Wafer cassette handling method, electronic device, and readable storage medium

Abstract

The application provides a wafer box carrying method, an electronic device and a readable storage medium, the method comprising: obtaining current state information of each wafer box; determining a first target wafer box to be fetched according to the current state information of each wafer box and a first preset wafer box fetching rule; obtaining current state information of each machine in the area where the first target wafer box to be fetched is located; determining a target carrying machine according to the current state information of each machine and a preset machine selection rule; and controlling an automatic carrying system to carry the first target wafer box to be fetched to the target carrying machine according to current position information of the first target wafer box to be fetched and position information of the target carrying machine, and controlling the target carrying machine not to implement a locking action on the first target wafer box to be fetched. The application can realize automatic carrying of wafer boxes, effectively save manpower, improve carrying efficiency and reduce the possibility of human errors.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of semiconductor processing and manufacturing technology, and in particular to a wafer cassette handling method, an electronic device, and a readable storage medium. Background Technology

[0002] In the semiconductor industry, the manufacturing of integrated circuits relies heavily on the use of wafers. All integrated circuit designs and fabrications ultimately require integration onto wafers. Wafers are very thin, typically only a few tenths of a millimeter, and quite brittle. Even slight mishandling can lead to wafer breakage and scrap. Furthermore, considering the complexity and high cost of wafer fabrication, the safety and reliability of wafer fabrication and transportation have always been key concerns for the semiconductor industry. During wafer fabrication, multiple different processes are involved to obtain the final product. When transferring between these processes, wafer cases are used for transportation and storage to prevent dust and impact damage.

[0003] A manual loadport is a device that allows wafer cassettes to be moved to a designated location for manual use. Because too many manual loadports not only occupy significant factory space but also incur high purchase, commissioning, and installation costs, not all areas in semiconductor factories are currently equipped with them. If the manual loadport is located far from the required equipment, it can lead to inconvenience in retrieving wafer cassettes. Furthermore, when wafer cassettes are returned to their storage location after use, they must be moved manually or by overhead crane. Manually moving wafer cassettes (in cases without manual loadports) is not only wasteful of manpower but also extremely inefficient, leading to a higher risk of mishandling wafer cassettes. Using an overhead crane (in cases with manual loadports) requires manual selection of the wafer cassette to be moved, which also results in low efficiency and a higher risk of mishandling.

[0004] For the purpose of manually using or inspecting a designated wafer cassette or the wafers inside it on the machine, the existing technology does not support the automatic handling of wafer cassettes that do not need to be moved on the machine. If the wafer cassette is forcibly moved onto the machine, it will be locked by the machine and cannot be used or moved.

[0005] It should be noted that the information disclosed in the background section of this invention is intended only to enhance the understanding of the general background of this invention, and should not be construed as an admission or in any way implying that the information constitutes prior art known to those skilled in the art. Summary of the Invention

[0006] The purpose of this invention is to provide a wafer cassette handling method, electronic device, and readable storage medium, which can realize the automatic handling of wafer cassettes, effectively save manpower, improve handling efficiency, and reduce the possibility of human error.

[0007] To achieve the above objectives, the present invention provides a wafer cassette handling method, the method comprising: acquiring current status information of each wafer cassette; determining a first target wafer cassette based on the current status information of each wafer cassette and a first preset wafer cassette retrieval rule; acquiring current status information of each machine in the area where the first target wafer cassette is located; determining a target handling machine based on the current status information of each machine and a preset machine selection rule; and controlling an automatic handling system to transport the first target wafer cassette to the target handling machine based on the current position information of the first target wafer cassette and the position information of the target handling machine, and controlling the target handling machine not to lock the first target wafer cassette.

[0008] Optionally, determining the first target retrieval wafer box based on the current status information of each wafer box and the first preset wafer box retrieval rule includes: determining all first retrievable wafer boxes that are in an unusable state based on the current status information of each wafer box and the first preset retrievable wafer box state definition rule; and selecting the first retrievable wafer box that meets the first preset condition as the first target retrieval wafer box.

[0009] Optionally, the first preset retrievable wafer cassette state definition rule includes the following first retrievable wafer cassette state definition sub-rule: for any wafer cassette, if the wafer in the wafer cassette is marked as abnormal, then the wafer cassette is determined to be the first retrievable wafer cassette; for any wafer cassette, if the wafer cassette is marked as abnormal, then the wafer cassette is determined to be the first retrievable wafer cassette.

[0010] Optionally, the first preset condition includes at least one of the following: the wafers in the box are marked as abnormal, the number of wafers in the box is the largest, and the wafers in the box are the first to change from a usable state to an unusable state.

[0011] Optionally, determining the target handling machine based on the current status information of each machine and the preset machine selection rules includes: determining all the handling machines in the non-running state based on the current status information of each machine and the preset handling machine state definition rules; and selecting the handling machines that meet the second preset conditions as the target handling machine.

[0012] Optionally, the preset rules for defining the status of portable equipment include the following sub-rules for defining the status of portable equipment: for any equipment located within the area where the first target wafer retrieval cassette is located, if the equipment is in the process testing phase, then the equipment is determined to be a portable equipment; for any equipment located within the area where the first target wafer retrieval cassette is located, if the equipment is in the equipment testing phase, then the equipment is determined to be a portable equipment; for any equipment located within the area where the first target wafer retrieval cassette is located, if the equipment is in the idle phase, then the equipment is determined to be a portable equipment.

