GUI device and substrate processing system

Abstract

To present the movement of substrates to a user in an easily-understandable manner and facilitate the identification of disturbances in the flow of the substrates in a substrate processing system that performs parallel processing while conveying the multiple substrates.SOLUTION: A GUI device according to the present invention comprises: an information acquisition unit that acquires, for each substrate, information regarding the time at which the substrate is received in each of a plurality of receiving sections and the time at which it is discharged from each of the plurality of receiving sections; an image processing unit that outputs a display image based on the information; and a display unit that displays the display image. The display image includes a chart that has a graph of a residence period from the reception of the substrate to each receiving section to the discharge of the substrate from each receiving section for the individual substrates on a coordinate plane having a first axis on which symbols identifying each receiving section are arranged along the conveyance order of the substrates and a second axis intersecting the first axis and indicating the elapsed time during processing.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 3

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a substrate processing system that includes a plurality of receiving units for temporarily receiving substrates and processes the substrates, and particularly relates to its user interface function.

Background Art

[0002] In a substrate processing system for processing various substrates such as semiconductor substrates and glass substrates for liquid crystal display devices (hereinafter simply referred to as "substrates"), a plurality of processing units that each execute a predetermined process on the substrate are arranged, and the substrate to be processed may be processed in order while being transported between these processing units. By doing so, it becomes possible to efficiently process a plurality of substrates. However, since the time required for processing in each processing unit is not necessarily the same, in order to improve the processing efficiency when sequentially processing a plurality of substrates, it is necessary to appropriately set the time interval (tact time) for loading substrates into the substrate processing system.

[0003] In view of this point, for example, in the substrate processing system described in Patent Document 1, which includes a processing unit group and a substrate transfer mechanism, the loading and unloading times of the substrate for each processing unit are measured, the processing time in each processing unit is calculated from the results, and the calculation results are notified to the operator. Therefore, the operator can grasp the processing time in each processing unit and adjust the tact time accordingly.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0004]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0005] In a configuration where a plurality of substrates are sequentially transferred among a plurality of processing units and each processing unit executes processing on the substrates in parallel, a small variation in the transfer timing of the substrates may affect the operation of the entire system. For example, variations in the processing time at each processing unit, variations in the operating speed of the moving parts in the conveyance system, etc. can be inevitable factors of variation. Particularly in a state where the tact time is optimized to improve processing efficiency, there is little room to absorb such variations, so the influence of small variations spreads to the entire system as a result, leading to a decrease in processing efficiency.

[0006] Therefore, it is desired to put into practical use means for notifying the user (operator) of the state of the substrate flow, such as whether a series of processes in the substrate processing system are being performed to conform to the set tact time, whether there is any disturbance, and if there is a disturbance, where it is occurring. However, no such technology has been specifically proposed so far.

[0007] Therefore, until now, it has taken a great deal of effort and time to identify the cause of the disturbance, such as analyzing the numerical information obtained from each processing unit or, if necessary, having a technician observe and actually measure the processing time in the processing unit.

[0008] The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and an object thereof is to provide a technology that can easily present the movement of substrates to the user and facilitate the discovery of disturbances in the substrate flow in a substrate processing system that processes a plurality of substrates in parallel while conveying them.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0009] One aspect of the present invention is a GUI (Graphical User Interface) device for a substrate processing system that processes a plurality of substrates while transporting the substrates between a plurality of receiving units each of which receives a substrate, the GUI device including: an information acquisition unit that acquires information regarding the time when the substrate is received and the time when the substrate is delivered for each of the plurality of receiving units and for each of the plurality of substrates; an image processing unit that outputs a display image based on the information; and a display unit that displays the display image.

[0010] Here, the display image includes a chart in which, on a coordinate plane having a first axis along which symbols for identifying each of the receiving units are arranged in the order of substrate conveyance and a second axis intersecting the first axis and indicating the elapsed time during processing, the stay periods from when each of the substrates is received by each of the receiving units until the substrates are delivered are graphed for each of the plurality of substrates while distinguishing the individual substrates.

[0011] Here, the "receiving unit" is a concept representing a component among various components constituting the substrate processing system that may receive and temporarily hold a substrate. For example, in addition to those having an active effect on the substrate, such as a processing unit that executes a predetermined process on the received substrate and a transport mechanism that transports the substrate, those that simply receive the substrate for temporary storage may also be included in the receiving unit referred to here.

[0012] In the invention configured as described above, the flow of a plurality of substrates input to the substrate processing system is represented as one chart. Specifically, one axis in the coordinate plane of the chart is a time axis, and the other axis intersecting this is a line in which symbols representing each of the plurality of receiving units are arranged in the order of substrate conveyance. Then, the periods from when each of the plurality of substrates is received by each receiving unit until the substrates are delivered are graphically displayed in the chart.

[0013] Here, if the processing (including conveyance) for each substrate proceeds along a preset tact time, a regular pattern indicating that each substrate is transferred between receiving portions at regular time intervals should appear on the chart. On the other hand, if there is a disruption in the flow of substrates somewhere on the conveyance path, it will appear as a breakdown in the regularity of the pattern.

[0014] Human vision is suitable for perceiving such disruptions in regularity. Therefore, by displaying the flows of multiple substrates in the substrate processing system as a chart in this way, the user can grasp whether the processing is proceeding appropriately, and if there is a disruption, where it is occurring.

[0015] Another aspect of the present invention is a substrate processing system including a plurality of receiving portions for temporarily receiving substrates and a GUI device having the above-described configuration. In the invention configured in this way, even in a large-scale and complex system in which a large number of substrates are conveyed in parallel, the flow of each substrate is comprehensively displayed on the display portion, so that the flow of the substrates can be clearly shown.

