Wafer box storage library coordinate data processing method and system

Abstract

The application provides a wafer box storage coordinate data processing method and system, wherein the wafer box storage coordinate data processing method comprises the following steps: collecting a target image corresponding to a target slot in a wafer box storage; obtaining a comparison result between the target image and an original image corresponding to the target slot; determining coordinate correction data corresponding to the target slot according to the comparison result; and correcting coordinate data of the target slot according to the coordinate correction data. By comparing the new and old images of the slot in the wafer storage, the correction data can be quickly obtained, and then the data is corrected by the correction data, the data processing process is simple, the data is accurate, the coordinate data can be corrected in real time, the operation accuracy of the wafer box taking and placing operation is ensured, the operation efficiency and safety are ensured, and automatic execution can be realized, thereby reducing the labor operation intensity.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

[0001] The present specification relates to the field of semiconductor manufacturing, and in particular, to a coordinate data processing method and system for a wafer box storage library. BACKGROUND

[0002] In the production process of semiconductor wafers, a special wafer box (Foup) storage device is needed. Due to the limited space in the clean room, a three-dimensional storage method is usually used in actual production, which cooperates with automatic storage and retrieval devices, such as using a wafer box storage library to store wafer boxes, cooperating with an automatic storage and retrieval device (also referred to as a taking and placing mechanism) such as a stacker or an AGV or an industrial transfer robot, to improve the efficiency of wafer box taking and placing.

[0003] Inside the wafer box storage library, a plurality of slots (or wafer box loading plates) are provided for storing wafer boxes, and a plurality of slots are usually arranged in the form of an array or a single column (horizontally or vertically) to facilitate centralized management and centralized storage, and to save the internal space of the wafer box storage library. During production and use, due to reasons such as gravitational settling, installation or maintenance, collision during wafer box taking and placing, etc., the slots may be offset, resulting in errors between the actual position and the original position, and the automatic storage and retrieval device performs taking and placing operations according to the coordinate data of the original position of the storage slot. During the taking and placing process, the wafer box may not be accurately taken and placed due to the error, causing the operation to stop, affecting the operation efficiency, and even the wafer box may fall due to impact or placement deviation, causing huge economic losses.

[0004] At present, manual inspection of the position of the slot inside the storage cabinet is usually adopted, and then the coordinate data is corrected according to the inspection. However, due to the large number of slots, the small internal space of the wafer box storage library, and the high distance of the upper slots from the ground, manual inspection operation is not convenient, labor intensity is large, time-consuming, and affects the clean environment, etc. When manual inspection is performed, the taking and placing mechanism needs to stop the wafer box taking and placing operation, which seriously affects the continuity and production efficiency of production, etc. SUMMARY

[0005] In view of the problems existing in the prior art, the purpose of the present application is to provide a coordinate data processing method and system for a wafer box storage library. The coordinate data processing method for the wafer box storage library can automatically correct and update the coordinate information of the wafer box storage slot, and ensure the efficiency and safety of the wafer box taking and placing operation.

[0006] The embodiments of the present specification provide the following technical solutions:

[0007] A coordinate data processing method for a wafer box storage library, comprising:

[0008] acquire a target image corresponding to a target slot in a wafer box storage library, the target image containing position information for representing a position of a wafer box taken or placed on the target slot;

[0009] acquire a comparison result between the target image and an original image corresponding to the target slot;

[0010] determine coordinate correction data corresponding to the target slot according to the comparison result;

[0011] correct coordinate data of the target slot according to the coordinate correction data.

[0012] In the above scheme, the target image is a newly acquired image representing the current position of the target slot, and the original image is an image with corrected coordinate data, i.e., an image representing the correct coordinate position of the target slot, such as an image of the position of the target slot in the previous operation or an image of the position of the target slot after initial installation or position calibration. By comparing the target image and the original image, the difference between the images is obtained to analyze whether the current position of the target slot deviates, and the coordinate correction data can be calculated according to the deviation. Then, the previous coordinate data is corrected using the coordinate correction data to obtain coordinate data accurately reflecting the current position information of the target slot, which provides accurate operation parameters for the taking and placing operation of the wafer box, ensures the operation accuracy and safety of the taking and placing operation, and avoids the situation of colliding with the slot or the wafer box falling. Moreover, the coordinate data processing method is automatically completed without interrupting the taking and placing operation, and personnel do not need to enter the inside of the wafer box storage library. The efficiency of coordinate correction is high, and the efficiency and continuity of the wafer box taking and placing operation are ensured.

[0013] The embodiments of the present specification also provide a scheme, and acquiring a target image corresponding to a target slot in a wafer box storage library includes: acquiring the target image for a preset feature region on the target slot, the feature region including a region for representing a preset feature of the target slot;

[0014] acquiring a comparison result between the target image and an original image corresponding to the target slot includes:

[0015] acquiring a comparison result between the feature region in the target image and the feature region in the original image.

[0016] The embodiments of the present specification also provide a scheme, and the feature region includes at least one of a feature shape region existing in the target slot: an outer contour, a middle avoiding part for a taking and placing mechanism to pass through, a positioning part for positioning a placed wafer box, and a preset identification part for marking position information.

[0017] The embodiment of the present specification also provides a scheme, and collecting a target image corresponding to a target shelf in a wafer box storage includes: collecting the target image corresponding to the target shelf in the wafer box storage through a first camera device, wherein the first camera device is arranged at a preset position in the storage.

[0018] The embodiment of the present specification also provides a scheme, and the first camera device is a camera device arranged in the wafer box storage for inspection.

[0019] The embodiment of the present specification also provides a scheme, and collecting a target image corresponding to a target shelf in a wafer box storage includes: collecting the target image corresponding to the target shelf in the wafer box storage through a second camera device, wherein the second camera device is arranged on a taking and placing mechanism.

[0020] The embodiment of the present specification also provides a scheme, and the wafer box storage coordinate data processing method further includes:

[0021] According to the coordinate correction data of the first target shelf, the coordinate data of a second target shelf is corrected, wherein the first target shelf and the second target shelf are adjacent target shelves.