[0013] Optionally, the wafer cassette handling method provided by the present invention further includes: for each of the transportable machines, calculating a first handling path corresponding to the transportable machine based on the location information of the transportable machine and the current location information of the first target retrieved wafer cassette; the second preset condition includes at least one of being in an idle phase, having the shortest first handling path, and being the first to change from a running state to a non-running state.

[0014] Optionally, after determining the first target retrieval wafer cassette, the wafer cassette handling method provided by the present invention further includes: setting a first mark for the first target retrieval wafer cassette; after controlling the automatic handling system to transport the first target retrieval wafer cassette to the target handling machine, the wafer cassette handling method provided by the present invention further includes: clearing the first mark corresponding to the first target retrieval wafer cassette.

[0015] To achieve the above objectives, the present invention also provides a wafer cassette handling method, the method comprising: acquiring current status information of each wafer cassette; determining a second target wafer cassette based on the current status information of each wafer cassette and a second preset wafer cassette retrieval rule; determining whether the machine containing the second target wafer cassette is currently in a transportable state based on a preset transportable machine state definition rule; if the machine containing the second target wafer cassette is currently in a transportable state, determining a target storage device based on a preset storage device selection rule; and controlling an automatic handling system to transport the second target wafer cassette to the target storage device based on the current location information of the second target wafer cassette and the location information of the target storage device.

[0016] Optionally, determining the target storage device according to the preset storage device selection rules includes: if the user specifies a storage device, then the storage device specified by the user is used as the target storage device; if the user does not specify a storage device, then for each storage device, a second transport path corresponding to the storage device is calculated based on the location information of the storage device and the current location information of the second target retrieval wafer cassette, and the storage device with the shortest second transport path is used as the target storage device.

[0017] Optionally, determining the second target retrieval wafer box based on the current status information of each wafer box and the second preset wafer box retrieval rule includes: determining all second retrievable wafer boxes that are in a usable state based on the current status information of each wafer box and the second preset retrievable wafer box state definition rule; and selecting the second retrievable wafer box that meets the third preset condition as the second target retrieval wafer box.

[0018] Optionally, the second preset retrievable wafer cassette state definition rule includes the following second retrievable wafer cassette state definition sub-rules: for any wafer cassette, if the wafers in the wafer cassette are marked as normal, then the wafer cassette is determined to be a second retrievable wafer cassette; for any wafer cassette, if the wafer cassette is marked as normal, then the wafer cassette is determined to be a second retrievable wafer cassette.

[0019] Optionally, the third preset condition includes at least one of the following: the wafers in the box are normal, the number of wafers in the box is the largest, and the wafers that are the first to change from an unusable state to a usable state.

[0020] Optionally, after determining the second target retrieval wafer cassette, the wafer cassette handling method provided by the present invention further includes: setting a second mark for the second target retrieval wafer cassette; after controlling the automatic handling system to transport the second target retrieval wafer cassette to the target storage device, the method further includes: clearing the second mark corresponding to the second target retrieval wafer cassette.

[0021] To achieve the above objectives, the present invention also provides an electronic device, which includes a processor and a memory, wherein a computer program is stored in the memory, and when the computer program is executed by the processor, the wafer cassette handling method described above is implemented.

[0022] Compared with the prior art, the wafer cassette handling method, electronic device, and readable storage medium provided by the present invention have the following advantages:

[0023] An embodiment of the present invention provides a wafer cassette handling method that first determines a first target wafer cassette based on a first preset wafer cassette retrieval rule, then determines a target handling machine in the vicinity of the first target wafer cassette based on a preset machine selection rule, and then controls an automatic handling system to transport the first target wafer cassette to the target handling machine, while controlling the target handling machine not to lock the first target wafer cassette. This allows the wafer cassette to be automatically transported to the machine, which not only saves manpower, improves handling efficiency, and reduces the possibility of human error, but also ensures that the machine does not restrict the use of the wafer cassette after it arrives, allowing users to freely use or inspect the wafer cassette or the wafers inside.

[0024] Another embodiment of the present invention provides a wafer cassette handling method that first determines a second target wafer cassette based on a second preset wafer cassette retrieval rule, then determines whether the machine containing the second target wafer cassette is currently in a handleable state. If it is determined that the machine containing the second target wafer cassette is currently in a handleable state, then a target storage device is determined based on a preset storage device selection rule. Finally, the automatic handling system is controlled to handle the second target wafer cassette to the target storage device. This method can automatically move wafer cassettes from the machine to the storage device, thereby saving manpower, improving handling efficiency, and reducing the possibility of human error.