Advantages of the Invention

[0016] As described above, according to the present invention, since the movements of a plurality of substrates transferred within the substrate processing system can be comprehensively shown in one chart, it is possible to easily detect if there is a disruption in the flow of substrates within the system.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0017]

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Embodiments for Carrying Out the Invention

[0018] Hereinafter, an embodiment of a substrate processing system according to the present invention will be described. This substrate processing system is a processing system that accepts various flat substrates such as semiconductor substrates, glass substrates, and printed wiring boards, and after performing predetermined processing on the substrate, discharges it. Here, as an example, a processing system that performs a series of processes of applying a resist solution to a glass substrate for a liquid crystal display device, an organic EL display device, etc., exposing it, and performing development, cleaning, and drying processes will be described. However, the feature of this embodiment lies in the GUI (Graphical User Interface) device that shows the state of the entire system to the user (operator), and the processing content for the substrate and the device configuration for executing it are not limited to the exemplified ones and are arbitrary.

[0019] FIG. 1 is a plan layout view showing a configuration example of a substrate processing system to which the present invention is applicable. This substrate processing system 1 has a layout in which a plurality of processing units 2 (2A to 2K) are arranged along a substantially U-shaped substrate transfer path. Specifically, from the lower left to the right in FIG. 1, a cleaning unit 2A, a dehydration baking unit 2B, a coating unit 2C, a drying unit 2D, a pre-baking unit 2E, and an interface unit 2F are arranged in this order.

[0020] An untreated substrate is first introduced into the cleaning unit 2A from the lower left in FIG. 1, and is transferred between the respective processing units 2 in the order of the dehydration baking unit 2B, the coating unit 2C, the drying unit 2D, the pre-baking unit 2E, and the interface unit 2F, and undergoes predetermined processing in each processing unit 2.

[0021] An exposure unit 2G is arranged adjacent to the interface unit 2F. In FIG. 1, the exposure unit 2G is drawn above the interface unit 2F, but in reality, they are arranged adjacent to each other in the horizontal direction. Therefore, in the transfer from the interface unit 2F to the exposure unit 2G, the transfer direction of the substrate is changed by 90 degrees.

[0022] On the upper side of FIG. 1, a titler unit 2H is arranged on the left side of the exposure unit 2G. Further to the left of the titler unit 2H, a developing unit 2I, a post-baking unit 2J, and an output buffer unit 2K are arranged in this order. Therefore, in the transfer from the exposure unit 2G to the titler unit 2H, the transfer direction of the substrate is further changed by 90 degrees, and then the substrate is transferred in the order of the titler unit 2H, the developing unit 2I, the post-baking unit 2J, and the output buffer unit 2K.

[0023] Therefore, the substrate is conveyed counterclockwise in FIG. 1 along a substantially U-shaped conveyance path and undergoes predetermined processing by each processing unit provided on the path. The processed substrate is carried out from the output buffer unit 2K to the outside.

[0024] Each processing unit 2 (2A to 2K) constituting the substrate processing system 1 can be of the same configuration as the processing unit in a known substrate processing system that applies a resist solution to a glass substrate, exposes it, and develops it in this way. Therefore, here, an outline of the functions of each processing unit 2A to 2K will be described, but the description of the detailed structure of each will be omitted.

[0025] The cleaning unit 2A performs a wet cleaning process on the loaded substrate to clean the substrate. The dehydration baking unit 2B dries the cleaned substrate by heating it at a relatively low temperature. The coating unit 2C uniformly applies a resist solution to the surface of the substrate. The drying unit 2D forms a resist film by volatilizing the solvent component of the resist solution by placing the coated substrate under reduced pressure, and the pre-baking unit 2E solidifies the resist film by heating the substrate. The interface unit 2F temporarily stores the substrate on which the resist film is formed.

[0026] The exposure unit 2G irradiates light onto the substrate on which the resist film is formed to expose the resist film to a predetermined pattern. The titler unit 2H writes information such as a serial number for identifying each substrate and processing conditions onto the substrate. The developing unit 2I develops the exposed substrate with a developer solution and further rinses it with a rinse solution. The post-baking unit 2J heats the rinsed substrate to remove the remaining liquid components and solidify the pattern formed by development. The output buffer unit 2K temporarily stores the substrate on which all processing has been completed and discharges it to the outside as needed.

[0027] FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the substrate processing system of the present embodiment. The substrate processing system 1 includes at least one set of processing units 2 (2A to 2K) that are the main body of substrate processing, a centralized control device 3 that comprehensively controls each processing unit 2 to execute a series of processes, and a GUI device 4 that displays the operating state of each processing unit 2 and notifies the operator.

[0028] As described above, the configuration of each processing unit 2 varies depending on the installation purpose of the processing unit. Typical components include a processing section 21 that is the main body for performing some kind of processing on the substrate, a buffer 23 for temporarily storing the substrate, a transfer section 25 such as a transfer robot or conveyor for transferring the substrate between them, and a controller 27 for controlling their operations. However, depending on the processing unit, there may be cases where a plurality of these configurations are provided, or conversely, cases where some of them are omitted.

[0029] The processing section 21 is the main body for performing some kind of modification on the substrate. For example, in the cleaning unit 2A, it is a cleaning device for performing a cleaning process on the substrate, and in the coating unit 2C, it is a coating device for applying a processing liquid to the substrate. Also, in the dehydration baking unit 2B, drying unit 2D, pre-baking unit 2E, and post-baking unit 2J, they are drying devices for drying the substrate by heating or reducing pressure. The processing section 21 may have a chamber for accommodating the substrate.

[0030] In one processing unit 2, there may be a plurality of processing sections 21 having the same configuration and the same function. For example, a plurality of processing sections 21 having the same configuration may be stacked in multiple stages to form an assembly and provided in the processing unit 2. In this specification, such an assembly of the same processing sections 21 in the processing unit 2 may be referred to as a "module". In a broad sense, a single processing section 21 can also be regarded as one module. One processing unit 2 may include a plurality of such modules. The configurations of the processing sections 21 may be the same or different between the modules.

[0031] Regarding the buffer unit 23 as well, there may be a plurality of those with the same configuration forming a module, and there may also be a case where a plurality of modules are provided in a single processing unit 2. For example, an input buffer for storing a substrate before processing and an output buffer for storing a substrate after processing may be provided separately. Also, there may be a case where the buffer unit 23 is not provided in the processing unit 2.