[0022] The embodiment of the present specification also provides a scheme, and the wafer box storage coordinate data processing method further includes: determining whether the coordinate correction data deviates from a preset threshold value exceeds a preset condition, and generating an alarm information when the coordinate correction data deviates from the preset threshold value exceeds the preset condition.

[0023] The embodiment of the present specification also provides a scheme, and the wafer box storage coordinate data processing method further includes: according to the alarm information, the coordinate data of the target shelf is marked as an abnormal state.

[0024] The embodiment of the present specification also provides a scheme, and after the coordinate correction data corresponding to the target shelf is determined, the wafer box storage coordinate data processing method further includes: replacing the target image with the original image.

[0025] The embodiment of the present specification also provides a scheme, and the wafer box storage coordinate data processing method further includes: obtaining a motion position of the taking and placing mechanism, and generating a collection signal according to the motion position.

[0026] Collecting a target image corresponding to a target shelf in a wafer box storage includes: according to the collection signal, collecting the target image corresponding to the target shelf in the wafer box storage.

[0027] The embodiment of the present specification also provides a wafer box storage coordinate data processing system, including:

[0028] An image acquisition unit is configured to acquire a target image corresponding to a target slot in a wafer box storage, the target image containing position information for representing a position of a wafer box taken or placed on the target slot;

[0029] An image comparison unit is configured to obtain a comparison result between the target image and an original image corresponding to the target slot.

[0030] A determination unit is configured to determine coordinate correction data corresponding to the target slot according to the comparison result.

[0031] A correction unit is configured to correct coordinate data of the target slot according to the coordinate correction data.

[0032] Embodiments of the present specification also provide a scheme, the image acquisition unit includes a camera device arranged at at least one of the following positions: a preset fixed position in the storage, a preset position in the storage for mobile inspection, and a preset position on the taking and placing mechanism.

[0033] Embodiments of the present specification also provide a scheme, the wafer box storage coordinate data processing system further includes an alarm unit, the alarm unit is configured to determine whether the coordinate correction data deviates from a preset threshold value exceeds a preset condition, and generate an alarm information when the coordinate correction data deviates from the preset threshold value exceeds the preset condition.

[0034] Embodiments of the present specification also provide a scheme, the wafer box storage coordinate data processing system further includes a motion position acquisition unit, the motion position acquisition unit is configured to acquire a motion position of the taking and placing mechanism, and generate an acquisition signal according to the motion position, the acquisition signal is used to trigger the image acquisition unit to acquire the target image corresponding to the target slot in the wafer box storage.

[0035] Compared with the prior art, the above at least one technical scheme adopted by the embodiments of the present specification can achieve at least the following beneficial effects:

[0036] The target image of the wafer box storage shelf is collected, and the newly collected target image is compared with the original image whose coordinate data has been corrected. For example, the difference between the target image and the original image is determined by pixel extraction and pixel comparison, and then the difference is expressed in the form of coordinate correction data. Then, the coordinate data is revised and updated to the current value according to the coordinate correction data. The coordinate correction method can automatically correct the current coordinate information of each shelf as needed, so that the coordinate information is always accurate, ensures the work accuracy of the taking and placing work, ensures the safety of the wafer box taking and placing work, avoids the risk of wafer box falling caused by incorrect coordinate information, and avoids economic loss. In addition, the coordinate correction method can be set to run automatically in the storage library, without the need for personnel to enter the inside of the storage shelf to perform manual calibration, which is helpful to reduce the labor intensity of personnel and will not affect the continuous operation of the storage equipment, ensuring the wafer production efficiency. In addition, the current coordinate data is used for the taking and placing mechanism, which facilitates the taking and placing mechanism to perform taking and placing work on the wafer box according to the accurate current coordinate data, and ensures the accuracy and safety of the work. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0037] In order to more clearly illustrate the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present application, the drawings needed in the embodiments will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings in the following description are only some embodiments of the present application, and other drawings can be obtained by those skilled in the art without creative labor.

[0038] Figure 1 is a perspective view of a storage shelf in a wafer box storage library;

[0039] Figure 2 is a side view of a storage shelf in a wafer box storage library;

[0040] Figure 3 is an enlarged perspective view of a wafer box tray in a wafer box storage library;

[0041] Figure 4 is a schematic view of a storage area in a first storage shelf;

[0042] Figure 5 is a flowchart of a coordinate correction method;

[0043] Figure 6 is a summary of the original coordinate position data of storage area three;

[0044] Figure 7 is a system block diagram of a wafer box storage library;

[0045] 10, first storage shelf, 11, storage area one, 12, storage area two, 13, storage area three, 14, storage area four, 15, first slot, 151, outer contour, 152, avoiding part, 153, positioning part, 20, second storage shelf, 25, second slot, 100, wafer box storage. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0046] The embodiments of the present application will be described in detail below with reference to the drawings.

[0047] The above embodiments are only some of the embodiments of the present application, but not all the embodiments of the present application. The present application can also be implemented or applied by other different specific embodiments, and each detail in the specification can be modified or changed based on different views and applications without departing from the spirit of the present application. It should be noted that the following embodiments and features in the embodiments can be combined with each other without conflict. Based on the embodiments in the present application, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative labor are within the scope of protection of the present application.

[0048] It should be noted that the various aspects of the embodiments described below are within the scope of the appended claims. It should be apparent that the aspects described herein can be embodied in a wide variety of forms and that any specific structure and / or function described herein is merely illustrative. Based on the teachings herein one skilled in the art should appreciate that an aspect described herein can be implemented independently of any other aspects and that an aspect described herein can be implemented both as any number of software and / or hardware structures and as any number of processes and / or operations. For example, an aspect can be implemented as a software program running on hardware and / or as appropriately programmed processor(s) with associated computer readable storage medium and / or other appropriate components best mode.

[0049] It should also be noted that the figures provided in the following embodiments are only schematically illustrating the basic concept of the present application, and only the components related to the present application are shown in the figures, not the number, shape and size of the components when actually implemented. The actual implementation of each component can be a random change in shape, number and proportion, and the layout of the components can be more complex.

