GUI device and circuit board 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] This invention relates to a substrate processing system that includes a plurality of receiving portions for temporarily receiving substrates and processes the substrates, and particularly relates to its user interface function.

Background Art

[0002] In a substrate processing system that processes 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 introducing the substrate into the substrate processing system.

[0003] In view of this point, for example, in a substrate processing system described in Patent Document 1 that 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 multiple processing units sequentially transfer multiple circuit boards to each other, and each processing unit performs processing on the boards in parallel, even small fluctuations in the timing of board transfers can affect the operation of the entire system. For example, variations in processing time in each processing unit or variations in the operating speed of moving parts in the transport system can be unavoidable fluctuation factors. In particular, when the cycle time is optimized to improve processing efficiency, there is little room to absorb such fluctuations, so the effects of small fluctuations can spread to the entire system and reduce processing efficiency.

[0006] Therefore, it is desirable that a means be put into practical use to inform the user (operator) of the state of the substrate flow, such as whether the series of processes in the substrate processing system are being carried out in accordance with the set cycle time, whether any disturbances are occurring, and if so, where these disturbances are occurring. However, to date, no such technology has been concretely proposed.

[0007] Therefore, until now, identifying the cause of the disturbance required a great deal of effort and time, such as analyzing numerical information obtained from each processing unit, or, if necessary, having engineers present to measure the processing time in each processing unit.

[0008] This invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned problems, and aims to provide a technology that can clearly present the movement of the substrates to the user and facilitate the detection of disturbances in the flow of the substrates in a substrate processing system that processes multiple substrates in parallel while transporting them. [Means for solving the problem]

[0009] One aspect of this 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, comprising: an information acquisition unit that acquires information regarding the time the substrate was received and the time it was dispensed from 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; and a display unit that displays the display image. an input section that accepts user input and It is equipped with. Here, the display image includes a chart that graphs the period of stay in each of the receiving units from the time the substrate is received until it is discharged, distinguishing each of the multiple substrates, on a coordinate plane having a first axis on which symbols for identifying each of the receiving units are arranged in the order of transport of the substrates, and a second axis that intersects the first axis and shows the elapsed time during processing. The receiving unit includes one of the following: a processing unit that performs predetermined processing on the multiple substrates, a transport robot that transports the substrates, or a unit that receives the substrates for temporary storage. The image processing unit switches between displaying on the display unit the display image which includes a main chart, which is the chart created based on some of the information, and the display image which includes a sub-chart, which is the chart created based on information not shown in the main chart, in accordance with the operation input.

[0010] In a first aspect of this invention, the sub-chart is a graph obtained by enlarging the time axis of a portion of the main chart specified by the operation input and adding the information not shown in the main chart. In a second aspect of this invention, the sub-chart is a graph based on the information relating to the rotation, forward, backward, upward, and downward movements of the transport robot involved in transporting the substrates within the receiving section. In a third aspect of this invention, the sub-chart is a graph that includes multiple line graphs showing the time from the start of processing until each of the processing units accepts or dispenses the substrates, with the first axis, which assigns the plurality of processing units according to the transport order of the substrates, as the horizontal axis and the second axis, which is the time axis, as the vertical axis. In a fourth aspect of this invention, the sub-chart is a graph that shows the length of the substrate dwell time for each of the processing units by comparing the plurality of substrates. Furthermore, in a fifth aspect of this invention, the sub-chart is a graph representing the length of the interval time in the receiving portion, which is expressed as the difference between the arrival time when one substrate reaches one receiving portion and the arrival time when the next substrate following the first substrate reaches the receiving portion.

[0011] Here, "receiving section" refers to a concept that represents any component of a substrate processing system that has the potential to receive and temporarily store a substrate. For example, in addition to components that have an active effect on the substrate, such as a processing unit that performs a predetermined process on the received substrate and a transport mechanism that transports the substrate, components that simply receive the substrate for temporary storage may also be included in the term "receiving section."

[0012] In this configuration, the flow of multiple substrates fed into the substrate processing system is represented as a single chart. Specifically, one axis on the chart's coordinate plane represents time, and the other axis intersecting it represents symbols for each of the multiple receiving sections, arranged in the order of substrate transport. The time elapsed from when each of the multiple substrates is received into its respective receiving section until it is discharged is then graphically displayed within the chart.

[0013] If the processing (including transport) for each substrate proceeds according to a predetermined cycle time, a regular pattern should appear on the chart indicating that each substrate is being passed between receiving sections at regular time intervals. On the other hand, if there is any disturbance in the flow of substrates somewhere along the transport path, this will appear as a disruption in the regularity of the pattern.

[0014] Human vision is suitable for perceiving such disruptions in regularity. Therefore, by displaying the flow 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, and so on.

[0015] Another aspect of this invention is a substrate processing system including a plurality of receiving parts 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, since the flow of each substrate is comprehensively displayed on the display part, 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 the substrates within the system.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0017] [Figure 1] It is a layout diagram showing a configuration example of a substrate processing system to which the present invention is applicable. [Figure 2] It is a block diagram showing the substrate processing system of this embodiment. <"0000078">It is a diagram showing an example of a display image. [Figure 4] It is a diagram showing an example of a sub-chart. [Figure 5] It is a diagram showing another example of a sub-chart. [Figure 6] It is a diagram showing another example of a sub-chart. [Figure 7] It is a diagram showing another example of a sub-chart. [Figure 8] It is a flowchart showing the operation of the GUI device of this embodiment. [Figure 9]This is a diagram showing an example of a display image in this embodiment. [Figure 10] This is a diagram showing an example of a display image in this embodiment. [Figure 11] This is a diagram showing an example of a display image in this embodiment.

Embodiment 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, printed wiring boards, etc., 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 diagram 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, an application unit 2C, a drying unit 2D, a pre-baking unit 2E, and an interface unit 2F are arranged in this order.