[0032] The transfer unit 25 responsible for transferring the substrate between these may be provided with one or more within the processing unit 2, or may not be provided. Also, usually one set of controllers 27 that control the operation of the processing unit 2 is provided, but in the case where the configuration of the processing unit 2 is complex, a plurality may be provided, or it may be omitted because it can be directly controlled by the centralized control device 3.

[0033] Also, the controller 27 transmits the status of each processing unit 21, buffer unit 23, transfer unit 25, and the substrate held by these, grasped from the outputs of various sensors provided within the processing unit 2, to the centralized control device 3 as status information.

[0034] At least one set of such processing units 2 is provided. One processing unit 2 receives a substrate from the outside, performs a predetermined process on the substrate, and then discharges the substrate. By combining a plurality of processing units 2 with different processing contents, various processes on the substrate can be executed. Also, by operating a plurality of processing units 21 with the same processing content in parallel within the processing unit 2, throughput can be improved.

[0035] The centralized control device 3 comprehensively controls these processing units 2. That is, the centralized control device 3 includes a CPU 31, a memory 32, a storage 33, an interface unit 34, and the like. The CPU 31 executes a control program stored in advance in the storage 33 such as an HDD (hard disk drive) or an SSD (solid state drive), gives control commands to each processing unit 2, and controls their operations. The memory 32 temporarily stores data used in the calculations by the CPU 31.

[0036] The interface unit 34 is responsible for data communication between each processing unit 2 and the GUI device 4. Regarding the status information of each processing unit 21 and the board that changes moment by moment as each processing unit 2 operates, it is transmitted from each processing unit 2 to the centralized control device 3 via the interface unit 34. An input unit for receiving operation instructions from the operator may be further provided.

[0037] The GUI device 4 displays a GUI screen reflecting the status information output from each processing unit 2 in this way, and notifies the operator of the progress of the process. For this purpose, the GUI device 4 includes an image processing unit 41, a memory 42, a storage 43, an interface unit 44, an input unit 45, a display unit 46, and the like.

[0038] The image processing unit 41 executes various image processes for creating a display image to be described later. The memory 42 temporarily stores data used in the calculations by the image processing unit 41. The storage 43 stores various image data such as a control program to be executed by the image processing unit 41 and layout data for creating a display image. The interface unit 44 is responsible for data communication with the centralized control device 3.

[0039] Furthermore, the image processing unit 4 includes an input unit 45 that receives operation inputs from an operator, and a display unit 46 that performs image display for notifying the operator of various types of information. The input unit 45 includes an input device such as a keyboard or a mouse, for example, and the display unit 46 includes an output device such as a liquid crystal display panel, for example. The input unit 45 and the display unit 46 may be configured as an integrated touch panel.

[0040] At least one GUI device 4 is provided in the substrate processing system 1, but two or more may be provided. For example, in a substrate processing system 1 with a large footprint due to a large number of processing units 2, it is preferable to be able to check the state of the system at multiple locations. Also, within the substrate processing system 1, a plurality of connection points may be provided in advance so that the installation position of the GUI device 4 can be changed.

[0041] As the centralized control device 3 and the GUI device 4, it is possible to use a computer device having a hardware configuration that is common as a personal computer or a workstation. In particular, for the GUI device 4, a tablet-type computer device can be preferably used.

[0042] Next, the concept of "position" used in the following description will be explained. In the substrate processing system 1 configured as described above, since a plurality of substrates are sequentially loaded and processed at a predetermined tact time, a plurality of substrates may exist within the system. In order to manage the location of each substrate within the system, the concept of "position" is introduced. Also, each position is given a position name for identifying it.

[0043] "Position" is a concept for uniformly handling the processing unit 21, buffer unit 23, transport unit 25, etc., and refers to the smallest unit of partition occupied by one substrate within the system. That is, the position of one substrate at a certain moment when it is input into the system can be specified by any one position. In principle, each position can hold one substrate at a time, but there are also cases where two or more substrates exist simultaneously in one position. For example, in the case where the processing unit 21 configured to handle large substrates is loaded with a plurality of small substrates by changing the setup. In addition, regardless of whether the substrate is actively processed or not, in a series of processes on the substrate, the entity that accepts and holds the substrate for a certain period can all be one "position". In this sense, "position" is a concept corresponding to the smallest unit of the "reception unit" in the present invention.

[0044] For example, each of the processing units 21 that each handle one substrate corresponds to one "position". Therefore, a module having a plurality of processing units 21 with the same configuration has the same number of positions as the number of processing units 21. In other words, a plurality of positions provided by a plurality of processing units 21 with the same configuration can be grouped together into one module. Since they have the same function with each other, a common position name is used for each position within one module. That is, it can be considered as a "modularized position".

[0045] Also, regarding the buffer unit 23, although it itself does not perform a specific action on the substrate, it is managed because it can be occupied by the substrate during a part of a series of processes. That is, a buffer unit 23 that accommodates one substrate corresponds to one position alone. Also, when a plurality of buffer units 23 form a module, each of those buffer units 23 is treated as one "position".

[0046] Regarding the transfer robot in the transfer unit 25, the one that handles only one substrate at a time corresponds to one position. However, in the case of a multi-hand transfer robot (MHU), since each hand can handle one substrate at a time, each hand corresponds to one position. Therefore, the multi-hand transfer robot is regarded as one module including a plurality of positions.

[0047] Also, regarding the conveyor in the transfer unit 25, the one that handles only one substrate at a time corresponds to one position. However, for the one with a long transfer path and having a plurality of sections where substrates can be placed, the number of positions corresponds to the number of substrates that can be placed.

[0048] In the definition of this embodiment, any one of one position, one module, and one processing unit can be one "reception unit" referred to in the present invention in a broad sense. Hereinafter, when comprehensively expressing a position, a module, and a processing unit without distinction in the meaning of such a broad reception unit, it may be referred to as "position etc.". As described above, one processing unit may include one or more modules or positions, and one module may include one or more positions. Therefore, as a general concept, among these, the processing unit has the largest scale, and the scale becomes smaller in the order of the module and the position.