[0050] It should be understood that "the connection between component A and component B" means that component A is directly connected to component B, or that component A is indirectly connected to component B through other components. The directional terms such as "upper," "lower," "inner," "outer," and "side" described in the exemplary embodiments of this specification are used to describe the angles shown in the accompanying drawings and should not be construed as limiting the exemplary embodiments of this specification.

[0051] Furthermore, specific details are provided in the following description to facilitate a thorough understanding of the examples. However, those skilled in the art will understand that the described aspects can be practiced without these specific details.

[0052] With the widespread application of integrated circuits in daily life, semiconductors are playing an increasingly important role in products, leading to a significant increase in demand and thus promoting the vigorous development of the global semiconductor market. In the processes of semiconductor packaging, testing, and production, due to the diverse range of product types, wafers of different types and sizes are placed in wafer cassettes of different sizes, such as 8-inch (200mm wafers), 12-inch (300mm wafers), and 17.7-inch (450mm wafers), to achieve batch handling and storage. This has led to the development of Automatic Material Handling Systems (AMHS), which are now widely used in the semiconductor manufacturing industry.

[0053] Automated Material Handling Systems (AMHS) include automated storage and retrieval systems (STOCKERs), automated stacking equipment (i.e., pick-and-place mechanisms, such as stacker cranes, automated guided vehicles (AGVs), inter-process transport trolleys, etc.), and related control systems. The automated stacking equipment is responsible for picking up and placing wafer cassettes in the automated storage and retrieval systems.

[0054] Due to limited space in cleanrooms, automated storage and retrieval systems (AS / RS) are commonly used in actual production to store wafer cassettes. Inside an AS / RS, there are multiple storage racks, each containing several different storage areas to partition wafer cassettes of different sizes. Each storage area has numerous uniformly sized compartments (wafer cassette trays), where wafer cassettes are placed for centralized storage.

[0055] In actual production and use, the wafer rack position may shift due to gravity settling, installation or maintenance, collisions during wafer rack loading and unloading, etc. If the automatic stacking equipment still performs wafer rack loading and unloading operations based on the previously recorded rack position coordinate data, accidents may easily occur, resulting in economic losses.

[0056] Therefore, the current practice is usually to conduct regular manual inspections and correct the coordinate data corresponding to each position based on the inspection results, which is not only inefficient but also affects production.

[0057] This invention proposes a wafer cassette storage coordinate data processing scheme capable of automatically performing cassette position coordinate information correction operations: By comparing a new image (the image acquired when the coordinate data is to be corrected) and an original image (the image acquired after the previous coordinate data correction) of the same cassette position, image recognition and image comparison methods are used to compare the image shape of the same cassette position in the two images, obtaining coordinate correction data reflecting the offset of the cassette position. The original coordinate data is then corrected using the coordinate correction data to obtain the current coordinate data, reflecting the current true position status of the cassette position. The current coordinate data can be used as the operation parameters for the automatic stacking equipment's pick-and-place operation to ensure the real-time performance and accuracy of the operation data. Specifically, the target image reflects the current position status of the cassette position, while the original image reflects the position status corresponding to the cassette position when the coordinate data was previously corrected. Moreover, the position status reflected by the original image is a state where pick-and-place operations can be safely performed, such as the position status of the cassette position during the previous operation, or the position status of the cassette position after initial installation or calibration.

[0058] The technical solutions provided by the various embodiments of this application are described below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0059] This invention provides a method for processing coordinate data of a wafer cassette storage facility, used for correcting the coordinates of target locations within the wafer cassette storage facility. For example... Figures 1 to 3 As shown, the interior of the wafer cassette storage 100 includes multiple storage shelves, each shelf having multiple compartments (wafer cassette trays) for placing wafer cassettes.

[0060] The wafer storage facility is also equipped with imaging devices, such as high-speed cameras, industrial cameras, CCD cameras, and video cameras. The installation locations of these imaging devices are flexible; they can be installed in fixed positions or on mobile devices. When using fixed-position installation, multiple installation locations can be set up. For example, the imaging device can be installed at a first preset position in front of each shelf; or at a second preset position in front of multiple shelves to capture images of all shelves in that area. When using mobile devices, a movable inspection mechanism can be set up inside the wafer storage facility, with camera devices mounted on the inspection mechanism to capture images of the shelves throughout the facility. Multiple inspection mechanisms can be used to improve image capture efficiency.

[0061] The wafer cassette storage unit is equipped with a pick-and-place mechanism (i.e., an automated storage and retrieval system, such as a stacker crane, AGV, or industrial transport robot) for placing wafer cassettes in or retrieving them from the storage compartments (not shown in the figure). A camera can also be mounted on the pick-and-place mechanism, for example, on the mounting platform of the robotic arm of an industrial transport robot, or on the stacking device of a stacker crane near the storage compartment. Preferably, the camera is mounted at the end of the robotic arm of a stacker crane or the end of the robotic arm of a mobile robot, closer to the storage compartment, thereby obtaining a clearer image.

[0062] The imaging device is communicatively or electrically connected to a processor. The processor can be located in a wafer cassette storage library or in an external device, such as a desktop computer, server, or laptop. The processor runs a wafer cassette storage library coordinate data processing method, which includes the following steps (e.g., Figure 5 As shown):

[0063] Step S101: Acquire a target image corresponding to the target compartment in the wafer cassette storage warehouse. The target image contains position information for placing or picking up wafer cassettes on the target compartment.

[0064] It should be noted that the target shelf is the shelf where wafer cassette loading and unloading operations need to be performed; the target image is an image that records the current state of the target shelf, so that the target image contains the position information of loading and unloading wafer cassettes in the current target shelf.

[0065] Step S102: Obtain the comparison result between the target image and the original image corresponding to the target position.

[0066] It should be noted that the original image is a previously captured image containing coordinate information that can be used for safe placement and removal of wafer cassettes. For example, the original image could be an image from a previous safe operation of the target cassette being processed, which could be either a placement or retrieval operation. Alternatively, the original image could be an image of the cassette after initial installation or calibration. All of these images contain the coordinate information corresponding to the safe operation performed. When the original image is an image from a previous safe operation of the target cassette being processed, this solution can perform data iteration on the original image.