[0020] The unprocessed substrate is first fed into the washing unit 2A from the lower left of Figure 1, and then passed between processing units 2 in the following order: dewatering bake unit 2B, coating unit 2C, drying unit 2D, pre-bake unit 2E, and interface unit 2F, where it undergoes predetermined processing.

[0021] The exposure unit 2G is positioned adjacent to the interface unit 2F. In Figure 1, the exposure unit 2G is depicted above the interface unit 2F, but in reality, they are positioned adjacent to each other horizontally. Therefore, when transferring the substrate from the interface unit 2F to the exposure unit 2G, the transport direction of the substrate is changed by 90 degrees.

[0022] In the upper part of Figure 1, the titler unit 2H is positioned to the left of the exposure unit 2G. Further to the left of the titler unit 2H, the developer unit 2I, post-bake unit 2J, and output buffer unit 2K are positioned in that order. Therefore, during the transfer from the exposure unit 2G to the titler unit 2H, the transport direction of the substrate is changed by another 90 degrees, and then the substrate is transferred from the titler unit 2H to the developer unit 2I, post-bake unit 2J, and output buffer unit 2K in that order.

[0023] Therefore, the substrate is transported counterclockwise along a roughly U-shaped transport path as shown in Figure 1, and undergoes predetermined processing at each processing unit located along the path. The processed substrate is then discharged to the outside from the output buffer unit 2K.

[0024] Each processing unit 2 (2A to 2K) constituting the substrate processing system 1 can be configured similarly to the processing units in known substrate processing systems that apply resist solution to a glass substrate and then expose and develop it. Therefore, this document will provide an overview of the functions of each processing unit 2A to 2K, but will omit a detailed explanation of their respective structures.

[0025] The cleaning unit 2A cleans the substrates by performing a wet cleaning process on the incoming substrates. The dehydration and baking unit 2B dries the cleaned substrates by heating them at a relatively low temperature. The coating unit 2C uniformly coats the substrate surface with resist solution. The drying unit 2D forms a resist film by volatilizing the solvent components of the resist solution by placing the coated substrate under reduced pressure, and the pre-bake unit 2E solidifies the resist film by heating the substrate. The interface unit 2F temporarily stores the substrates on which the resist film has been formed.

[0026] The exposure unit 2G irradiates the substrate on which the resist film has been formed with light to expose the resist film into a predetermined pattern. The titler unit 2H writes serial numbers and processing condition information to the substrate to identify each individual substrate. The developing unit 2I develops the exposed substrate with a developer solution and then rinses it with a rinsing solution. The post-bake unit 2J heats the substrate after rinsing to remove any remaining liquid components and solidify the pattern formed by development. The output buffer unit 2K temporarily stores the substrates after all processing is complete and dispenses them externally as needed.

[0027] Figure 2 is a block diagram showing the substrate processing system of this embodiment. The substrate processing system 1 comprises at least one set of processing units 2 (2A to 2K) that are the main components of the substrate processing, a central 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 status of each processing unit 2 and notifies the operator.

[0028] As described above, the configuration of each processing unit 2 varies depending on the purpose of installation of the processing unit. Typical components include a processing unit 21 that is the main unit that performs some processing on the substrate, a buffer 23 for temporarily storing the substrate, a transport unit 25 such as a transport robot or conveyor that transports the substrate between them, and a controller 27 that controls their operation. However, in some processing units, some of these components may be provided in multiples, or conversely, some may be omitted.

[0029] The processing unit 21 is the main component that performs some kind of modification on the substrate. For example, the cleaning unit 2A is a cleaning device that performs a cleaning treatment on the substrate, and the coating unit 2C is a coating device that applies a treatment solution to the substrate. The dehydration bake unit 2B, drying unit 2D, pre-bake unit 2E, and post-bake unit 2J are drying devices that dry the substrate by heating or reduced pressure. The processing unit 21 may have a chamber for housing the substrate.

[0030] A single processing unit 2 may contain multiple processing units 21 having the same configuration and function. For example, multiple processing units 21 having the same configuration may be stacked in multiple layers to form a single assembly within the processing unit 2. Such an assembly of identical processing units 21 within a processing unit 2 may be referred to as a "module" in this specification. In a broader sense, a single processing unit 21 can also be considered a module. A single processing unit 2 may contain multiple such modules. The configurations of the processing units 21 may be identical or different between modules.

[0031] The buffer section 23 may also consist of multiple identical components forming a module, and a single processing unit 2 may have multiple modules. For example, an input buffer for storing the substrate before processing and an output buffer for storing the substrate after processing may be provided separately. Furthermore, there may be cases where the processing unit 2 does not have a buffer section 23.

[0032] The transport unit 25, which is responsible for transporting the substrate between these components, may be provided as one or more units within the processing unit 2, or it may not be provided at all. In addition, the controller 27 that controls the operation of the processing unit 2 is usually provided as one set, but if the configuration of the processing unit 2 is complex, multiple controllers may be provided, or they may be omitted if they can be directly controlled by the central control unit 3.

[0033] The controller 27 also transmits status information to the central control device 3 regarding the status of each processing unit 21, buffer unit 23, transport unit 25, and the substrates held therein, which are determined from the outputs of various sensors installed in the processing unit 2.

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

[0035] The central control unit 3 comprehensively controls these processing units 2. Specifically, the central control unit 3 includes a CPU 31, memory 32, storage 33, and interface unit 34. The CPU 31 executes control programs pre-stored in the storage 33, such as an HDD (hard disk drive) or SSD (semiconductor disk drive), and issues control commands to each processing unit 2 to manage their operation. The memory 32 temporarily stores data used for calculations performed by the CPU 31.

[0036] The interface unit 34 is responsible for data communication between each processing unit 2 and the GUI device 4. Status information of each processing unit 21 and the circuit board, which changes moment by moment in accordance with the operation of each processing unit 2, is transmitted from each processing unit 2 to the central control unit 3 via the interface unit 34. An input unit for receiving operation instructions from the operator may also be provided.