[0049] In the charting based on the operation information of each part described later, in order to generally represent the state of the entire system, it is preferable to be illustrated in units of a relatively large-scale configuration (for example, each processing unit), while in order to represent a part of the system in more detail, it is preferable to be illustrated in units of a smaller-scale configuration (for example, each position). For this reason, it is preferable that the scale of the unit of the configuration (position etc.) shown in the chart is appropriately scaled according to the purpose.

[0050] That is, regarding the scale of the configuration represented by "position, etc." in charting, it can be used appropriately (or combined as appropriate) in units of processing units, modules, positions, etc. as necessary, but in the basic concept of chart display, they can be treated equally. Therefore, in the following description, even if, for example, the "position" unit is assigned to the coordinate axis of the chart as a typical example, it is also equivalent in technical concept to change this to an assignment in "module" units or "processing unit" units according to the width of the display range.

[0051] In the substrate processing system 1 configured as described above, a plurality of substrates are input at a preset fixed time interval (tact time), and the substrates are sequentially processed while being transferred between the respective processing units 2. It can be said that the shorter the tact time, the higher the operating efficiency of the substrate processing system 1. However, if the flow of the substrates once stagnates, the impact will spread throughout the system.

[0052] In order to enable such disturbances to be detected early and to facilitate the investigation of their causes, in this embodiment, the movements of a plurality of substrates within the system are visualized as a two-dimensional chart and displayed on the display unit 46 of the GUI device 4. Specifically, the centralized control device 3 acquires information indicating the operating state of the processing unit 2 output from each processing unit 2 and transmits this to the GUI device 4. The information acquired by the centralized control device 3 from each processing unit 2 includes information representing the time when a substrate is received at each position and the time when the substrate is discharged from that position.

[0053] In the GUI device 4, based on the information given, the image processing unit 41 executes image processing to create a necessary display image. The created display image is displayed on the display unit 46 and notified to the user (operator).

[0054] FIG. 3 is a diagram showing an example of a display image. More specifically, FIG. 3(a) is a diagram showing the entire main chart Cm which is an example of the image displayed on the display unit 46, and FIG. 3(b) is a diagram explaining the content represented by the main chart Cm, corresponding to a diagram schematically showing a partially enlarged part of the main chart Cm. Although not necessarily clearly shown in the monochrome image of FIG. 3(a), in the actual image, data corresponding to each of the plurality of substrates is illustrated in different colors, and each substrate can be identified on the screen.

[0055] In the main chart Cm, the horizontal axis is the time axis, and specifically represents the elapsed time from the start of operation of the substrate processing system 1. Also, on the vertical axis, strings corresponding to the position names defined in the substrate processing system 1 as described above are arranged in the order of substrate conveyance. Note that the meaning represented by each position name is not directly related to the present invention, so the explanation is omitted. Hereinafter, P1, P2,... etc. may be used as virtual position names for explanation.

[0056] In the actual substrate processing system 1, a large number of positions are provided, and it may not be appropriate to display all the positions within a single screen. Therefore, on the vertical axis, some positions may be grouped and displayed together. For example, for a module including a plurality of positions, it may be described on the vertical axis in units of modules. Also, it may be described in units of processing units.

[0057] Even if several positions are grouped and displayed in the main chart Cm in this way, in the sub-chart described later, it is possible to display them in detail for each position. Therefore, it is not necessary to show all the positions definable in the substrate processing system 1 in the main chart Cm, and positions that can be considered to be omitted for management or for improving the visibility of the screen can be made not to be displayed.

[0058] As schematically shown in FIG. 3(b), in the main chart Cm, the periods during which a plurality of substrates S1, S2, ... stayed at respective positions P1, P2, ... are displayed as bar graphs. Specifically, for example, it is shown by a bar parallel to the time axis (horizontal axis) that the substrate S1 stayed at the position P1 during the period from time t11 to time t12. The time t11 is the time when the substrate S1 was received at the position P1, and the time t12 is the time when the substrate S1 was dispensed from the position P1, and can be specified based on the information (timestamp information) collected by the centralized control device 3 from each processing unit 2.

[0059] Thereafter, it is shown in the main chart Cm that the substrate S1 was received at the position P2 at time t13, dispensed from the position P2 at time t14, received at the position P3 at time t15, and dispensed from the position P3 at time t16.

[0060] Similarly, it is shown that another substrate S2 stayed at the position P1 during the period from time t21 to time t22, at the position P2 during the period from time t23 to time t24, and at the position P3 during the period from time t25 to time t26. Further, for another substrate S3, the time when it was received and dispensed at each position and the staying period at the position specified thereby are shown in the main chart Cm.

[0061] In this way, in the main chart Cm, based on the information indicating the time when each substrate S1, S2, ... was received and dispensed at each position P1, P2, ..., the periods during which each substrate stayed at each position are represented in a manner that can identify each individual substrate. Here, as shown by the dotted arrows in FIG. 3(b), when following the transition of the bar focusing on one substrate, it is possible to know at which timing the substrate passed through each position. On the other hand, when focusing on one position assigned to the vertical axis, it is possible to know at which timing each of the plurality of substrates passed through the position.

[0062] Also, as shown as window W in FIG. 3(a), additional display of more detailed status information, timestamp information, etc. for some substrates may be enabled. Specifically, this function can be realized by causing a tool tip to display information regarding the substrate corresponding to a bar when the user designates any bar within the screen using the input unit 45, for example, a mouse.

[0063] By performing such chart display, it is possible to comprehensively present to the user (operator) how each of the plurality of substrates input to the substrate processing system 1 including a plurality of positions has moved within the system. Here, if all substrates pass through each position at a predetermined timing, the position change pattern of the bars indicating the movement between positions of each substrate should be substantially the same for any substrate, that is, they should almost overlap each other when translated in the time axis direction.

[0064] On the other hand, if there is a disturbance in the substrate flow, the position change of the bars will have variations. Such a disturbance is easily noticeable because it appears as a breakdown of the regularity of the position change pattern graphically displayed on the chart. Therefore, the user can know whether the substrate flow is appropriate or disturbed from the regularity of the displayed chart. More specifically, it is also possible to distinguish whether a disturbance has occurred in a specific substrate or at a specific position depending on the appearance of the irregularity.