[0067] It should also be noted that the comparison between the target image and the original image can be achieved using any commercially available or readily available image comparison algorithm. For example, the comparison can be achieved by extracting the outline shape of the target position in the target image and the original image, and then comparing the outline shapes in the two images using a pixel comparison algorithm. Alternatively, the comparison can be achieved by extracting the pixel information of the target position shape in the target image and the original image, and then comparing the two images using a pixel comparison algorithm.

[0068] Step S103: Determine the coordinate correction data corresponding to the target position based on the comparison results.

[0069] It should be noted that the coordinate correction data can be represented using a three-dimensional coordinate system. For example... Figure 4 As shown, a three-dimensional coordinate system is established with the width direction of the target position as the X-axis, the length direction as the Y-axis, and the height direction as the Z-axis. The comparison results are converted into coordinate correction data using any commercially available or obtainable three-dimensional coordinate algorithm.

[0070] Step S104: Correct the coordinate data of the target position according to the coordinate correction data.

[0071] It should be noted that coordinate data can also be represented using a three-dimensional coordinate system, such as the three-dimensional coordinate system in step S103.

[0072] It should also be noted that the coordinate data can be calculated using, for example, the three-dimensional coordinate algorithm in step S103 after each target image is captured; or the coordinate data can be pre-calculated before capturing the target image, stored in the database, and called during the coordinate correction process.

[0073] In the above scheme, an imaging device is used to capture and record the original image and the current image of the shelf position. The two images are compared using an image algorithm to determine the offset. The offset is displayed as digital information in a three-dimensional coordinate system to obtain coordinate correction data. Then, in the same coordinate system, the coordinate correction data is used to correct the coordinate data corresponding to the original image, thereby obtaining accurate new coordinate data that reflects the current state of the target shelf position. The updated coordinate data is used to perform the wafer box picking or placement operation, thereby ensuring the accuracy and precision of the operation and ensuring the efficiency of the operation.

[0074] It should be noted that when using a mobile imaging device (the imaging device is installed on the inspection mechanism or the pick-and-place mechanism), the stopping position of the mobile mechanism (inspection mechanism or pick-and-place mechanism) can be set so that the imaging device can take pictures of the wafer at the same position and angle. This reduces the amount of image processing computation, makes the algorithm simpler, and improves the computational efficiency, thereby further improving the efficiency of wafer cell pick-and-place operations.

[0075] It should also be noted that the above method compares the target image and the original image within the same storage compartment, thus making it applicable to various scenarios. Specifically, the method can be applied to wafer cell storage libraries with various compartment layouts, such as those with multiple compartments on one side or on both sides; it can also be applied to compartments of different sizes, such as... Figure 4 As shown, the sizes of the storage compartments in storage area 11, storage area 22, storage area 33, and storage area 414 are different; the above method can also be applied to wafer cell storage libraries with regularly arranged compartments (e.g., in an array or single column) or irregularly arranged compartments (e.g., in a staggered manner).

[0076] In some implementations, the target image includes an image of a feature region of the target cell, and the wafer cell repository coordinate data processing method performs a comparison step on the image of the feature region when performing image comparison.

[0077] Specifically, acquiring the target image corresponding to the target compartment in the wafer cassette storage includes: acquiring the target image for a preset feature region on the target compartment, wherein the feature region includes a region used to characterize the preset features of the target compartment;

[0078] Obtaining the comparison result between the target image and the original image corresponding to the target position includes:

[0079] Obtain the comparison results between the feature regions in the target image and the feature regions in the original image.

[0080] It should be noted that the feature area is a specific area on the target mounting location that reflects the shape characteristics of the target mounting location. For example, it may be a part of the outer contour line, specifically, the contour line of a preset length near the corners on both sides of the outer contour line; or it may be an image of the installation location of the target mounting location.

[0081] By identifying the feature regions in the target image and also identifying the same feature regions in the original image, the feature regions in the two images are compared to obtain the comparison results, thereby obtaining the positional offset information of the target position for subsequent coordinate correction data calculation.

[0082] In the above scheme, not only is the extraction of the target position information highly accurate, but it also helps to reduce the amount of computation and obtain the comparison results between images more easily and quickly, thereby further improving the processing speed of the entire coordinate data processing method.

[0083] In some implementations, such as Figure 3As shown, the target shelf faces the edge of the pick-and-place mechanism and is recessed to the opposite side of the edge, thereby forming a central clearance portion 152 in the middle of the target shelf. Specifically, the first shelf 15 inside the first storage rack 10 is mounted on the rear mounting plate inside the first storage rack 10. The edge of the first shelf 15 facing the opening direction of the first storage rack 10 is recessed inward, that is, recessed to the mounting plate side, forming the central clearance portion 152. The central clearance portion 152 is used to provide a working area for the pick-and-place mechanism during the pick-and-place process. Taking a stacker crane as an example, when placing a wafer cassette, the stacker crane's robotic arm supports the wafer cassette from below. After obtaining the corrected coordinate data of the target shelf position, the robotic arm enters the central clearance section 152 and keeps the bottom surface of the wafer cassette slightly higher than the target shelf position (such as the first shelf position 15). Then, the robotic arm descends and places the wafer cassette in the target shelf position. The robotic arm continues to descend, detaches from the bottom surface of the wafer cassette, and exits from the clearance section. When retrieving a wafer cassette, the robotic arm's actions and processes are the reverse of the wafer cassette placement process described above, and will not be repeated here.

[0084] In some embodiments, a positioning part 153, such as a positioning post, positioning block, or positioning pin, may be provided above the target shelf (e.g., the first shelf 15), i.e., in the direction facing the bottom surface of the wafer cassette. A positioning hole is provided at the corresponding position on the bottom surface of the wafer cassette to provide positioning during the vertical descent of the wafer cassette during the placement operation, and to fix the wafer cassette after it is placed in the target shelf.