[0037] The GUI device 4 displays a GUI screen that reflects the status information output from each processing unit 2, thereby informing the operator of the processing progress. For this purpose, the GUI device 4 includes an image processing unit 41, memory 42, storage 43, interface unit 44, input unit 45, and display unit 46, among others.

[0038] The image processing unit 41 performs various image processing operations to create the display image described later. The memory 42 temporarily stores data used for calculations in the image processing unit 41. The storage 43 stores control programs to be executed by the image processing unit 41, as well as various image data such as layout data for creating the display image. The interface unit 44 is responsible for data communication with the central control unit 3.

[0039] Furthermore, the image processing unit 4 includes an input unit 45 that receives operation input from the operator and a display unit 46 that displays images to inform the operator of various information. The input unit 45 includes, for example, an input device such as a keyboard or mouse, and the display unit 46 includes, for example, an output device such as a liquid crystal display panel. 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 board processing system 1, but two or more may be provided. For example, in a board processing system 1 with a large number of processing units 2 and a large footprint, it is preferable to be able to check the system status at multiple locations. In addition, multiple connection points may be provided in advance within the board processing system 1 so that the placement position of the GUI device 4 can be changed.

[0041] The central control unit 3 and the GUI device 4 can be computer devices with a hardware configuration typical of personal computers or workstations. In particular, a tablet-type computer device is preferably used for the GUI device 4.

[0042] Next, we will explain the concept of "position" used in the following description. In the substrate processing system 1 configured as described above, multiple substrates are fed in sequentially at predetermined cycle times for processing, so multiple substrates may exist within the system. The concept of "position" is introduced to manage where each substrate is located within the system. Each position is also assigned a position name to identify it.

[0043] "Position" is a concept used to uniformly handle the processing unit 21, buffer unit 23, transport unit 25, etc., and refers to the smallest unit of space occupied by a single substrate within the system. In other words, the position of a single substrate at a given time after it has been fed into the system can be identified by any one of the positions. In principle, each position can hold one substrate, but there are cases where two or more substrates exist simultaneously in one position. For example, this can occur when multiple small substrates are fed into a processing unit 21 configured to handle large substrates through a setup change. Furthermore, regardless of whether or not processing is actively performed on the substrate, any entity that receives and holds a substrate for a certain period of time during a series of processing operations on the substrate can be considered a single "position". In this sense, "position" is a concept that corresponds to the smallest unit of the "receiving unit" in this invention.

[0044] For example, each of the processing units 21 that handle a single circuit board corresponds to one "position." Therefore, a module with multiple processing units 21 of the same configuration has as many positions as there are processing units 21. In other words, multiple positions provided by multiple processing units 21 of the same configuration can be combined into a single module. Since they have the same function, each position within a single module uses a common position name. In short, it can be thought of as a "modularized position."

[0045] Furthermore, although the buffer section 23 itself does not perform any specific action on the substrate, it is also subject to management because it may be occupied by the substrate for a certain period of time during the series of processes. In other words, a buffer section 23 that accommodates one substrate corresponds to one position on its own. Also, when multiple buffer sections 23 constitute a module, each of those buffer sections 23 is treated as a single "position".

[0046] In the transport robot section of the transport unit 25, a robot that handles only one substrate at a time corresponds to one position. However, in a multi-hand transport robot (MHU), each hand can handle one substrate, so each hand corresponds to one position. Therefore, the multi-hand transport robot is considered a single module containing multiple positions.

[0047] Furthermore, regarding the conveyor within the transport section 25, a conveyor that handles only one substrate at a time corresponds to one position. However, if the transport path is long and has multiple compartments where substrates can be placed, there will be as many positions as there are substrates that can be placed.

[0048] In this embodiment, any of a position, a module, and a processing unit can, in a broad sense, be considered a "receiving part" as defined in the present invention. Hereafter, when positions, modules, and processing units are not distinguished and are expressed comprehensively in this broad sense of receiving part, they may be referred to as "positions, etc." As stated above, a processing unit may include one or more modules or positions, and a module may include one or more positions. Therefore, as a general concept, among these, the processing unit is the largest in scale, followed by modules, and then positions in decreasing order of scale.

[0049] In charting based on the operational information of each part, as described later, it is preferable to illustrate relatively large-scale configurations (e.g., each processing unit) as units in order to give an overview of the state of the entire system, while it is preferable to illustrate smaller-scale configurations (e.g., each position) as units in order to give a more detailed representation of a part of the system. For this reason, it is preferable that the scale of the units of configurations (positions, etc.) shown in the chart be appropriately scaled according to the purpose.

[0050] In other words, the scale of the configuration represented by "positions, etc." in charting can be varied as needed, using processing unit units, module units, position units, etc. (or a combination of these as appropriate), but in terms of the basic concept of chart display, they can be treated equally. Therefore, in the following explanation, even if, as a typical example, the chart's coordinate axes are assigned in units of "positions," changing this to assignment in units of "modules" or "processing units" depending on the width of the display range is equivalent in terms of technical concept.

[0051] In the substrate processing system 1 configured as described above, multiple substrates are fed in at predetermined time intervals (takt time), and the substrates are processed sequentially as they are passed between processing units 2. A shorter takt time results in higher operating efficiency for the substrate processing system 1, but if the flow of substrates is interrupted, the impact will spread to the entire system.

[0052] To enable early detection of such disturbances and facilitate the investigation of their causes, this embodiment visualizes the movement of multiple circuit boards within the system as a two-dimensional chart and displays it on the display unit 46 of the GUI device 4. Specifically, the central control unit 3 acquires information indicating the operating status of each processing unit 2 output from each processing unit 2 and transmits this information to the GUI device 4. The information acquired by the central control unit 3 from each processing unit 2 includes information representing the time when a circuit board was received at each position and the time when the circuit board was discharged from that position.

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

[0054] Figure 3 shows an example of a displayed image. More specifically, Figure 3(a) is a diagram showing the entire main chart Cm, which is an example of an image displayed on the display unit 46, and Figure 3(b) is a diagram explaining the content represented by the main chart Cm, and corresponds to a diagram that schematically represents a part of the main chart Cm by partially enlarging it. Note that although it is not necessarily clearly visible in the monochrome image of Figure 3(a), in the actual image, data corresponding to each of the multiple substrates is shown in different colors, making it possible to identify each substrate on the screen.