[0025] Since the electronic device and readable storage medium provided by this invention belong to the same inventive concept as the wafer cassette handling method provided by this invention, the electronic device and readable storage medium provided by this invention have at least all the beneficial effects of the wafer cassette handling method provided by this invention. For details, please refer to the relevant description above. Therefore, the beneficial effects of the electronic device and readable storage medium provided by this invention will not be elaborated here. Attached Figure Description

[0026] Figure 1 This is a flowchart of a wafer cassette handling method provided in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0027] Figure 2 A flowchart of a wafer cassette handling method provided in another embodiment of the present invention;

[0028] Figure 3 This is a block diagram of an electronic device provided in an embodiment of the present invention. Detailed Implementation

[0029] The wafer cassette handling method, electronic device, and readable storage medium proposed in this invention will be further described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings and specific embodiments. The advantages and features of this invention will become clearer from the following description. It should be noted that the drawings are in a very simplified form and use non-precise proportions, used only to facilitate and clarify the explanation of the invention's purpose. Please refer to the drawings for a clearer understanding of the invention's objectives, features, and advantages. It should be understood that the structures, proportions, sizes, etc., depicted in the accompanying drawings are only for illustrative purposes and to enable those skilled in the art to understand and read the invention, and are not intended to limit the implementation conditions of the invention. Any modifications to the structure, changes in proportions, or adjustments to the size, provided they produce the same or similar effects and achieve the same objectives as this invention, should still fall within the scope of the technical content disclosed in this invention.

[0030] It should be noted that, in this document, relational terms such as "first" and "second" are used only to distinguish one entity or operation from another, and do not necessarily require or imply any such actual relationship or order between these entities or operations. Furthermore, the terms "comprising," "including," or any other variations thereof are intended to cover non-exclusive inclusion, such that a process, method, article, or apparatus that comprises a list of elements includes not only those elements but also other elements not expressly listed, or elements inherent to such a process, method, article, or apparatus. Without further limitations, an element defined by the phrase "comprising one..." does not exclude the presence of other identical elements in the process, method, article, or apparatus that includes said element. The singular forms “a,” “an,” and “the” include plural objects. The term “or” is generally used to mean “and / or,” the term “several” is generally used to mean “at least one,” and the term “at least two” is generally used to mean “two or more.” Furthermore, the terms “first,” “second,” and “third” are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly specifying the number of technical features indicated.

[0031] The core idea of ​​this invention is to provide a wafer cassette handling method, electronic device, and readable storage medium, which can realize the automatic handling of wafer cassettes, effectively save manpower, improve handling efficiency, and reduce the possibility of human error.

[0032] It should be noted that the wafer cassette handling method provided by the present invention can be applied to the electronic device provided by the present invention. The electronic device can be a personal computer, a mobile terminal, etc., and the mobile terminal can be a hardware device with various operating systems, such as a mobile phone or a tablet computer.

[0033] Please refer to Figure 1 This is a flowchart of a wafer cassette handling method according to an embodiment of the present invention. The wafer cassette handling method provided in this embodiment is used to handle wafers to a machine, such as... Figure 1 As shown, the wafer cassette handling method provided in this embodiment includes the following steps:

[0034] Step S110: Obtain the current status information of each wafer cell.

[0035] Step S120: Determine the first target wafer retrieval wafer cassette based on the current status information of each wafer cassette and the first preset wafer cassette retrieval rule.

[0036] Step S130: Obtain the current status information of each machine in the area where the first target retrieval wafer cell is located.

[0037] Step S140: Determine the target handling machine based on the current status information of each machine and the preset machine selection rules.

[0038] Step S150: Based on the current position information of the first target retrieval wafer cassette and the position information of the target transport machine, control the automatic transport system to transport the first target retrieval wafer cassette to the target transport machine, and control the target transport machine not to lock the first target retrieval wafer cassette.

[0039] Therefore, the wafer cassette handling method provided in this embodiment can automatically transport the wafer cassette to the machine, which can not only save manpower, improve handling efficiency and reduce the possibility of human error, but also ensure that the machine does not restrict the use of the wafer cassette after it arrives, so that users can use the wafer cassette or inspect the wafer cassette or the wafers inside it at will.

[0040] It should be noted that, as those skilled in the art will understand, the present invention does not limit the specific type of the automated handling system. The automated handling system can be, but is not limited to, an overhead crane system. The specific structure and working principle of the overhead crane system can be adapted for understanding by referring to relevant content known to those skilled in the art, and will not be elaborated here. It should also be noted that, as those skilled in the art will understand, the present invention does not limit the specific type of the machine tool. The machine tool can be, but is not limited to, a measurement machine tool, a process machine tool, etc., with a loading port for carrying wafer cassettes. It should also be noted that, as those skilled in the art will understand, by repeatedly executing the above steps S110 to S150, each wafer cassette in an unusable state can be transported to the corresponding non-running target handling machine tool for user inspection. Furthermore, it should be noted that, as those skilled in the art will understand, the designated first target wafer cassette cannot be reserved by others for other uses to prevent usage conflicts.

[0041] In some exemplary embodiments, determining the first target retrieval wafer box based on the current state information of each wafer box and the first preset wafer box retrieval rule includes: determining all first retrievable wafer boxes that are in an unusable state based on the current state information of each wafer box and the first preset retrievable wafer box state definition rule; and selecting the first retrievable wafer box that meets the first preset condition as the first target retrieval wafer box.

[0042] Therefore, by first determining all the first retrievable wafer cassettes in an unusable state based on the current state information of each wafer cassette and the first preset retrievable wafer cassette state definition rules, and then using the first retrievable wafer cassettes that meet the first preset conditions as the first target retrievable wafer cassettes, the sequential handling of wafer cassettes in an unusable state can be realized, effectively avoiding misoperation.