[0085] In some embodiments, the surface of the target compartment (such as the first compartment 15) may also be provided with a preset marking part (not shown in the figure). The preset marking part may be a sticker with an identification pattern on the surface, or an identification pattern etched on the surface of the target compartment. The identification pattern may include multiple concentric polygons or circles, intersecting straight line segments and curve segments.

[0086] When the wafer cassette storage coordinate data processing method obtains the comparison results between the feature regions in the target image and the feature regions in the original image, the feature regions include at least one or a combination of the outer contour 151, the middle avoidance portion 152, the positioning portion 153, and the preset marking portion of the target cassette (first cassette 15). By identifying at least one image of a specific region that reflects the shape characteristics of the target cassette, the characteristic shape of the target cassette can be quickly identified. Furthermore, when comparing images, only a portion of the characteristic shape in the image is compared, further reducing the computational load of identifying and comparing images. This makes the coordinate data processing method simpler, more efficient, and faster.

[0087] In some embodiments, the wafer cassette repository coordinate data processing method further includes:

[0088] The coordinate information of the target storage location is calculated based on the three-dimensional parameters of the storage area where the target storage location is located, and then the coordinate information is corrected using coordinate correction data.

[0089] Specifically, the wafer cassette is a three-dimensional structure with length, width, and height. Its bottom has a groove corresponding to a positioning device on the tray, allowing it to fit and be fixed within the tray. When the groove matches the positioning device, it restricts the wafer cassette's freedom of movement on the carrier, thus providing positioning. After the wafer cassette is fixed, a three-dimensional space is formed, which can be understood and configured as a storage compartment. Each storage area has multiple storage compartments, and each storage compartment corresponds to a tray for placing and storing the wafer cassette. If the storage areas are arranged in an array or a single column, the trays will also be arranged in an array or a single column. For example, a 3×5 array means that in this storage area, there are 3 rows from bottom to top, and each row has 5 storage compartments from left to right. Each storage compartment in the same storage area has the same dimensions, for example, 100mm (width) × 100mm (height) × 100mm (depth). Alternatively, the array can have only one row or one column, forming a single-column arrangement.

[0090] Taking a cubic structure with a side length of 100mm as an example, the storage compartment is constructed using the lower left corner of the cubic structure as the origin of the three-dimensional coordinate system, as follows: Figure 4 As shown, the storage area includes width data, height data, and depth data. The width data refers to the length along the positive X-axis, the height data refers to the length along the positive Z-axis, and the depth data refers to the length along the positive Y-axis. The angle data ( Figure 4 In this context, R refers to the angle between the perpendicular bisector of the storage location and the Y-axis in the XY plane. By defining the above four data points, the general formula for representing the original coordinates of the storage location is (X, Y, Z, R).

[0091] The coordinate correction data includes offset coordinate data (width offset data) in the X-axis direction, offset coordinate data (depth offset data) in the Y-axis direction, and offset coordinate data (height offset data) in the Z-axis direction of the aforementioned three-dimensional coordinate system. Each offset coordinate data value is positive if it is offset in the positive direction of the coordinate axis, and negative if it is offset in the negative direction. If the position deflects, the angle offset data is used to represent the deflection, with clockwise deflection in the XY plane being positive and counterclockwise deflection in the horizontal plane being negative. That is to say, in Figure 4In this system, offsets along the positive X-axis, positive Y-axis, and positive Z-axis are considered positive, as is a clockwise rotation of the position in the horizontal plane. For example, if a position is offset by 5mm along the positive X-axis, has no deviation in the Y-axis, is offset by 2mm along the negative Z-axis, and rotates 10° counterclockwise in the horizontal plane, the offset data would be represented as (5, 0, -2, -10°). The wafer cell storage coordinate data processing method obtains coordinate correction data by comparing the target image and the original image.

[0092] The above settings ensure that the width offset data, depth offset data, height offset data, and angle offset data correspond to the width data, depth data, height data, and angle data respectively, facilitating calculations within the same three-dimensional coordinate system.

[0093] It should be noted that the above dimensions of 100mm (width) × 100mm (height) × 100mm (depth) are for illustrative purposes only. In actual production, wafer cassette storage can store wafer cassettes of other sizes, and multiple storage areas can be set up to hold wafer cassettes of different sizes. When using the method provided by this invention, the preset width, preset height, and preset depth information of the storage compartments can be obtained by acquiring the identification number of the storage area, so as to calculate the original coordinate information of each compartment in the storage area.

[0094] In some implementations, taking the first shelf 15 located in the first storage shelf 10 as an example, the coordinate data of the original position of the first shelf 15 is calculated based on the number of the first shelf 15 and the preset width, preset depth, preset height and preset angle of the storage compartment of the first storage area.

[0095] Taking multiple first pavilion positions 15 in the form of an n×m array as an example, when calculating the original coordinate position data of each pavilion position, the storage area to which the pavilion position belongs is first obtained. That is, by using the numbering information or identification information of the storage area, it is known that the storage area contains an n×m array, where n represents the number of rows and m represents the number of columns.

[0096] Then, obtain the unit number k corresponding to the storage compartment. Divide k by m to get j, and obtain the integer part J of the result j. Add 1 to J to get the row number a of the storage compartment. Subtract the product of J and m from the unit number k to get the column number b of the storage compartment. Since the storage compartment size is the same in each storage area, the original coordinates of the storage compartment in each storage compartment can be calculated based on the preset width, preset depth, preset height, and preset angle of the storage compartment in the storage area.

[0097] The general formula (X, Y, Z, R) of the original coordinate position data is transformed into (ax, y, bz, r), where a represents the row number; b represents the column number; x represents the preset width of the storage compartment; y represents the preset depth of the storage compartment; z represents the preset height of the storage compartment; and r represents the preset installation angle of the compartment in the storage compartment, i.e., r = R.

[0098] by Figure 4 Taking the storage area 3 13 located in the lower left corner of the first storage shelf 10 as an example, the area 3 includes a 3×5 array of storage compartments. The compartments in the bottom row along the positive X-axis are numbered 1 to 5, the compartments in the middle row are numbered 6 to 10, and the compartments in the top row are numbered 11 to 15.