[0055] In the main chart Cm, the horizontal axis represents the time axis, specifically the elapsed time since the start of operation of the substrate processing system 1. The vertical axis displays strings corresponding to the position names defined within the substrate processing system 1, arranged in the order of substrate transport. The meaning of each position name is not directly related to the present invention, so an explanation is omitted. In the following, hypothetical position names such as P1, P2, etc. may be used for explanatory purposes.

[0056] In the actual board processing system 1, numerous positions are provided, and it may not be appropriate to display all positions on a single screen. For this reason, several positions may be grouped together and displayed on the vertical axis. For example, modules containing multiple positions may be listed on the vertical axis on a module-by-module basis. Alternatively, they may be listed on a processing unit basis.

[0057] Thus, even though the main chart Cm displays several positions together, the sub-chart, described later, can display each position separately. Therefore, the main chart Cm does not need to show all positions that can be defined in the board processing system 1, and positions that can be omitted for management purposes or to improve screen visibility can be omitted.

[0058] As schematically shown in Figure 3(b), the main chart Cm displays the duration for which multiple substrates S1, S2, ... stayed at each position P1, P2, ... as a bar graph. Specifically, for example, the fact that substrate S1 stayed at position P1 from time t11 to time t12 is indicated by a bar parallel to the time axis (horizontal axis). Time t11 is the time when substrate S1 was received at position P1, and time t12 is the time when substrate S1 was dispensed from position P1, which can be identified by the central control device 3 based on information (timestamp information) collected from each processing unit 2.

[0059] Subsequently, the main chart Cm shows that substrate S1 was accepted into position P2 at time t13 and dispensed from position P2 at time t14, and that it was accepted into position P3 at time t15 and dispensed from position P3 at time t16.

[0060] Similarly, it is shown that another board S2 stayed in position P1 from time t21 to time t22, in position P2 from time t23 to time t24, and in position P3 from time t25 to time t26. For yet another board S3, the time of acceptance and payout for each position, and the duration of stay in those positions are shown in the main chart Cm.

[0061] Thus, in the main chart Cm, the duration that each substrate S1, S2, ... stayed at each position P1, P2, ... is represented in a manner that allows for the identification of individual substrates, based on information indicating the time at which each substrate S1, S2, ... was received at each position P1, P2, ... and the time at which it was dispensed. Here, as shown by the dotted arrows in Figure 3(b), by focusing on a single substrate and tracking the changes in the bars, it is possible to know when that substrate passed through each position. On the other hand, by focusing on a single position assigned to the vertical axis, it is possible to know when each of multiple substrates passed through that position.

[0062] Furthermore, as shown as window W in Figure 3(a), it may be possible to display additional, more detailed status information, timestamp information, etc., for some boards. Specifically, this function can be realized by displaying a tooltip with information about the board corresponding to a bar when the user selects any bar on the screen using the input unit 45, for example, a mouse.

[0063] By displaying a chart like this, the user (operator) can be comprehensively shown how each of the multiple circuit boards fed into the circuit board processing system 1, which includes multiple positions, moved within the system. Here, if all circuit boards pass through each position at predetermined timings, the position change patterns of the bars indicating the movement between positions of each circuit board should be roughly the same for all circuit boards; in other words, if they are moved parallel to each other along the time axis, they should almost overlap.

[0064] On the other hand, if there is turbulence in the flow of the substrate, the position changes of the bars will vary. Such turbulence is easily noticeable because it appears as a breakdown in the regularity of the position change pattern displayed graphically on the chart. Therefore, users can determine whether the flow of the substrate is appropriate or turbulent from the regularity of the displayed chart. More specifically, by observing how the irregularity manifests, it is also possible to distinguish whether the turbulence is occurring in a specific substrate or in a specific position.

[0065] Next, we will describe the display modes that assist in identifying the cause of the disturbance. By displaying the main chart Cm described above, the user can understand that a disturbance has occurred and roughly where it occurred. On the other hand, in order to identify the more detailed location and cause of the disturbance, it is desirable to display more detailed information about the area surrounding the disturbance location. For this purpose, in this embodiment, in addition to the main chart Cm, it is possible to display several sub-charts in response to user operation.

[0066] In other words, when the main chart Cm is displayed on the display unit 46, the user can specify the range for which they want detailed information to be displayed and the display mode via the input unit 45. In accordance with the specified content, a sub-chart will be displayed that adds more detailed information to a portion of the range shown on the main chart Cm. The input format specified by the user is arbitrary. The sub-chart may be displayed in place of the main chart Cm, or it may be displayed overlaid on the main chart Cm while it remains in the background.

[0067] Figure 4 shows an example of a sub-chart. This sub-chart Cs1 displays information focusing on the transport section 25 of a specific processing unit 2. One of the main causes of disruption in the flow of substrates within the substrate processing system 1 is the problem of competition (contesting) in the transport section 25. That is, if there is a slight timing difference in the operation of the processing unit including the transport section 25, or in any of the processing units before or after it, the competition for multiple substrates in the transport section 25 can amplify that timing difference. For example, if the hand of a transport robot is already holding another substrate at the time it should be receiving a new substrate, the movement of the substrates will be significantly delayed. In addition, since the transport section 25 inevitably contains mechanically moving parts, it is also prone to malfunctions. Therefore, it is reasonable to first examine the movement of the transport section 25 in order to identify the cause of the disruption early on.

[0068] At the top of the sub-chart Cs1 in Figure 4, the substrate flow at some of the user-specified positions shown in the main chart Cm is displayed with the time axis magnified. In this case, multiple positions that are not clearly visible because they are displayed together in the main chart Cm may be displayed individually.