[0043] Specifically, the first preset retrievable wafer cassette state definition rule can be set by the user based on production needs. For example, in some exemplary embodiments, the first preset retrievable wafer cassette state definition rule includes the following first retrievable wafer cassette state definition sub-rules: for any wafer cassette, if the wafers in the wafer cassette are marked as abnormal, then the wafer cassette is determined to be a first retrievable wafer cassette (i.e., the state of the wafer cassette is unusable / retrievable); for any wafer cassette, if the wafer cassette is marked as abnormal, then the wafer cassette is determined to be a first retrievable wafer cassette (i.e., the state of the wafer cassette is unusable / retrievable).

[0044] It should be noted that, as those skilled in the art will understand, the first preset retrievable wafer cassette state definition rule may include, in addition to the two first retrievable wafer cassette state definition sub-rules listed above, other first retrievable wafer cassette state definition sub-rules that can filter out wafer cassettes in unusable / retrievable states.

[0045] In some exemplary embodiments, the first preset condition includes at least one of the following: the wafers in the box are marked as abnormal, the number of wafers in the box is the largest, and the wafers are the first to change from a usable state to an unusable state.

[0046] Therefore, when multiple retrievable wafer cassettes satisfy different sub-rules defining the state of the first retrievable wafer cassette, the wafer cassette whose wafers are marked as abnormal is preferentially selected as the first target retrievable wafer cassette. This facilitates the timely transport of the wafer cassette containing the marked abnormal wafers to the machine, allowing the user to promptly inspect the wafers within that cassette. When multiple retrievable wafer cassettes satisfy the same sub-rule defining the state of the first retrievable wafer cassette, the first retrievable wafer cassette with the largest number of wafers is preferentially selected as the first target retrievable wafer cassette. This facilitates the timely transport of the first retrievable wafer cassette with the largest number of wafers to the machine, allowing the user to promptly check whether the wafer cassette and the wafers within it are abnormal. When the number of wafers loaded is the same (the number of wafers can be zero, i.e., an empty wafer box), the first retrievable wafer box that changes from a usable state to an unusable state first is selected as the first target retrievable wafer box. This makes it easier to move the wafer box that changes to an unusable state first to the machine in a timely manner, so that the user can check whether there are any abnormalities in the wafer box and the wafers in the wafer box.

[0047] In some exemplary embodiments, determining the target handling machine based on the current status information of each machine and a preset machine selection rule includes: determining all handling machines in a non-running state based on the current status information of each machine and a preset handling machine state definition rule; and selecting the handling machine that meets the second preset condition as the target handling machine.

[0048] Therefore, by first determining all the transportable machines in the non-running state based on the current status information of each machine and the preset transportable machine status definition rules, and then taking the transportable machines that meet the second preset conditions as the target transportable machines, the non-running state period of each transportable machine can be fully utilized.

[0049] Specifically, the preset rules for defining the status of portable equipment can be set by the user based on production needs. For example, in some exemplary embodiments, the preset rules for defining the status of portable equipment include the following sub-rules: For any equipment located within the area where the first target wafer retrieval cassette is located, if the equipment is in the process testing phase, then the equipment is determined to be a portable equipment (i.e., the equipment's status is non-outgoing / portable); For any equipment located within the area where the first target wafer retrieval cassette is located, if the equipment is in the equipment testing phase, then the equipment is determined to be a portable equipment (i.e., the equipment's status is non-outgoing / portable); For any equipment located within the area where the first target wafer retrieval cassette is located, if the equipment is in the idle phase, then the equipment is determined to be a portable equipment (i.e., the equipment's status is non-outgoing / portable).

[0050] It should be noted that, as those skilled in the art will understand, the preset rules for defining the status of transportable machines may include, in addition to the three sub-rules for defining the status of transportable machines listed above, other sub-rules for defining the status of transportable machines that can filter out machines in non-running / transportable states. It should also be noted that the "idle phase" referred to herein may be an idle phase under the control of the manufacturing department, an idle phase under the control of the production department, or an idle phase before running out of stock.

[0051] In some exemplary embodiments, the wafer cassette handling method provided in this embodiment further includes: for each of the transportable machines, calculating a first handling path corresponding to the transportable machine based on the location information of the transportable machine and the current location information of the first target retrieved wafer cassette.

[0052] The second preset condition includes at least one of the following: being in an idle phase, having the shortest first transport path, and being the first to transition from a running state to a non-running state.

[0053] Therefore, when multiple transportable machines satisfy different sub-rules defining their state, the transportable machine in an idle phase is prioritized as the target transportable machine, making full use of its idle period (non-running state). When multiple transportable machines satisfy the same sub-rule defining their state, the transportable machine with the shortest first transport path is prioritized as the target transportable machine, effectively shortening the transport path and thus improving wafer cassette transport efficiency. When the first transport path is the same, selecting the transportable machine that first transitions from running state to non-running state as the target transportable machine allows full utilization of its non-running state period, enabling users to retrieve more wafer cassettes in an unusable state for inspection.

[0054] Specifically, for any transportable machine, the first transport path corresponding to the transportable machine refers to the transport path by which an automated transport system (e.g., an overhead crane system) transports the first target wafer retrieval box from its current position to the transportable machine.

[0055] In some exemplary embodiments, after determining the first target retrieval wafer cassette, the wafer cassette handling method provided in this embodiment further includes: setting a first mark for the first target retrieval wafer cassette.

[0056] After the automated handling system moves the first target retrieval wafer cassette to the target handling machine, the wafer cassette handling method provided in this embodiment further includes: clearing the first mark corresponding to the first target retrieval wafer cassette.