[0099] Calculate the original location data of the 15 compartments in storage area 3.13, such as... Figure 1 As shown. In storage area 3 13, the preset width (x) of the cubic structure of each storage compartment is 100mm, the preset depth (y) is 100mm, and the preset height (z) is 100mm. The compartment in the storage compartment extends along the positive direction of the Y axis and is installed on the mounting plate on the inner side of the first storage rack 10.

[0100] For example, to calculate the original coordinate position data of the pavilion number 1, k=1, given n=3, m=5. j=k / m=1 / 5, the integer part J of j is 0, a=J+1=1; b=kJ×m=1-0×5=1. According to the general formula (ax, y, bz, r), the original coordinate position data of the pavilion number 1 is (100, 100, 100, 90°).

[0101] For example, to calculate the original coordinate position data of the 7th tier, k = 7, j = k / m = 7 / 5, the integer part J of j is 1, a = J + 1 = 2; b = kJ × m = 7 - 1 × 5 = 2. According to the general formula (ax, y, bz, r), the original coordinate position data of the 7th tier is (200, 100, 200, 90°).

[0102] The original coordinates of each storage location in storage area 3.13 can be referenced. Figure 6 The data in the middle.

[0103] In some other embodiments, when the wafer storage cassette 100 includes a first storage shelf 10 and a second storage shelf 20 with their openings facing each other, the same three-dimensional spatial coordinate system as in the above embodiments is used. In this case, the angle information R of the first shelf 15 installed in the first storage shelf 10 is defined as 90° when the shelf is installed in the positive direction of the Y-axis; and the angle information R of the second shelf 25 installed in the second storage shelf 20 is defined as 270° when the shelf is installed in the negative direction of the Y-axis.

[0104] For example, given the original coordinates of a wafer tray (100, 100, 100, 90°), and the offset data obtained through image comparison as (5, 0, 2, -2°), the current coordinates (i.e., actual coordinates) of the tray can be determined as (105, 100, 98, 88°). When the pick-and-place mechanism needs to pick up or place a wafer tray in this tray, it can use this current coordinate data (105, 100, 98, 88°) to perform precise pick-up or placement actions.

[0105] It should also be noted that each storage compartment can also be a cuboid structure. Accordingly, the database stores the width (X), depth (Y), height (Z) information of the cuboid storage compartment, as well as the angle (R) information of the niche installed within it.

[0106] In some other embodiments, a third storage shelf (not shown in the figure) may be provided on the same side end face of the first storage shelf 10 and the second storage shelf 20, specifically for installing the corner unit. Preferably, multiple wafer trays with the same angle data R are arranged in a vertical row. For example, angle data R = 45°, 90°, 135°, or angle data R = 60°, 120°, thereby making more rational and effective use of the internal space.

[0107] In some embodiments, the wafer cassette repository coordinate data processing method further includes:

[0108] The coordinate data of the second target position are corrected based on the coordinate correction data of the first target position, wherein the first target position and the second target position are adjacent target positions.

[0109] The first target bay and the second target bay are located in the same storage area and mounted on the same set of fixtures for placing wafer cassettes of the same size. The first target bay and the second target bay are adjacent to each other; that is, the storage compartments containing the first target bay and the second target bay are adjacent to each other. The width, depth, and height of the two storage compartments are the same. For example, in the 15 bays of storage area 3.13 mentioned above, the preset width (x), preset depth (y), and preset height (z) of their cubic structure are 100mm. Furthermore, the two target bays are mounted on the same set of fixtures, and the deflection of the two target bays is the same. Assuming the first target pavilion position is number 7, and the second target pavilion position is the adjacent pavilion position number 8, using the same calculation method as in the previous embodiment, the original coordinate position data of pavilion position number 7 is obtained as (200, 100, 200, 90°), which will not be repeated here. Furthermore, the offset data of pavilion position number 7 is obtained as (5, 0, 0, 0°) through image recognition, thus obtaining the current coordinate data of pavilion position number 7 as (205, 100, 200, 90°). Since pavilion position 8 is adjacent to pavilion position 7, the offset of pavilion position 7 will also affect pavilion position 8. Using the same calculation method, the original coordinate position data of pavilion position 8 is obtained as (300, 100, 200, 90°). Then, the offset data of pavilion position 7 (5, 0, 0, 0°) is used to correct the original coordinate position data of pavilion position 8, resulting in the current coordinate data of pavilion position 8 as (305, 100, 200, 90°). Similarly, by knowing the offset data of Pavilion No. 7, the current coordinate data of Pavilion No. 2, which is vertically adjacent to it, can be calculated as (105, 100, 100, 90°), and the current coordinate data of Pavilion No. 12 is (205, 100, 300, 90°).

[0110] In some embodiments, the wafer cassette storage coordinate data processing method further includes: determining whether the coordinate correction data deviates from a preset threshold by more than a preset condition, and generating an alarm message when the coordinate correction data deviates from the preset threshold by more than a preset condition.

[0111] For example, when the Z-axis correction data (i.e., height offset data) in the coordinate correction data is greater than a preset threshold, an alarm message is generated. The alarm message is used to indicate that the position of the target workstation is abnormal.

[0112] Specifically, for example, storage area 12 of the first storage rack 10 is used to store 8-inch wafer cells. The threshold for the Z-axis direction in the coordinate correction data for storage area 12 is set to 8mm. When the calculated height offset data exceeds 8mm, an alarm message is generated. Operators can then perform subsequent actions based on the alarm message, such as pausing the retrieval and placement operations of the target shelf, or blocking the target shelf, etc.

[0113] Similarly, thresholds can be set for the X-axis direction, Y-axis direction, and deflection angle in the XY plane in the coordinate correction data. When the corresponding offset data in the coordinate correction data is greater than the threshold, an alarm message is generated to protect the safety of wafer cell handling operations. This will not be elaborated further here.

[0114] Preferably, the wafer cell storage coordinate data processing method further includes: marking the coordinate data of the target cell as abnormal based on the alarm information.

