid 42 in the at least one image 233. The seam measurement subroutine is based on the location-analyzed at least one image 233, and its purpose is to measure the distance between the edges of the base 41 and the lid 42 in the at least one image 233.

[0026] Referring again to Figure 3, in one embodiment, the system 20 includes a prompting unit 25, which is controlled by the processing unit 232. When the processing unit 232 determines that the seam 43 between the base 41 and the cover 42 in the at least one image 233 is greater than a threshold and generates a prompting signal 230, the prompting unit 25 generates a corresponding prompt based on the received prompting signal 230. The aforementioned prompt must be sufficient to attract the user's attention, such as a visual prompt or an audio prompt. For example, the visual prompt could be generated by a warning light, and the audio prompt could be generated by a buzzer.

[0027] 20: System 21: Conveying Channel 211: Bracket 23: Image Recognition Module 230: Warning Signal 231: Image Capture Unit 232: Arithmetic Unit 233: Images 234: Fill Light 235: Dimming Unit 25: Prompt Unit 40: Wafer carrier 41: Base 42: Box lid 43: Seam

Claims

1. A system for image recognition of the sealing performance of a wafer carrier package, the system comprising a wafer carrier having a base and a housing connected to the base, the system comprising: a transport channel allowing the wafer carrier to pass through; and an image recognition module including a plurality of image capturing units and a computing unit connected to the image capturing units, the image capturing units being disposed in the transport channel and positioned such that they take pictures of two opposite sides of the wafer carrier as the wafer carrier passes through the transport channel, the computing unit executing an image recognition program based on at least one image captured by the image capturing units to determine whether the seam between the base and the housing in the at least one image is greater than a threshold.

2. The system for image recognition of wafer carrier packaging seal as described in claim 1, wherein, The number of these image capturing units is three.

3. The system for image recognition of wafer carrier packaging seal as described in any one of claims 1 to 2, wherein, The image recognition program includes a pixel analysis subroutine, a seam finding subroutine, and a seam measurement subroutine.

4. The system for image recognition of wafer carrier packaging seal as described in claim 3, wherein, The image recognition module has multiple fill lights, each corresponding to one of the image capturing units.

5. The system for image recognition of wafer carrier packaging seal as described in claim 4, wherein, The image recognition module has a dimming unit that connects to the fill lights and controls the amount of light projected by the fill lights.

6. The system for image recognition of wafer carrier packaging seal as described in claim 5, wherein, The system includes a prompting unit controlled by the computing unit.

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