[0065] Next, a display mode for assisting in identifying the cause of the disturbance will be described. By displaying the main chart Cm described above, the user can know that a disturbance has occurred and approximately where it has occurred. On the other hand, in order to identify more detailed locations of occurrence of the disturbance and its cause, it is desirable that more detailed information be shown regarding the periphery of the location where the disturbance has occurred. For this purpose, in this embodiment, in addition to the main chart Cm, it is possible to display several types of sub-charts according to user operations.

[0066] That is, when the main chart Cm is displayed on the display unit 46 and the user designates, via the input unit 45, the range for which detailed information is to be displayed and the display mode at that time, a sub-chart with more detailed information added to a part of the range shown in the main chart Cm is displayed according to the designated content. The input format of the user designation is arbitrary. Also, the sub-chart may be displayed in place of the main chart Cm, or may be overlaid with the main chart Cm left in the background.

[0067] FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an example of a sub-chart. In this sub-chart Cs1, display is performed focusing on the transfer unit 25 of the specific processing unit 2. As one of the main causes of the disruption of the substrate flow in the substrate processing system 1, there is a problem of contention (competition) in the transfer unit 25. That is, when there is a slight deviation in the operation timing in either the processing unit including the transfer unit 25 or the processing unit before or after it, competition of a plurality of substrates may occur in the transfer unit 25, and the deviation may be amplified. For example, when the hand of the transfer robot already holds another substrate at the timing when it should newly receive a substrate, the movement of the substrate will be greatly stagnated. Also, since the transfer unit 25 essentially includes mechanical movable parts, there is also an aspect that malfunction is likely to occur. Therefore, in order to identify the cause of the disruption at an early stage, it is reasonable to first verify the movement of the transfer unit 25.

[0068] At the upper part of the sub-chart Cs1 in FIG. 4, the flow of the substrate at some of the positions designated by the user among the positions shown in the main chart Cm is displayed with the time axis expanded. At this time, a plurality of positions that are not clearly shown by being collectively displayed in the main chart Cm may be individually displayed.

[0069] Also, at the bottom of the sub-chart Cs1, the movement of one transfer robot that is not shown in the main chart Cm is shown in detail and aligned with the above figure and the time axis. Here, the movement of the hand of the transfer robot is decomposed and shown as "MOVE (turn)", "FORWARD (forward)", "BACKWORD (backward)", "UP (rise)", and "DOWN (fall)". This shows how the transfer robot moves in the process of sequentially handling a plurality of substrates, in combination with the state changes at other positions.

[0070] The user can compare the location where the disturbance occurs with the movement of the transfer robot to determine whether the disturbance is caused by the movement of the transfer robot. Specifically, for example, it is possible to distinguish between a situation where a disturbance occurs due to a malfunction of the moving part of the transfer robot itself and a situation where an extra waiting time occurs for the transfer robot due to an abnormality in the front and rear processing units 21 or the like.

[0071] Figure 5 is a diagram showing another example of the sub-chart. In this sub-chart Cs2, unlike the main chart Cm, each processing unit 2 (2A to 2K) is assigned along the substrate transfer order on the horizontal axis, and the vertical axis is the time axis. Then, the time when each of the plurality of substrates passes through each processing unit 2A to 2K (or the elapsed time from the reference time) is displayed as a line graph. Here, for "passing", there are cases where it refers to the time when the substrate reaches the processing unit and cases where it refers to the time when the substrate is discharged from the processing unit. However, as long as it is unified among all processing units, either case may be used. In the following description, the former case is adopted.

[0072] In such a display mode, the time intervals between substrates when sequentially moving the processing units 2A to 2K within the system are represented. Although the substrates are originally supposed to move at regular intervals, it can be seen that there is disorder if the intervals between the front and rear substrates become shorter or longer. By performing a display with a different perspective from the main chart Cm in this way, the ease of discovering the occurrence of disorder can be improved. Here, the horizontal axis is in units of processing units, but if necessary, this can also be in units of modules or positions, etc.

[0073] FIG. 6 is a diagram showing another example of the sub-chart. In this sub-chart Cs3, each position (or module, processing unit) is taken on the horizontal axis, and the length of the residence period of the substrate at the corresponding position, etc. is taken on the vertical axis. By comparing a plurality of substrates, how long each substrate has stayed at each position, etc. is shown by a bar graph in a direction parallel to the vertical axis. Since a plurality of substrates should be treated equally at each position, etc., it is considered that the lengths of the residence periods should not originally vary significantly from substrate to substrate.

[0074] From this, if a significant variation is found in the residence period of each substrate at a specific position (or module, processing unit), it can be determined that there is a high possibility that some disorder has occurred at the corresponding position, etc. For example, if the residence periods of several substrates successively input into the system are compared, the disorder occurring in a specific substrate can be detected. Also, for example, in order to provide more useful information to the user, the results of statistically processing the lengths of the residence periods of each substrate may be displayed together.

[0075] FIG. 7 is a diagram showing another example of a sub-chart. In this sub-chart Cs4, each position (or module, processing unit) is assigned to the horizontal axis, and the interval time of the substrate passing through each position or the like is shown on the time axis of the vertical axis. This interval time represents the difference in arrival times at the same position or the like between two consecutive substrates, and corresponds to the vertical distance between two adjacent broken lines in the sub-chart Cs2 of FIG. 5. What it means is the elapsed time from when one substrate is received at a certain position or the like until the next substrate is received.

[0076] When a plurality of substrates are flowing appropriately at a predetermined cycle time, the interval time at each position or the like is generally considered to be constant. Therefore, the presence or absence of variation in the interval time can also be information indicating that the flow of the substrate is disturbed. For example, if there is a large variation in the interval time at a specific position or the like, it can be estimated that there is a disturbance at the stage before the substrate is carried into the said position or the like. Also, when there is variation at a plurality of positions or the like only for a specific pair of substrates, it can be estimated that there is a problem on the substrate side.

[0077] Regarding such variation in the interval time, it may be effective to process it statistically. Therefore, in the screen display in this case, below the sub-chart Cs4, numerical values obtained by statistically processing the interval time values at each position or the like calculated for a plurality of substrates, that is, the maximum value, the minimum value, the difference between them, the median value, the average value, etc. are displayed as a table T4.