[0115] By automatically marking the abnormal status of the target position, the target position is temporarily removed from the normal pick-and-place operation, ensuring that its coordinate data will not be used for the pick-and-place operation and thus ensuring operational safety.

[0116] In some embodiments, the wafer cassette storage coordinate data processing method, after determining the coordinate correction data corresponding to the target location, further includes replacing the original image with the target image.

[0117] By replacing the previously captured original images with the latest target images, it is possible to record the latest coordinate information of the target location that can be used for pick-and-place operations, thus maintaining data iteration and coordinate data updates.

[0118] In some embodiments, the wafer cassette storage coordinate data processing method further includes: acquiring the motion position of the pick-and-place mechanism, and generating a sampling signal based on the motion position;

[0119] Acquiring the target image corresponding to the target compartment in the wafer cell storage warehouse includes: acquiring the target image corresponding to the target compartment in the wafer cell storage warehouse according to the acquisition signal.

[0120] Taking a stacker crane as an example of a pick-and-place mechanism, when the stacker crane performs a wafer cassette pick-up operation, it moves to the front of the target shelf, obtains the movement position of the stacker crane, and determines whether the stacker crane is in the preset position. If so, a acquisition signal is generated, which is used by the imaging device to capture the target image of the target shelf. Similarly, when the stacker crane carries a wafer cassette and performs a wafer cassette placement operation, a acquisition signal can also be generated by determining whether the stacker crane is in the preset position, so that the imaging device can capture the target image.

[0121] Preferably, the imaging device is installed at the end of the stacker crane's robotic arm or the end of the mobile robot's robotic arm, so that a target image of the compartment can be captured each time it is accessed, in order to recalculate the placement position of the wafer cassette.

[0122] It should be noted that the shooting device can be installed in a fixed or mobile manner as described above.

[0123] Preferably, the shooting device is mounted on the pick-and-place mechanism.

[0124] By monitoring the movement position of the pick-and-place mechanism, image information of the current target position is obtained when a nearby pick-and-place mechanism performs a pick-and-place operation, so as to further ensure the accuracy of the pick-and-place operation.

[0125] In some other implementations, in order to confirm whether there is a wafer cassette on the target shelf before performing the wafer cassette storage operation, it is possible to first determine whether the target shelf recorded in the target image contains a wafer cassette after acquiring the target image corresponding to the target shelf. If it is determined that the current image does not contain a wafer cassette, that is, the target shelf is in an idle state, then the various steps of the wafer cassette storage coordinate data processing method are executed.

[0126] Based on the same inventive concept, embodiments of this specification also provide a wafer cassette storage coordinate data processing system, such as... Figure 7 As shown, it includes:

[0127] An image acquisition unit is used to acquire a target image corresponding to a target compartment in a wafer cassette storage unit. The target image contains position information that characterizes the wafer cassette being placed or taken out of the target compartment.

[0128] And an image comparison unit, used to obtain the comparison result between the target image and the original image corresponding to the target position;

[0129] And, a determining unit, used to determine the coordinate correction data corresponding to the target position based on the comparison result;

[0130] And a correction unit, used to correct the coordinate data of the target position according to the coordinate correction data.

[0131] The technical effects of the wafer cassette storage coordinate data processing system provided in the above embodiments can be referred to the technical effects provided in the various embodiments of the aforementioned wafer cassette storage coordinate data processing method, and will not be repeated here.

[0132] It should be noted that the image acquisition unit and the image comparison unit can be jointly housed in the interaction unit; the determination unit and the correction unit can be jointly housed in the algorithm unit. The algorithm unit also includes a data receiving unit to receive data from the interaction unit. The wafer cassette storage coordinate data processing system may further include a control unit for controlling the pick-and-place mechanism to perform pick-and-place operations.

[0133] In some embodiments, the image acquisition unit further includes a camera device, the installation location of which includes: a preset fixed position in the wafer cassette storage container, a preset position in the wafer cassette storage container for mobile inspection (e.g., a preset position on the inspection mechanism), and a preset position on the pick-and-place mechanism.

[0134] It should be noted that the camera device is not limited to being installed in the same type of location as described above. In some embodiments, a mixed installation method with multiple installation locations can be adopted according to the needs of image acquisition.

[0135] In some other embodiments, the imaging device further includes a processor for calculating the coordinate correction data.

[0136] For example, such as Figure 7 As shown, the imaging device includes a first processor, which contains an interaction unit. This interaction unit acquires the captured raw and target images, performs pixel analysis to obtain coordinate correction data, and outputs the coordinate correction data to an algorithm unit. The algorithm unit can be located in the second processor of the wafer cassette storage 100, or in other computing-capable devices outside the wafer cassette storage 100. The algorithm unit receives the coordinate correction data provided by the interaction unit, calculates the corrected coordinate data using a core algorithm, and reports this coordinate data to the control unit. The control unit controls the wafer cassette picking and placing mechanism. The algorithm unit can also report the current coordinate data to a database for the control unit to access.

[0137] In the above scheme, the computational load of the algorithm unit can be reduced by setting up a processor in the shooting device.

[0138] It should be noted that the interaction unit and the algorithm unit can also be located in the same processor.

[0139] In some embodiments, the wafer cassette storage coordinate data processing system further includes an alarm unit (not shown in the figure), which is used to determine whether the coordinate correction data deviates from a preset threshold by more than a preset condition, and to generate alarm information when the coordinate correction data deviates from the preset threshold by more than a preset condition.

[0140] In some embodiments, the wafer cassette storage coordinate data processing system further includes a motion position acquisition unit (not shown in the figure), which is used to acquire the motion position of the pick-and-place mechanism and generate an acquisition signal based on the motion position. The acquisition signal is used to trigger the image acquisition unit to acquire the target image corresponding to the target compartment in the wafer cassette storage.

[0141] Based on the same inventive concept, embodiments of this specification also provide an electronic device, such as a computer system, the electronic device including a memory, a processor, and a computer program stored in the memory and executable on the processor, wherein when the processor executes the computer program, it implements the steps of the coordinate correction method as described in any of the preceding claims.