[0057] Therefore, by setting a first mark on the first target wafer retrieval box, the wafer retrieval box to be transported can be automatically marked. Based on this first mark, the corresponding wafer retrieval box can be accurately transported to the corresponding machine, effectively preventing misoperation. After transporting the first target wafer retrieval box to the target transport machine, the first mark corresponding to the first target wafer retrieval box is cleared, preventing repeated transport of the first target wafer retrieval box and further preventing misoperation.

[0058] In some exemplary embodiments, the wafer cassette handling method provided in this embodiment further includes: recording relevant information about the first target retrieval wafer cassette and the target handling machine.

[0059] Therefore, by recording the relevant information of the first target wafer retrieval box and the target handling machine, a historical record of the wafer retrieval box handling process can be achieved, making it traceable for the user.

[0060] Please continue to refer to this. Figure 2 This is a flowchart illustrating a wafer cassette handling method according to another embodiment of the present invention. The wafer cassette handling method provided in this embodiment is used to move wafer cassettes from a machine to a storage device. Figure 2 As shown, the wafer cassette handling method provided in this embodiment includes the following steps:

[0061] Step S210: Obtain the current status information of each wafer cell.

[0062] Step S220: Determine the second target wafer retrieval wafer cassette based on the current status information of each wafer cassette and the second preset wafer cassette retrieval rules.

[0063] Step S230: Based on the preset rules for defining the status of transportable equipment, determine whether the equipment where the second target wafer retrieval box is located is currently in a transportable state.

[0064] If the machine containing the second target wafer retrieval box is currently in a transportable state, then steps S240 and S250 are executed.

[0065] Step S240: Determine the target storage device according to the preset storage device selection rules.

[0066] Step S250: Based on the current location information of the second target retrieval wafer cassette and the location information of the target storage device, control the automatic handling system to transport the second target retrieval wafer cassette to the target storage device.

[0067] Therefore, the wafer cassette handling method provided in this embodiment can automatically move wafer cassettes from the machine to the storage device, thereby saving manpower, improving handling efficiency, and reducing the possibility of human error.

[0068] It should be noted that, as those skilled in the art will understand, by repeatedly executing steps S210 to S250, each wafer cassette in a usable state and without machine-level requirements can be moved to its corresponding target storage device for storage. It should also be noted that the specific content of the preset transportable machine state definition rules can be adapted to the relevant content above and will not be repeated here. Furthermore, it should be noted that, as those skilled in the art will understand, the designated second target retrieval wafer cassette cannot be reserved by others for other uses to prevent usage conflicts.

[0069] In some exemplary embodiments, determining the target storage device according to a preset storage device selection rule includes: if the user specifies a storage device, then the storage device specified by the user is used as the target storage device; if the user does not specify a storage device, then for each storage device, a second transport path corresponding to the storage device is calculated based on the location information of the storage device and the current location information of the second target retrieval wafer cassette, and the storage device with the shortest second transport path is used as the target storage device.

[0070] Therefore, by using the user-specified storage device as the target storage device when the user specifies it, the second target wafer cassette can be moved to the user-specified location; by selecting the storage device with the shortest transport path (second transport path) as the target storage device when the user does not specify a storage device, the transport path can be effectively shortened, thereby effectively improving the wafer cassette transport efficiency.

[0071] Specifically, for any storage device, the second transport path corresponding to the storage device refers to the transport path by which an automated transport system (e.g., an overhead crane system) transports the second target retrieval wafer cassette from its current location to the storage device.

[0072] In some exemplary embodiments, determining the second target retrieval wafer box based on the current state information of each wafer box and the second preset wafer box retrieval rule includes: determining all second retrievable wafer boxes in a usable state based on the current state information of each wafer box and the second preset retrievable wafer box state definition rule; and selecting the second retrievable wafer box that meets the third preset condition as the second target retrieval wafer box.

[0073] Therefore, by first determining all the second retrievable wafer boxes in a usable state based on the current state information of each wafer box and the second preset retrievable wafer box state definition rules, and then using the second retrievable wafer boxes that meet the third preset conditions as the second target retrievable wafer boxes, the sequential handling of wafer boxes that are in a usable state and do not have a machine running requirement can be realized, effectively avoiding misoperation.

[0074] Specifically, the second preset retrievable wafer cassette state definition rule can be set by the user based on production needs. For example, in some exemplary embodiments, the second preset retrievable wafer cassette state definition rule includes the following second retrievable wafer cassette state definition sub-rules: for any wafer cassette, if the wafers in the wafer cassette are marked as normal, then the wafer cassette is determined to be a second retrievable wafer cassette (i.e., the state of the wafer cassette is usable / retrievable); for any wafer cassette, if the wafer cassette is marked as normal, then the wafer cassette is determined to be a second retrievable wafer cassette (i.e., the state of the wafer cassette is usable / retrievable).

[0075] It should be noted that, as those skilled in the art will understand, the second preset retrievable wafer cassette state definition rule may include, in addition to the two second retrievable wafer cassette state definition sub-rules listed above, other second retrievable wafer cassette state definition sub-rules that can filter out wafer cassettes in a usable state.

[0076] In some exemplary embodiments, the third preset condition includes at least one of the following: the wafers in the box are normal, the number of wafers in the box is the highest, and the wafers are the first to change from an unusable state to a usable state.