[0078] FIG. 8 is a flowchart showing the operation of the GUI device of this embodiment. More specifically, FIG. 8 is a flowchart showing the operation of this substrate processing system 1 including the image display by the GUI device 4. This operation is realized by the CPU 31 provided in the centralized control device 3 executing a control program prepared in advance and causing each part in the system to perform a predetermined operation.

[0079] In the substrate processing system 1, each processing unit 2 (2A to 2K) executes a predetermined processing operation to sequentially process a plurality of substrates carried in from the outside at a fixed cycle time (step S101). During this time, the CPU 31 acquires various types of information generated with the operation of each processing unit 2A to 2K from the controller 27 of each processing unit, collects them, and stores them in the storage 33 (step S102).

[0080] The operation information may include a control signal including a control command output by the CPU 31 to each processing unit 2A to 2K, a response signal returned from the processing unit 2 in response thereto, a control signal given from the controller 27 of each processing unit 2 to the processing unit 21, etc., information regarding a signal output from a sensor provided in each part of the processing unit 2, etc., and information regarding the time when those signals are generated or acquired. The signal transmitted from each processing unit 2 to the centralized control device 3 may include the result of the controller 27 processing the signals output from the control unit 21, the transfer unit 25, etc. within the processing unit 2.

[0081] When the GUI device 4 receives an instruction input for chart display from the user via the input unit 45 (step S103), it creates a main chart Cm as the first display image. Specifically, the GUI device 4 acquires the operation information stored in the centralized control device 3 via the interface unit 44 and stores it in the storage 43 (step S104). Then, the image processing unit 41 creates image data of a display image including the main chart Cm based on the acquired information (step S105). Since graph creation based on numerical data can be executed by various known software, the description is omitted.

[0082] The created display image is displayed on the display unit 46 (step S106). When an instruction input to end the display is received from the user (step S107), the process ends. Further, when an instruction input to change the display is received from the user (step S108), corresponding image data for a display image obtained by adding a tooltip display to the main chart Cm or a display image including one of the above-described sub-charts Cs1 to Cs4 corresponding to the content of the instruction is created accordingly (step S109). Then, the process returns to step S106, and the newly created display image is displayed on the display unit 46.

[0083] As described above, in this embodiment, in the substrate processing system 1 having a plurality of processing units and provided with a plurality of positions for temporarily receiving a substrate, etc., for each of the plurality of substrates sequentially transferred within the system, at what timing each substrate is received and delivered to each position, etc. is displayed as a two-dimensional chart (main chart Cm). By comprehensively displaying the movement of each substrate within the system in this way, the user can determine whether those substrates are flowing regularly or whether there is a disruption in the regularity.

[0084] On the other hand, just by generally looking at the entire system in this way, it may not be possible to know the more detailed location where the disruption occurs and its cause. To address this problem, in this embodiment, for a part of the coordinate plane shown in the main chart Cm designated by the user, a plurality of types of sub-charts in which the region is enlarged and the relationship between the horizontal axis and the vertical axis is different from that of the main chart Cm can be switched and displayed according to a user operation.

[0085] As a result, more detailed situations regarding the locations where the substrate flow occurs can be comprehensively presented to the user in various display modes. The user can check the state of the system by using both an image that generally represents the substrate flow in the entire system and information that more detailedly represents a part of its state. In this way, this embodiment can effectively assist the user in identifying the locations where substrate flow disturbances may occur in the substrate processing system 1 and their causes.

[0086] To enhance this effect, it is ideal to obtain as much operating information as possible from each processing unit 2. However, due to constraints such as device size and cost, it may not be possible to arrange sensors and the like that are necessary and sufficient for information acquisition within the processing unit 2. Even in such a case, at least regarding the control signal sent from the centralized control device 3 to the processing unit 2, the response signal from the processing unit 2 to it, and the times at which they are issued, the centralized control device 3 can surely acquire the information.

[0087] In this embodiment, the display image is mainly created using such time-related information, and the detected values of sensors and the like are not used. In other words, even without using such detected values, it is possible to detect disturbances in the substrate flow within the system and identify the causes to a certain extent by presenting time-related information to the user in an appropriate display mode. Of course, it is considered that the causes of the disturbances can be identified more accurately by using other information in combination.

[0088] Next, regarding the specific process until a disturbance in the substrate flow is detected and its cause is identified in the substrate processing system 1 configured as described above, it will be explained with reference to an example of the actual screen display. As a premise, it is assumed that the main chart Cm is displayed in advance and it has been discovered that there is a disturbance in the substrate flow.

[0089] FIGS. 9 to 11 are diagrams showing examples of display images in this embodiment. FIG. 9 shows, with each processing unit 2A to 2K arranged on the horizontal axis and the vertical axis being the time axis, the passing times of each processing unit for each substrate represented by a line graph, which corresponds to the sub-chart Cs2 shown in FIG. 5.

[0090] As shown by arrow A in FIG. 9, there is a temporary difference in plotting between substrates in the exposure unit 2G, but since this difference is resolved immediately, it can be said that it does not have a significant impact on the movement of the entire system. On the other hand, as shown by arrow B, there is a gap in plotting mainly after the titler unit 2H between the substrate Sa transported first and the substrate Sb transported immediately after it. From this, it is considered that a delay has occurred in either the titler unit 2H or one of the processing units before it (for example, the exposure unit 2G, the interface unit 2F).

[0091] Here, not only the exposure unit 2G but also the interface unit 2F before it is included in the object of consideration for the following reason. In the actual substrate processing system 1, the substrate delivered from the exposure unit 2G is not directly carried into the titler unit 2H. That is, the substrate after exposure is once returned to the interface unit 2F and transferred from the interface unit 2F to the titler unit 2H. For this reason, the delay in the titler unit 2H may be caused by the interface unit 2F.

[0092] Therefore, next, an image showing the movement of the substrate in more detail between the interface unit 2F and the titler unit 2H is displayed on the display unit 46. FIG. 10 is an example of the display image at this time and corresponds to a partial enlarged view of a part of the main chart Cm (FIG. 3(a)) including the part to be noted. However, for the vertical axis, in order to verify the operations of each part in detail, it is divided by position names that are more detailed than those shown in FIG. 3(a).