[0142] The technical effects of the electronic device provided in the above embodiments can be referred to the technical effects provided in the various embodiments of the aforementioned coordinate correction method, and will not be repeated here.

[0143] Based on the same inventive concept, embodiments of this specification also provide a computer-readable storage medium having a computer program stored thereon, wherein when the computer program is executed by a processor, it implements the steps of the coordinate correction method as described in any of the preceding claims.

[0144] The technical effects brought about by the computer-readable storage medium provided in the above embodiments can be referred to the technical effects provided by the various embodiments of the aforementioned coordinate correction method, and will not be repeated here.

[0145] The various embodiments in this specification are described in a progressive manner. Similar or identical parts between embodiments can be referred to interchangeably. Each embodiment focuses on describing the differences from other embodiments. In particular, the method embodiments described later are relatively simple in description because they correspond to the system; relevant parts can be referred to the descriptions in the system embodiments.

[0146] The above description is merely a specific embodiment of this application, but the scope of protection of this application is not limited thereto. Any variations or substitutions that can be easily conceived by those skilled in the art within the technical scope disclosed in this application should be included within the scope of protection of this application. Therefore, the scope of protection of this application should be determined by the scope of the claims.

Claims

1. A method for processing coordinate data of a wafer cassette storage unit, characterized in that, include: The movement position of the pick-and-place mechanism is acquired, and a sampling signal is generated based on the movement position; According to the acquisition signal, a target image corresponding to the target compartment in the wafer cassette storage is acquired. The target image contains position information for characterizing the wafer cassette being picked up and placed on the target compartment. Acquiring the target image corresponding to the target compartment in the wafer cassette storage includes: acquiring a target image for a preset feature region on the target compartment. The feature region includes a region for characterizing the preset features of the target compartment. Obtain the comparison result between the target image and the original image corresponding to the target position; Based on the comparison results, the coordinate correction data corresponding to the target position is determined; wherein, the coordinate correction data includes width offset data, depth offset data, height offset data, and angle offset data in a three-dimensional coordinate system; The coordinate data of the target pavilion is corrected based on the coordinate correction data to obtain coordinate data that accurately reflects the current position information of the target pavilion. Replace the original image with the target image to update the original image library; The coordinate data reflecting the current position information of the target compartment is sent to the pick-and-place mechanism, so that the pick-and-place mechanism can perform pick-and-place operations on the wafer cassette based on the coordinate data reflecting the current position information of the target compartment.

2. The wafer cassette storage coordinate data processing method according to claim 1, characterized in that, Obtaining the comparison result between the target image and the original image corresponding to the target position includes: Obtain the comparison results between the feature regions in the target image and the feature regions in the original image.

3. The wafer cassette storage coordinate data processing method according to claim 2, characterized in that, The feature area includes at least one of the following feature shapes present in the target compartment: an outer contour, a central clearance portion for the passage of the pick-and-place mechanism, a positioning portion for positioning the wafer cassette, and a preset marking portion for marking position information.

4. The wafer cassette storage coordinate data processing method according to claim 1, characterized in that, Acquiring target images corresponding to the target compartments in the wafer cassette storage repository includes: The target image corresponding to the target compartment in the wafer box storage is acquired by a camera device set at a preset position in the storage storage; The preset position includes at least one of the following positions: a preset fixed position in the storage warehouse, a preset position in the storage warehouse for mobile inspection, and a preset position on the pick-and-place mechanism.

5. The wafer cassette storage coordinate data processing method according to claim 1, characterized in that, The wafer cassette storage coordinate data processing method further includes: The coordinate data of the second target position are corrected based on the coordinate correction data of the first target position, wherein the first target position and the second target position are adjacent target positions.

6. The wafer cassette storage coordinate data processing method according to claim 1, characterized in that, The wafer cassette storage coordinate data processing method further includes: determining whether the coordinate correction data deviates from a preset threshold beyond a preset condition, and generating an alarm message when the coordinate correction data deviates from the preset threshold beyond the preset condition.

7. The wafer cassette storage coordinate data processing method according to claim 6, characterized in that, The wafer cell storage coordinate data processing method further includes: marking the coordinate data of the target cell as abnormal based on the alarm information.

8. A wafer cassette storage coordinate data processing system, characterized in that, include: A motion position acquisition unit is used to acquire the motion position of the pick-and-place mechanism and generate a sampling signal based on the motion position; An image acquisition unit is configured to acquire a target image corresponding to a target compartment in a wafer cassette storage unit based on the acquisition signal. The target image contains position information characterizing the placement of a wafer cassette on the target compartment. Acquiring the target image corresponding to the target compartment in the wafer cassette storage unit includes: acquiring a target image for a preset feature region on the target compartment, wherein the feature region includes a region characterizing a preset feature of the target compartment. An image comparison unit is used to obtain the comparison result between the target image and the original image corresponding to the target position; A determining unit is configured to determine the coordinate correction data corresponding to the target position based on the comparison result; wherein the coordinate correction data includes width offset data, depth offset data, height offset data, and angle offset data in a three-dimensional coordinate system; The correction unit is used to correct the coordinate data of the target position according to the coordinate correction data to obtain coordinate data that accurately reflects the current position information of the target position. Replace the original image with the target image to update the original image library; The coordinate data reflecting the current position information of the target compartment is sent to the pick-and-place mechanism, so that the pick-and-place mechanism can perform pick-and-place operations on the wafer cassette based on the coordinate data reflecting the current position information of the target compartment.

9. The wafer cassette storage coordinate data processing system according to claim 8, characterized in that, The image acquisition unit includes a camera device located at at least one of the following positions: a preset fixed position in the storage warehouse, a preset position in the storage warehouse for mobile inspection, and a preset position on the pick-and-place mechanism.

10. The wafer cassette storage coordinate data processing system according to claim 8, characterized in that, The wafer cassette storage coordinate data processing system further includes an alarm unit, which is used to determine whether the coordinate correction data deviates from a preset threshold and exceeds a preset condition, and to generate alarm information when the coordinate correction data deviates from the preset threshold and exceeds the preset condition.

Images