[0077] Therefore, when multiple retrievable wafer cassettes satisfy different sub-rules defining the state of the second retrievable wafer cassette, the wafer cassette whose wafers are marked as normal is preferentially selected as the second target retrievable wafer cassette. This facilitates the timely removal of wafer cassettes containing marked normal wafers from non-running equipment to the target storage device. When multiple retrievable wafer cassettes satisfy the same sub-rule defining the state of the second retrievable wafer cassette, the second retrievable wafer cassette with the largest number of wafers is preferentially selected as the second target retrievable wafer cassette. This facilitates the timely removal of the second retrievable wafer cassette with the largest number of wafers from non-running equipment to the target storage device. When the number of wafers loaded is the same (the number of wafers can be zero, i.e., an empty wafer cassette), the second retrievable wafer cassette that first changes from an unusable state to a usable state is preferentially selected as the second target retrievable wafer cassette. This facilitates the timely removal of the wafer cassette that first changes to a usable state from non-running equipment to the target storage device for storage.

[0078] In some exemplary embodiments, after determining the second target retrieval wafer cassette, the wafer cassette handling method provided in this embodiment further includes setting a second mark for the second target retrieval wafer cassette.

[0079] After the automated handling system moves the second target retrieval wafer cassette to the target storage device, the wafer cassette handling method provided in this embodiment further includes: clearing the second mark corresponding to the second target retrieval wafer cassette.

[0080] Therefore, by setting a second mark on the second target retrieval wafer cassette, the wafer cassette to be transported can be automatically marked. Based on this second mark, the corresponding wafer cassette can be accurately transported to the corresponding target storage device, effectively preventing misoperation. After transporting the second target retrieval wafer cassette to the target storage device, the second mark corresponding to the second target retrieval wafer cassette can be cleared, preventing repeated transport of the second target retrieval wafer cassette and further preventing misoperation.

[0081] In some exemplary embodiments, the wafer cassette handling method provided in this embodiment further includes recording relevant information about the second target retrieval wafer cassette and the target storage device.

[0082] Therefore, by recording the relevant information of the second target retrieval wafer cassette and the target storage device, a historical record of the wafer cassette handling process can be achieved, making it traceable for the user.

[0083] Based on the same inventive concept, the present invention also provides an electronic device, please refer to [reference needed]. Figure 3This is a block diagram of an electronic device provided in an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 3 As shown, the electronic device includes a processor 101 and a memory 103. The memory 103 stores a computer program. When the computer program is executed by the processor 101, it implements the wafer cassette handling method described above. Since the electronic device provided by this invention and the wafer cassette handling method provided by this invention belong to the same inventive concept, the electronic device provided by this invention has at least all the beneficial effects of the wafer cassette handling method provided by this invention. Therefore, the beneficial effects of the electronic device provided by this invention can be referred to the relevant descriptions of the beneficial effects of the wafer cassette handling method provided by this invention above, and will not be repeated here.

[0084] Please continue to refer to this. Figure 3 ,like Figure 3 As shown, the electronic device also includes a communication interface 102 and a communication bus 104, wherein the processor 101, the communication interface 102, and the memory 103 communicate with each other through the communication bus 104. The communication bus 104 can be a Peripheral Component Interconnect (PCI) bus or an Extended Industry Standard Architecture (EISA) bus, etc. This communication bus 104 can be divided into an address bus, a data bus, a control bus, etc. For ease of illustration, only one thick line is used to represent it in the figure, but this does not indicate that there is only one bus or one type of bus. The communication interface 102 is used for communication between the aforementioned electronic device and other devices.

[0085] It should be noted that the processor 101 referred to in this invention can be a Central Processing Unit (CPU), or other general-purpose processors, digital signal processors (DSPs), application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs), field-programmable gate arrays (FPGAs), or other programmable logic devices, discrete gate or transistor logic devices, discrete hardware components, etc. The general-purpose processor can be a microprocessor or any conventional processor. The processor 101 is the control center of the electronic device, connecting various parts of the electronic device through various interfaces and lines.

[0086] It should also be noted that the memory 103 can be used to store the computer program, and the processor 101 implements various functions of the electronic device by running or executing the computer program stored in the memory 103 and calling the data stored in the memory 103. The memory 103 may include non-volatile and / or volatile memory. Non-volatile memory may include read-only memory (ROM), programmable memory (PROM), electrically programmable memory (EPROM), electrically erasable programmable memory (EEPROM), or flash memory. Volatile memory may include random access memory (RAM) or external cache memory. By way of illustration and not limitation, random access memory is available in a variety of forms, such as static random access memory (SRAM), dynamic random access memory (DRAM), synchronous random access memory (SDRAM), dual data rate synchronous random access memory (DDRSDRAM), enhanced synchronous random access memory (ESDRAM), synchronous link dynamic random access memory (SLDRAM), memory bus direct random access memory (RDRAM), direct memory bus dynamic random access memory (DRDRAM), and memory bus dynamic random access memory (RDRAM), etc.

[0087] This invention also provides a readable storage medium storing a computer program, which, when executed by a processor, can implement the wafer cassette handling method described above. Since the readable storage medium and the wafer cassette handling method provided by this invention belong to the same inventive concept, the readable storage medium provided by this invention possesses at least all the beneficial effects of the wafer cassette handling method provided by this invention. Therefore, the beneficial effects of the readable storage medium provided by this invention can be referred to the relevant descriptions of the beneficial effects of the wafer cassette handling method provided by this invention above, and will not be repeated here.