[0093] Of these position names, the meanings of those related to the following verification will be explained. Here, the titler unit 2H that should be currently noted and its surroundings, particularly the positions related to the conveyance of the substrate, are taken up. "Titler_Interface" represents the titler device as the processing unit 21 provided in the titler unit 2H. Also, "TT_CV_Interface" represents the turntable conveyor as the conveyance unit 25 provided in the interface unit 2F. Further, "MHU_U_HAND_Interface" and "MHU_L_HAND_Interface" represent the upper and lower hands, respectively, of the multi-hand conveyance robot as the conveyance unit 25 provided in the interface unit 2F. Also, "EXP_a_Interface" and "EXP_b_Interface" represent two exposure machines, namely exposure machine A and exposure machine B, as the processing unit 21 provided in the exposure unit 2G.

[0094] In the actual graph, the substrates are color-coded for each substrate, but in FIG. 10, only the group of bars indicating the movement of the substrate Sb is surrounded by a dotted line and distinguished from the others. The length of the bar indicates the residence period of the substrate at each position. According to this, after the substrate Sb is discharged from the exposure machine B, it is conveyed to the turntable conveyor using the lower hand of the multi-hand conveyance robot in the interface unit 2F, and further carried into the titler device. Here, it can be seen that the substrate Sb is held by the turntable conveyor for a significantly longer time compared to other substrates. Therefore, it is presumed that a problem has occurred in the transfer from the turntable conveyor to the titler device.

[0095] FIG. 11 is a chart obtained by adding a bar display of the operating period of the turntable conveyor to the chart of FIG. 10, and corresponds to the sub-chart Cs1 shown in FIG. 4. Note that the dashed lines in the figure are added for explanation purposes and are not included in the actual chart. According to this, during the period when the above-described substrate Sb is placed on the turntable conveyor, it is shown that the turntable conveyor first operates by a predetermined amount and then stops. This indicates that although the turntable conveyor has completed the conveyance, the substrate Sb is not discharged to the titler device and remains on the turntable conveyor. Then, it is presumed that the cause of the delay is not a problem in the operation of the turntable conveyor, but a state where the titler device cannot receive the substrate.

[0096] In this case, the operating status of each part is shown only by information representing time or time, and a signal indicating the detailed operating status of the titler device itself is not used. Nevertheless, it is possible to specify that there is a high probability that the cause of the disturbance is in the titler device. Thus, by combining the various charts of the above-described embodiment, it is possible to effectively support the work of the user who specifies the cause from the disturbance of the operation of the entire system.

[0097] As described above, in the present embodiment, each of the position, module, and processing unit included in the "position or the like" corresponds to the "receiving unit" of the present invention. Further, in the substrate processing system 1 of the present embodiment, the centralized control device 3 that collects operation information from each part in the system, particularly the CPU 31, functions as the "information acquisition unit" of the present invention. However, when the GUI device 4 is considered alone as the "GUI device" of the present invention, the interface unit 34 that acquires operation information from the centralized control device 3 functions as the "information acquisition unit" of the present invention.

[0098] In the above-described embodiment, the CPU 31 of the centralized control device 3 and the controller 27 of each processing unit 2 cooperate to function as the "control unit" of the present invention. However, when the built-in controller 27 sends control commands to each part within the processing unit 2 and substantially controls their operations, the controller 27 corresponds to the "control unit" of the present invention. On the other hand, for example, when each part within the processing unit 2 is directly controlled by control commands from the CPU 31, such as when the controller 27 is omitted, the CPU 31 corresponds to the "control unit" of the present invention.

[0099] Also, in the above-described embodiment, the main chart Cm and the sub-charts Cs1 to Cs4 all constitute the "display image" of the present invention. Further, in the main chart Cm, the vertical axis corresponds to the "first axis" of the present invention, and the horizontal axis corresponds to the "second axis" of the present invention.

[0100] Note that the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and various modifications can be made other than those described above without departing from the spirit thereof. For example, in the above-described embodiment, a plurality of types of sub-charts are handled in parallel, but in order to support the analysis work proceeding from the whole system to the details, the main chart and the sub-charts may have a hierarchical configuration along the analysis procedure.

[0101] Also, for example, regarding the screen switching between the main chart and the sub-charts, and the screen switching between the sub-charts, the mode may be such that the previous chart is erased from the screen and a new chart is displayed, or the mode may be such that the new chart is displayed so as to partially overlap the previous chart. Also, a plurality of sub-charts may be displayed on the same screen.

[0102] Also, the display modes of the charts (bar display, line graph display, etc.) in the above embodiments are just examples, and the display mode of the present invention is not limited thereto. Various methods for graphing numerical data have been devised, and in the implementation of the present invention as well, it is possible to apply various display methods having visibility that meets the purpose of identifying the location and cause of disturbances.

[0103] Also, for example, the substrate processing system 1 in the above embodiment has a plurality of processing units 2, and the transfer unit 25 for transferring the substrate between the processing units 2 is included in each processing unit 2. However, at least a part of the substrate transfer may be executed by a transfer mechanism independent of the processing unit 2. That is, the "processing unit" and the "transfer unit" of the present invention may constitute one processing unit, or may be independent of each other in structure.

[0104] Also, in the above embodiment, the centralized control device 3 for overall control of the operation of the entire system and the GUI device 4 are configured as separate devices. However, for example, a configuration in which one computer device has both functions may be used. Also, when a configuration is adopted in which a plurality of main panels MP are arranged in one system, it is not always necessary to provide independent GUI devices 4 for each, and a plurality of display units 46 sharing the image processing unit 41 etc. may be arranged at various locations.

[0105] Also, the substrate processing system 1 in the above embodiment is shown as an example of a substrate processing system equipped with the GUI device according to the present invention, and the system configuration is not limited to the above and is arbitrary. Also, the present invention may be implemented as an external GUI device added to an existing substrate processing system.