[0069] Furthermore, the lower part of sub-chart Cs1 shows in detail the movement of a single transport robot that is not represented in the main chart Cm, and the time axis is aligned with the figure above. Here, the movement of the transport robot's hand is broken down into "MOVE (rotation)", "FORWARD (forward)", "BACKWORD (backward)", "UP (upward)", and "DOWN (downward)". This shows how the transport robot moves in the process of sequentially handling multiple circuit boards, along with the changes in state at other positions.

[0070] The user can compare the location of the disturbance with the movement of the transport robot to determine whether or not the disturbance is caused by the movement of the transport robot. Specifically, for example, it becomes possible to distinguish between a situation where the disturbance is caused by a malfunction in the movement of the transport robot's own movable parts and a situation where the transport robot experiences extra waiting time due to an abnormality in the preceding or succeeding processing unit 21, etc.

[0071] Figure 5 shows another example of a sub-chart. Unlike the main chart Cm, in this sub-chart Cs2, each processing unit 2 (2A~2K) is assigned to the horizontal axis according to the order in which the substrates are transported, and the vertical axis is the time axis. The time (or elapsed time from the reference time) when each of the multiple substrates passed through each processing unit 2A~2K is displayed as a line graph. Here, "passing through" can refer to the time when the substrate reaches the processing unit in question, or to the time when it is discharged from the processing unit in question, but either is acceptable as long as it is consistent across all processing units. In the following explanation, we will use the former.

[0072] In this display configuration, the time intervals between boards as they sequentially move through processing units 2A to 2K within the system are shown. While the boards should ideally move at constant intervals, any discrepancies in the intervals between preceding and succeeding boards indicate a disturbance. By displaying the data from a different perspective than the main chart Cm, the ease of detecting disturbances can be improved. Note that while the horizontal axis here is based on processing units, it can be changed to modules or positions as needed.

[0073] Figure 6 shows another example of a sub-chart. In this sub-chart Cs3, the horizontal axis represents each position (or module, processing unit), and the vertical axis represents the length of time the substrate stays at that position, etc. The length of time that multiple substrates stay at each position, etc. is shown by a bar graph parallel to the vertical axis, comparing them. Since multiple substrates should be treated equally at each position, etc., it is not expected that the length of stay should not differ significantly from one substrate to another.

[0074] Therefore, if a significant variation in the dwell time of each board is found at a particular position (or module, processing unit), it can be determined that there is a high probability that some kind of disturbance is occurring at that position or unit. For example, by comparing the dwell times of several boards that are fed into the system sequentially in succession, it is possible to detect disturbances that have occurred at a particular board. In addition, for example, to provide users with more useful information, the results of statistical processing of the length of dwell time for each board may also be displayed.

[0075] Figure 7 shows 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 vertical axis, the time axis, shows the interval time for boards passing through each position, etc. This interval time represents the difference in arrival times at the same position, etc. between two consecutive boards, and corresponds to the vertical axis distance between two adjacent lines in sub-chart Cs2 of Figure 5. What it means is the elapsed time from when one board is accepted at a certain position, etc. until the next board is accepted.

[0076] When multiple circuit boards are flowing smoothly within a predetermined cycle time, the interval time at each position is generally considered to be constant. Therefore, the presence or absence of variations in interval time can also be information indicating that the flow of circuit boards is disrupted. For example, if there is a large variation in interval time at a particular position, it can be inferred that the disruption occurred before the circuit board was delivered to that position. Furthermore, if there is variation at multiple positions only between specific circuit boards, it can be inferred that there is a problem with the circuit board itself.

[0077] In some cases, statistical processing can be effective for such variations in interval times. Therefore, in this case, the display will show, below the sub-chart Cs4, the numerical values ​​obtained by statistically processing the interval time values ​​for each position etc. calculated for multiple boards, namely the maximum value, minimum value and their difference, median, mean, etc., as table T4.

[0078] Figure 8 is a flowchart showing the operation of the GUI device in this embodiment. More specifically, Figure 8 is a flowchart showing the operation of the board processing system 1, including image display by the GUI device 4. This operation is achieved by the CPU 31 provided in the central control device 3 executing a pre-prepared control program, causing each part of the system to perform predetermined operations.

[0079] In the board processing system 1, each processing unit 2 (2A to 2K) performs a predetermined processing operation to sequentially process multiple boards that are brought in from the outside at a constant cycle time (step S101). During this time, the CPU 31 acquires various information generated in conjunction with the operation of each processing unit 2A to 2K from the controller 27 of each processing unit, collects it, and stores it in the storage 33 (step S102).

[0080] The operational information may include control signals, including control commands, output by the CPU 31 to each processing unit 2A to 2K; response signals returned from the processing unit 2 in response; control signals given from the controller 27 of each processing unit 2 to the processing unit 21, etc.; information regarding signals output from sensors etc. provided in various parts of the processing unit 2; and information regarding the time when those signals were generated or acquired. The signals transmitted from each processing unit 2 to the central control device 3 may include the results of the controller 27 processing signals output from the control unit 21, transport unit 25, etc. within the processing unit 2.

[0081] When the GUI device 4 receives a chart display instruction input from the user via the input unit 45 (step S103), it creates the main chart Cm as the initial display image. Specifically, the GUI device 4 acquires the operation information stored in the central control unit 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 the display image, including the main chart Cm, based on the acquired information (step S105). The creation of graphs based on numerical data can be performed with various known software, so a description is omitted.

[0082] The created display image is shown on the display unit 46 (step S106). When the user gives an instruction to end the display (step S107), the process ends. When the user gives an instruction to change the display (step S108), image data corresponding to the display image is created, either a display image with a tooltip added to the main chart Cm, or a display image including one of the sub-charts Cs1 to Cs4 according to the instruction (step S109). Then, the process returns to step S106, and the newly created display image is displayed on the display unit 46.

[0083] Thus, in this embodiment, in a substrate processing system 1 having multiple processing units and thereby providing multiple positions for temporarily receiving substrates, the timing at which each of the multiple substrates being sequentially passed within the system is received and dispensed at each position 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 the substrates are flowing regularly or whether there is a disruption in that regularity.