[0088] The readable storage medium provided by this invention can be any combination of one or more computer-readable media. The readable medium can be a computer-readable signal medium or a computer-readable storage medium. Computer-readable storage media can be, for example, but not limited to, electrical, magnetic, optical, electromagnetic, infrared, or semiconductor systems, apparatuses, or devices, or any combination thereof. More specific examples (not exhaustive) of computer-readable storage media include: electrical connections having one or more wires, portable computer hard disks, random access memory (RAM), read-only memory (ROM), erasable programmable read-only memory (EPROM or flash memory), optical fibers, portable compact disk read-only memory (CD-ROM), optical storage devices, magnetic storage devices, or any suitable combination thereof. In this document, a computer-readable storage medium can be any tangible medium containing or storing a program that can be used by or in combination with an instruction execution system, apparatus, or device.

[0089] Furthermore, the computer-readable signal medium may include data signals propagated in baseband or as part of a carrier wave, carrying computer-readable program code. Such propagated data signals may take various forms, including but not limited to electromagnetic signals, optical signals, or any suitable combination thereof. The computer-readable signal medium may also be any computer-readable medium other than a computer-readable storage medium, which can send, propagate, or transmit a program for use by or in connection with an instruction execution system, apparatus, or device. The program code contained on the computer-readable medium may be transmitted using any suitable medium, including but not limited to wireless, wired, optical fiber, etc., or any suitable combination thereof.

[0090] In summary, compared with the prior art, the wafer cassette handling method, electronic device, and readable storage medium provided by the present invention have the following beneficial effects:

[0091] (1) The present invention first determines the first target wafer retrieval box according to the first preset wafer retrieval rules, then determines the target handling machine in the vicinity of the first target wafer retrieval box according to the preset machine selection rules, and then controls the automatic handling system to transport the first target wafer retrieval box to the target handling machine, and controls the target handling machine not to lock the first target wafer retrieval box. In this way, the wafer box can be automatically transported to the machine, which can not only save manpower, improve handling efficiency and reduce the possibility of human error, but also ensure that the machine does not restrict the use of the wafer box after the wafer box arrives, so that the user can use the wafer box or inspect the wafer box or the wafer inside it at will.

[0092] (2) The present invention first determines the second target wafer retrieval box according to the second preset wafer retrieval rules, then determines whether the machine where the second target wafer retrieval box is located is currently in a transportable state. If it is determined that the machine where the second target wafer retrieval box is located is currently in a transportable state, then the target storage device is determined according to the preset storage device selection rules. Finally, the automatic handling system is controlled to transport the second target wafer retrieval box to the target storage device. In this way, the wafer retrieval box can be automatically transported from the machine to the storage device, thereby saving manpower, improving handling efficiency, and reducing the possibility of human error.

[0093] (3) The present invention can also record the history of the wafer cassette handling process, so that users can keep track of the process.

[0094] It should be noted that computer program code for performing the operations of this invention can be written in one or more programming languages ​​or a combination thereof. These programming languages ​​include object-oriented programming languages ​​such as Java, Smalltalk, and C++, as well as conventional procedural programming languages ​​such as C or similar languages. The program code can be executed entirely on the user's computer, partially on the user's computer, as a standalone software package, partially on the user's computer and partially on a remote computer, or entirely on a remote computer or server. In cases involving remote computers, the remote computer can be connected to the user's computer via any type of network—including a local area network (LAN) or a wide area network (WAN)—or can be connected to an external computer (e.g., via the Internet using an Internet service provider).

[0095] It should be noted that the apparatus and methods disclosed in the embodiments herein can also be implemented in other ways. The apparatus embodiments described above are merely illustrative; for example, the flowcharts and block diagrams in the accompanying drawings show the architecture, functionality, and operation of possible implementations of apparatus, methods, and computer program products according to various embodiments herein. In this regard, each block in a flowchart or block diagram may represent a module, program, or part of code containing one or more executable instructions for implementing a specified logical function. It should also be noted that in some alternative implementations, the functions marked in the blocks may occur in a different order than those marked in the drawings. For example, two consecutive blocks may actually be executed substantially in parallel, and they may sometimes be executed in reverse order, depending on the functions involved. It should also be noted that each block in a block diagram and / or flowchart, and combinations of blocks in block diagrams and / or flowcharts, can be implemented using a dedicated hardware-based system to perform the specified function or action, or can be implemented using a combination of dedicated hardware and computer instructions.

[0096] It should also be noted that the above description is merely a description of preferred embodiments of the present invention and is not intended to limit the scope of the present invention in any way. Any changes or modifications made by those skilled in the art based on the above disclosure are within the protection scope of the present invention. Obviously, those skilled in the art can make various modifications and variations to the present invention without departing from its spirit and scope. Therefore, if these modifications and variations fall within the scope of the present invention and its equivalents, the present invention also intends to include these modifications and variations.