[0106] Furthermore, the substrate is not limited to the glass substrate for the liquid crystal display device described above, and includes substrates for FPDs such as glass substrates for organic EL display devices and glass substrates for PDPs, semiconductor wafers, glass substrates for photomasks, substrates for color filters, substrates for recording disks, substrates for solar cells, substrates for electronic papers, and other substrates for precision electronic devices are included in the "substrate" of the present invention.

[0107] As described above by way of example of specific embodiments, in the GUI device according to the present invention, a chart representing the stay period by a bar parallel to the second axis may be displayed. According to such a configuration, how each of the plurality of substrates moves between the respective receiving portions and how long it stays in each receiving portion will be clearly displayed.

[0108] Also, for example, it may further include an input unit that receives an operation input from a user, and the image processing unit switches between a display image including a main chart, which is a chart created based on a part of the information, and a display image including a sub-chart, which is a chart created based on information not represented in the main chart, in response to the operation input and causes the display unit to display them.

[0109] In the invention configured as described above, the main chart representing a part of the acquired information and the sub-chart including more detailed information are switched according to the user's instruction. Therefore, it is not necessary to include all the information in the main chart, and for example, it is possible to display only the information suitable for generally verifying the entire system. And in the sub-chart, the information not represented in the main chart can be shown in detail. By doing so, it is possible to effectively support the work of the user who tries to identify the location and cause of the disturbance.

[0110] In this case, the sub-chart may be, for example, a graph obtained by enlarging a part of the main chart specified by an operation input and adding information not shown in the main chart. According to such a configuration, it becomes possible to show in detail the state of a specific part of the entire system. Therefore, the user can grasp the situation of the entire system from the main chart, and moreover, can observe a part of it in more detail when necessary.

[0111] Also, for example, the sub-chart may be a graph based on information regarding the part of the receiving unit related to the conveyance of the substrate. The configuration responsible for the conveyance of the substrate inevitably includes mechanically movable components, and it is inevitable that such mechanical elements are more likely to malfunction compared to immovable components. That is, it is likely to cause a disturbance to the flow of the substrate compared to other components. Therefore, it is extremely reasonable to focus on showing the information of the receiving unit related to substrate conveyance.

[0112] Also, for example, the sub-chart may be a graph showing the time from the start of the process until each of the receiving units receives or discharges the substrate. Such a graph is suitable for visually judging the state in which the substrate is transferred between the receiving units with correct regularity and the state in which the regularity is broken.

[0113] Also, for example, the sub-chart may be a graph showing the length of the residence time of the substrate for each receiving unit. Such a graph clearly shows whether each receiving unit discharges the received substrate at a predetermined timing. In particular, if the residence times of a plurality of substrates are displayed in a comparable manner, for example, if the residence time of some substrates is different from others, it becomes possible to easily discover this.

[0114] Also, for example, the sub-chart may be a graph showing the length of the interval time from when one receiving unit discharges one substrate until it discharges the next substrate. Such a graph makes it possible to easily discover an irregular movement in the substrate that is originally transferred between the receiving units at regular intervals.

Industrial Applicability

[0115] The present invention can be applied to various substrate processing systems, and the processing content is not limited. In particular, it is suitable for a relatively large-scale system equipped with a plurality of processing units.

Explanation of Signs

[0116] 1 Substrate processing system 2 (2A to 2K) Processing unit 3 Central control device (control unit) 4 GUI device 21 Processing unit (reception unit) 25 Conveyor unit (reception unit) 41 Image processing unit 44 Interface unit (information acquisition unit) 45 Input unit 46 Display unit Cm Main chart Cs1 to Cs4 Sub-charts

Claims

1. 1. A GUI device for a substrate processing system that processes a plurality of substrates while transferring the substrates between a plurality of receiving units each receiving a substrate, the GUI device comprising: an information acquisition unit that acquires information regarding the time when the substrate is received by the receiving unit and the time when the substrate is removed from the receiving unit for each of the plurality of receiving units and each of the plurality of substrates; an image processing unit that outputs a display image based on the information; a display unit for displaying the display image; Equipped with The display image is a chart on a coordinate plane having a first axis on which symbols for identifying each of the receiving parts are arranged in accordance with the transport order of the substrates, and a second axis which intersects with the first axis and indicates the elapsed time during processing, the chart being a graph of the residence time of the substrates from when they are received at each of the receiving parts until when they are discharged, for a plurality of substrates, with each substrate being distinguished from the others; A GUI device comprising:

2. The GUI device of claim 1 , wherein the chart represents the duration of stay by a bar parallel to the second axis.

3. An input unit is provided for receiving operation input from a user, The GUI device according to claim 1, wherein the image processing unit switches between the display image including a main chart, which is the chart created based on a portion of the information, and the display image including a sub-chart, which is the chart created based on the information not represented in the main chart, in response to the operation input, and displays them on the display unit.

4. 4. The GUI device according to claim 3, wherein the sub-chart is a graph obtained by enlarging a partial area of ​​the main chart specified by the operational input and adding the information not shown in the main chart.

5. The GUI device of claim 3 , wherein the sub-chart is a graph based on the information regarding those of the receivers involved in transporting the substrate.

6. 4. The GUI device of claim 3, wherein the sub-chart is a graph representing the time from the start of processing until each of the receivers receives or removes the substrate.

7. The GUI device according to claim 3 , wherein the sub-chart is a graph representing the length of residence time of the substrate in each of the receivers.

8. 4. The GUI device according to claim 3, wherein the sub-chart is a graph showing the length of an interval time from when one of the receivers dispenses one of the substrates until when it dispenses the next of the substrates.

9. a plurality of receiving portions for temporarily receiving the substrates; A GUI device according to any one of claims 1 to 8. A substrate processing system comprising:

10. A control unit that issues a control command to the receiving unit to control the operation of the receiving unit, The substrate processing system according to claim 9 , wherein the information acquisition unit acquires the information based on the control command given from the control unit to each of the receiving units.

11. A plurality of processing sections that perform predetermined processing on the substrate; a transport unit that transports the substrate between the processing units; 10. The substrate processing system of claim 9, wherein the processing section and the transport section each include at least one of the receiving sections.

Images