[0084] On the other hand, simply viewing the entire system in this general way may not reveal the more specific locations and causes of disturbances. To address this problem, this embodiment allows for the display of multiple types of sub-charts, which are displayed by the user, depending on user operation. These sub-charts enlarge a portion of the coordinate plane shown in the main chart Cm and have a different relationship between the horizontal and vertical axes than the main chart Cm.

[0085] This allows the user to see a more detailed picture of the areas where substrate flow is occurring, presented to them in various display modes. The user can check the system status by using an image that shows the overall substrate flow in the entire system in conjunction with information that shows the state of a part of it in more detail. In this way, this embodiment can effectively support the user's work in identifying the locations and causes of substrate flow disturbances that may occur in the substrate processing system 1.

[0086] To enhance this effect, it is ideal to obtain as much operational information as possible from each processing unit 2. However, due to constraints such as device size and cost, it may not be possible to place a sufficient number of sensors within the processing unit 2 to acquire the necessary information. Even in such cases, at least the control signals sent from the central control unit 3 to the processing unit 2, the response signals from the processing unit 2 to those signals, and the times they were issued will be information that can be reliably acquired by the central control unit 3.

[0087] In this embodiment, the display image is created primarily using time-related information, and sensor detection values ​​are not used. In other words, even without using such detection values, it is possible to detect disturbances in the circuit board flow within the system and identify the cause to some extent by presenting time-related information to the user in an appropriate display manner. Of course, it is believed that the cause of the disturbance can be identified with greater accuracy by using other information in combination.

[0088] Next, we will explain the specific process by which a disturbance in the substrate flow is detected and its cause is identified in the substrate processing system 1 configured as described above, referring to an example of an actual screen display. As a prerequisite, it is assumed that the main chart Cm has already been displayed and that a disturbance in the substrate flow has been detected.

[0089] Figures 9 to 11 show examples of display images in this embodiment. Figure 9 is a line graph showing the passage time of each processing unit for each substrate, with each processing unit 2A to 2K arranged on the horizontal axis and the vertical axis being the time axis, and corresponds to the sub-chart Cs2 shown in Figure 5.

[0090] As indicated by arrow A in Figure 9, a temporary difference in the plots between substrates occurs in exposure unit 2G, but this difference is quickly resolved, indicating that it does not significantly affect the overall system operation. On the other hand, as indicated by arrow B, a gap in the plots occurs between the first transported substrate Sa and the substrate Sb transported immediately afterward, mainly from titler unit 2H onward. From this, it is thought that a delay is occurring in titler unit 2H or one of the processing units preceding it (e.g., exposure unit 2G, interface unit 2F).

[0091] The reason why we are including not only the exposure unit 2G but also the interface unit 2F, which is located before it, in our consideration is as follows: In the actual substrate processing system 1, the substrates dispensed from the exposure unit 2G are not directly fed into the titler unit 2H. Rather, the exposed substrates are first returned to the interface unit 2F, and then transferred from the interface unit 2F to the titler unit 2H. Therefore, any delay in the titler unit 2H may be caused by the interface unit 2F.

[0092] Next, an image showing the movement of the circuit board between interface unit 2F and titler unit 2H in more detail is displayed on the display unit 46. Figure 10 is an example of the displayed image at this time, and corresponds to a magnified view of a part of the main chart Cm (Figure 3(a)) that includes the area of ​​interest. However, the vertical axis is divided into more finely divided position names than those shown in Figure 3(a) in order to verify the operation of each part in detail.

[0093] The meaning of these position names, as they relate to the following verification, will be explained. Here, the currently noteworthy positions are those related to the titler unit 2H and its surroundings, particularly those involved in substrate transport. "Titler_Interface" represents the titler device as the processing unit 21 located in titler unit 2H. "TT_CV_Interface" represents the turntable conveyor as the transport unit 25 located in interface unit 2F. "MHU_U_HAND_Interface" and "MHU_L_HAND_Interface" represent the upper and lower hands, respectively, of the multi-hand transport robot as the transport unit 25 located in interface unit 2F. "EXP_a_Interface" and "EXP_b_Interface" represent the two exposure machines, namely exposure machine A and exposure machine B, as the processing unit 21 located in exposure unit 2G.

[0094] In the actual graph, each substrate is color-coded, but in Figure 10, only the group of bars showing the movement of substrate Sb is enclosed in a dotted line to distinguish it from the others. The length of the bars indicates the duration the substrate stays at each position. According to this, after substrate Sb is discharged from exposure machine B, it is transported to the turntable conveyor using the lower hand of the multi-hand transport robot of interface unit 2F, and then loaded into the titler device. Here, it can be seen that substrate Sb is held on the turntable conveyor for a significantly longer time than other substrates. Therefore, it is presumed that a problem is occurring in the transfer from the turntable conveyor to the titler device.

[0095] Figure 11 is the same as the chart in Figure 10, but with an added chart showing the operating period of the turntable conveyor using bars. This corresponds to the sub-chart Cs1 shown in Figure 4. Note that the dashed lines in the figure are added for explanatory purposes and are not included in the actual chart. According to this, during the period when the substrate Sb is left on the turntable conveyor, the turntable conveyor operates for a predetermined amount initially and then stops. This indicates that even though the turntable conveyor has completed transport, the substrate Sb is not discharged to the titler device and remains on the turntable conveyor. Therefore, it is presumed that the cause of the delay is not an operational problem with the turntable conveyor, but rather that the titler device is unable to receive the substrate.

[0096] In this example, the operating status of each part is indicated only by time or duration information, and no signals indicating the detailed operating status of the titler device itself are used. Nevertheless, it is possible to identify that the titler device is highly likely to be the cause of the disturbance. In this way, by combining the various charts of this embodiment described above, it is possible to effectively support the user's work in identifying the cause of disturbances in the overall system operation.