Claims

1. A wafer cassette handling method characterized by, include: Obtain the current status information of each wafer cell; Based on the current status information of each wafer cell and the first preset wafer cell retrieval rule, the first target wafer cell is determined; Obtain the current status information of each machine in the area where the first target wafer cassette is located; Based on the current status information of each machine and the preset machine selection rules, the target handling machine is determined; Based on the current location information of the first target retrieval wafer cassette and the location information of the target transport machine, the automatic transport system is controlled to transport the first target retrieval wafer cassette to the target transport machine, and the target transport machine is controlled not to lock the first target retrieval wafer cassette. The step of determining the first target wafer cassette based on the current status information of each wafer cassette and the first preset wafer cassette retrieval rule includes: Based on the current status information of each wafer cell and the first preset retrievable wafer cell status definition rules, all first retrievable wafer cells that are in an unusable state are identified. The first retrievable wafer cassette that meets the first preset condition is used as the first target retrievable wafer cassette. The first preset condition includes at least one of the following: the wafers in the cassette are marked as abnormal, the number of wafers in the cassette is the largest, and the wafers that change from a usable state to an unusable state first. The step of determining the target handling machine based on the current status information of each machine and the preset machine selection rules includes: Based on the current status information of each machine and the preset rules for defining the status of transportable machines, all transportable machines in the non-cargo-running state are identified. The transportable machine that meets the second preset condition is designated as the target transport machine. The second preset condition includes at least one of the following: being in an idle phase, having the shortest first transport path, and being the first to change from a running state to a non-running state.

2. The wafer cassette handling method according to claim 1, characterized in that, The first preset retrievable wafer cassette state definition rule includes the following first retrievable wafer cassette state definition sub-rules: For any wafer cassette, if the wafers within that cassette are marked as abnormal, then that cassette is determined to be the first retrievable wafer cassette. For any wafer cell, if the wafer cell is marked as abnormal, then the wafer cell is determined to be the first retrievable wafer cell.

3. The wafer cassette handling method according to claim 1, characterized in that, The preset rules for defining the status of portable equipment include the following sub-rules for defining the status of portable equipment: For any machine located within the area of ​​the first target wafer retrieval box, if the machine is in the process testing stage, then the machine is determined to be a portable machine. For any machine located within the area of ​​the first target wafer retrieval box, if the machine is in the equipment testing phase, then the machine is determined to be a portable machine. For any machine located within the area of ​​the first target wafer retrieval box, if the machine is in an idle state, it is determined that the machine is a transportable machine. The method further includes: For each of the transportable machines, a first transport path is calculated based on the location information of the transportable machine and the current location information of the first target retrieval wafer cassette.

4. The wafer cassette handling method according to claim 1, characterized in that, After determining the first target wafer retrieval cassette, the method further includes: Set a first marker for the first target wafer retrieval cassette; After the automated handling system moves the first target retrieval wafer cassette to the target handling machine, the method further includes: Clear the first marker corresponding to the first target retrieval wafer cassette.

5. A wafer cassette handling method, characterized in that, include: Obtain the current status information of each wafer cell; Based on the current status information of each wafer cassette and the second preset wafer cassette retrieval rules, the second target wafer cassette is determined; Based on the preset rules for defining the status of transportable equipment, it is determined whether the equipment containing the second target wafer retrieval box is currently in a transportable state. If the machine where the second target retrieval wafer cassette is located is currently in a transportable state, then the target storage device is determined according to the preset storage device selection rules; Based on the current location information of the second target retrieval wafer cassette and the location information of the target storage device, the automatic handling system is controlled to transport the second target retrieval wafer cassette to the target storage device; The step of determining the second target wafer cassette based on the current state information of each wafer cassette and the second preset wafer cassette retrieval rule includes: Based on the current status information of each wafer cell and the second preset retrievable wafer cell status definition rules, all second retrievable wafer cells that are in a usable state are determined. The second retrievable wafer cassette that meets the third preset condition is used as the second target retrievable wafer cassette. The third preset condition includes at least one of the following: the wafers in the cassette are normal, the number of wafers in the cassette is the largest, and the wafers in the cassette are the first to change from an unusable state to a usable state.

6. The wafer cassette handling method according to claim 5, characterized in that, The step of determining the target storage device according to the preset storage device selection rules includes: If the user specifies a storage device, then the user-specified storage device will be used as the target storage device. If the user does not specify a storage device, then for each storage device, the second transport path corresponding to the storage device is calculated based on the location information of the storage device and the current location information of the second target retrieval wafer cassette, and the storage device with the shortest second transport path is selected as the target storage device.

7. The wafer cassette handling method according to claim 5, characterized in that, The second preset retrievable wafer cassette state definition rule includes the following second retrievable wafer cassette state definition sub-rules: For any wafer cassette, if the wafers inside the wafer cassette are marked as normal, then the wafer cassette is determined to be the second retrievable wafer cassette. For any wafer cassette, if the wafer cassette is marked as normal, then the wafer cassette is determined to be the second retrievable wafer cassette.

8. The wafer cassette handling method according to claim 5, characterized in that, After determining the second target wafer retrieval cell, the method further includes: Set a second marker for the second target wafer retrieval cassette; After the automated handling system moves the second target retrieval wafer cassette to the target storage device, the method further includes: Clear the second mark corresponding to the second target retrieval wafer cassette.

9. An electronic device, characterized in that, It includes a processor and a memory, wherein the memory stores a computer program, which, when executed by the processor, implements the wafer cassette handling method according to any one of claims 1 to 8.

10. A readable storage medium, characterized in that, The readable storage medium stores a computer program, which, when executed by a processor, implements the wafer cassette handling method according to any one of claims 1 to 8.

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