[0097] As explained above, in this embodiment, the position, module, and processing unit included in "position, etc." each correspond to the "receiving unit" of the present invention. Furthermore, in the substrate processing system 1 of this embodiment, the central control device 3, particularly the CPU 31, which collects operational information from each part of the system, functions as the "information acquisition unit" of the present invention. However, if the GUI device 4 is considered as the "GUI device" of the present invention on its own, then the interface unit 34 that acquires operational information from the central control device 3 functions as the "information acquisition unit" of the present invention.

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

[0099] Furthermore, in the above embodiment, both the main chart Cm and the sub-charts Cs1 to Cs4 constitute the "display image" of the present invention. In addition, 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] It should be noted that the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above, and various modifications can be made without departing from the spirit of the invention. For example, in the above embodiments, multiple types of sub-charts are handled in parallel, but in order to support analysis work that progresses from the overall system to the details, the main chart and sub-charts may have a hierarchical structure that follows the analysis procedure.

[0101] For example, when switching between a main chart and a sub-chart, and when switching between sub-charts, the previous chart may be removed from the screen and a new chart may be displayed, or the new chart may be displayed so as to partially overlap the previous chart. Furthermore, multiple sub-charts may be displayed on the same screen.

[0102] Furthermore, the chart display methods (bar display, line display, etc.) in the above embodiments are merely examples, and the display methods of the present invention are not limited thereto. Various methods have been devised for graphing numerical data, and in implementing the present invention, it is possible to apply various display methods that have the visibility to match the purpose of identifying the location and cause of disturbances.

[0103] For example, the substrate processing system 1 of the above embodiment has a plurality of processing units 2, and a transport unit 25 for transferring substrates between processing units 2 is included in each processing unit 2. However, at least some of the substrate transport may be performed by a transport mechanism independent of the processing units 2. That is, the "processing unit" and the "transport unit" of the present invention may constitute a single processing unit, or they may be structurally independent of each other.

[0104] Furthermore, in the above embodiment, the central control device 3 that comprehensively controls the operation of the entire system and the GUI device 4 are configured as separate devices, but for example, a single computer device may combine the functions of both. Also, if multiple main panels MP are arranged within a single system, it is not necessarily required that each be provided with an independent GUI device 4; multiple display units 46 that share an image processing unit 41, etc., may be arranged in various locations.

[0105] Furthermore, 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 can be arbitrary. In addition, 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 liquid crystal display devices described above, but the "substrate" of the present invention also includes FPD substrates 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 paper, and other substrates for precision electronic devices.

[0107] As described above with examples of specific embodiments, the GUI device according to this invention may display a chart in which the dwell time is represented by a bar parallel to the second axis. With such a configuration, it is possible to clearly see how each of the multiple substrates moves between each receiving part and how long it stays in each receiving part.

[0108] For example, the system may further include an input unit that receives user input, and the image processing unit may be configured to switch between displaying a display image that includes a main chart, which is a chart created based on some of the information, and a display image that includes a sub-chart, which is a chart created based on information not shown in the main chart, in response to user input.

[0109] In this configuration, a main chart representing a portion of the acquired information and a sub-chart containing more detailed information are switched at the user's command. Therefore, it is not necessary to include all the information in the main chart; for example, it can display only the information suitable for a general overview of the entire system. The sub-chart can then show in detail the information not represented in the main chart. This effectively supports the user's work in identifying the location and cause of disturbances.

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

[0111] For example, the sub-chart may be a graph based on information related to substrate transport within the receiving section. The configuration responsible for substrate transport inevitably includes mechanically movable components, and such mechanical elements are inevitably more prone to malfunction than non-moving components. In other words, they are more likely to disrupt the flow of substrates compared to other components. For this reason, it is extremely reasonable to focus on showing information about the receiving section involved in substrate transport.

[0112] For example, the sub-chart may be a graph showing the time from the start of processing until each receiving unit accepts or dispenses the substrate. Such a graph is suitable for visually determining whether the substrate is being passed between receiving units in the correct regularity and whether that regularity has been broken.

[0113] For example, the sub-chart may be a graph showing the length of time each substrate resides in each receiving section. Such a graph clearly shows whether each receiving section is dispensing the substrate it has received at a predetermined time. In particular, if the residence times of multiple substrates are displayed in a comparable manner, it becomes easy to detect, for example, if the residence time of some substrates differs from that of others.

[0114] For example, the sub-chart could be a graph representing the length of the interval time between when one receiving unit dispenses one substrate and when it dispenses the next. Such a graph makes it easy to detect irregular movements in substrates that are normally passed between receiving units at a constant interval. [Industrial applicability]

[0115] This invention can be applied to various substrate processing systems and is not limited to the processing content, but is particularly suitable for relatively large systems equipped with multiple processing units. [Explanation of symbols]

[0116] 1. Substrate Processing System 2 (2A~2K) Processing Units 3. Centralized Control System (Control Unit) 4 GUI device 21 Processing section (receiving section) 25. Transport section (receiving section) 41 Image Processing Unit 44 Interface Unit (Information Acquisition Unit) 45 Input section 46 Display section Cm Main Chart Cs1~Cs4 Sub-charts

Claims

1. A GUI device for a substrate processing system that processes multiple substrates while transporting them between multiple receiving sections, each of which receives a substrate, An information acquisition unit acquires information regarding the time the substrate was received and the time it was dispensed from 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 aforementioned information, A display unit that displays the aforementioned display image, An input unit that accepts user input and Equipped with, The receiving unit includes any of the following: a processing unit that performs a predetermined process on a plurality of substrates; a transport robot that transports the substrates; or a device that receives the substrates for temporary storage. The aforementioned display image is The coordinate plane has a first axis on which symbols for identifying each of the receiving sections are arranged in the order of transport of the substrates, and a second axis that intersects the first axis and indicates the elapsed time during processing. The coordinate plane includes a chart that graphs the period of residence of each of the multiple substrates from the time the substrate is received in each receiving section until it is discharged, distinguishing each individual substrate. The image processing unit switches between displaying on the display unit a display image including a main chart, which is a chart created based on a portion of the information, and a display image including a sub-chart, which is a chart created based on information not shown in the main chart, in accordance with the operation input. The sub-chart is a GUI device that displays an enlarged view of the time axis of a portion of the main chart specified by the operation input, and graphs it by adding the information not shown in the main chart.

2. A GUI device for a substrate processing system that processes multiple substrates while transporting them between multiple receiving sections, each of which receives a substrate, An information acquisition unit acquires information regarding the time the substrate was received and the time it was dispensed from 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 aforementioned information, A display unit that displays the aforementioned display image, An input unit that accepts user input and Equipped with, The receiving section includes a processing unit that performs predetermined processing on a plurality of substrates, a transport robot that transports the substrates, and a device that receives the substrates for temporary storage, at least including the transport robot. The aforementioned display image is The coordinate plane has a first axis on which symbols for identifying each of the receiving sections are arranged in the order of transport of the substrates, and a second axis that intersects the first axis and indicates the elapsed time during processing. The coordinate plane includes a chart that graphs the period of residence of each of the multiple substrates from the time the substrate is received in each receiving section until it is discharged, distinguishing each individual substrate. The image processing unit switches between displaying on the display unit a display image including a main chart, which is a chart created based on a portion of the information, and a display image including a sub-chart, which is a chart created based on information not shown in the main chart, in accordance with the operation input. GUI device, wherein the sub-chart is a graph based on the information relating to at least one movement of the transport robot involved in transporting the substrate within the receiving section, which is rotation, forward movement, backward movement, upward movement, and downward movement.

3. A GUI device for a substrate processing system that processes multiple substrates while transporting them between multiple receiving sections, each of which receives a substrate, An information acquisition unit acquires information regarding the time the substrate was received and the time it was dispensed from 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 aforementioned information, A display unit that displays the aforementioned display image, An input unit that accepts user input and Equipped with, The receiving section includes, at least, a processing unit that performs predetermined processing on a plurality of substrates, a transport robot that transports the substrates, and a device for receiving the substrates for temporary storage, the processing unit. The aforementioned display image is The coordinate plane has a first axis on which symbols for identifying each of the receiving sections are arranged in the order of transport of the substrates, and a second axis that intersects the first axis and indicates the elapsed time during processing. The coordinate plane includes a chart that graphs the period of residence of each of the multiple substrates from the time the substrate is received in each receiving section until it is discharged, distinguishing each individual substrate. The image processing unit switches between displaying on the display unit a display image including a main chart, which is a chart created based on a portion of the information, and a display image including a sub-chart, which is a chart created based on information not shown in the main chart, in accordance with the operation input. GUI device, wherein the sub-chart is a graph containing multiple line graphs, each representing the time from the start of processing until each of the processing units accepts or dispenses the substrate, with the first axis representing the assignment of the multiple processing units to the substrate transport order as the horizontal axis, and the second axis representing the time axis as the vertical axis.

4. A GUI device for a substrate processing system that processes multiple substrates while transporting them between multiple receiving sections, each of which receives a substrate, An information acquisition unit acquires information regarding the time the substrate was received and the time it was dispensed from 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 aforementioned information, A display unit that displays the aforementioned display image, An input unit that accepts user input and Equipped with, The receiving section includes, at least, a processing unit that performs predetermined processing on a plurality of substrates, a transport robot that transports the substrates, and a device for receiving the substrates for temporary storage, the processing unit. The aforementioned display image is The coordinate plane has a first axis on which symbols for identifying each of the receiving sections are arranged in the order of transport of the substrates, and a second axis that intersects the first axis and indicates the elapsed time during processing. The coordinate plane includes a chart that graphs the period of residence of each of the multiple substrates from the time the substrate is received in each receiving section until it is discharged, distinguishing each individual substrate. The image processing unit switches between displaying on the display unit a display image including a main chart, which is a chart created based on a portion of the information, and a display image including a sub-chart, which is a chart created based on information not shown in the main chart, in accordance with the operation input. The aforementioned sub-chart is a GUI device, which is a graph that shows the length of the dwell time of the substrate for each processing unit by comparing multiple substrates.

5. A GUI device for a substrate processing system that processes multiple substrates while transporting them between multiple receiving sections, each of which receives a substrate, An information acquisition unit acquires information regarding the time the substrate was received and the time it was dispensed from 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 aforementioned information, A display unit that displays the aforementioned display image, An input unit that accepts user input and Equipped with, The receiving unit includes any of the following: a processing unit that performs a predetermined process on a plurality of substrates; a transport robot that transports the substrates; or a device that receives the substrates for temporary storage. The aforementioned display image is The coordinate plane has a first axis on which symbols for identifying each of the receiving sections are arranged in the order of transport of the substrates, and a second axis that intersects the first axis and indicates the elapsed time during processing. The coordinate plane includes a chart that graphs the period of residence of each of the multiple substrates from the time the substrate is received in each receiving section until it is discharged, distinguishing each individual substrate. The image processing unit switches between displaying on the display unit a display image including a main chart, which is a chart created based on a portion of the information, and a display image including a sub-chart, which is a chart created based on information not shown in the main chart, in accordance with the operation input. GUI device, wherein the sub-chart is a graph representing the length of the interval time in the receiving portion, expressed as the difference between the arrival time of one substrate to the receiving portion and the arrival time of the next substrate following the first substrate to the receiving portion.

6. The GUI device according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the stay period is represented by a bar parallel to the second axis in the chart.

7. Multiple receiving sections for temporarily receiving the substrate, GUI device according to any one of claims 1 to 5 and A substrate processing system comprising:

8. The system includes a control unit that provides control commands to the receiving unit to control its operation, The substrate processing system according to claim 7, wherein the information acquisition unit acquires the information based on the control command given from the control unit to each of the receiving units.

9. A plurality of processing units that perform predetermined processing on the substrate, A transport unit that transports the substrate between the processing units. The substrate processing system according to claim 7, wherein the processing unit and the transport unit each include at least one of the receiving units.

Images