Manufacturing Controller IO Switching During Chamber Software Updates
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Solution Overview
Problem
Software updates for manufacturing system controllers result in significant downtime and environmental deterioration of process chambers, leading to reduced productivity and increased latency due to the time required to restore optimal conditions post-update.
Innovation Solution
Implementing an IO handling mechanism that transfers notifications from a substrate process control module to a system update module during updates, allowing the system update module to maintain chamber conditions, thereby reducing downtime and environmental degradation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If software update is performed on system controller, then software functionality is improved or errors are corrected, but process chamber must be shut down and environment deteriorates leading to significant downtime
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the control system into multiple independent components: a first processor that continues to handle substrate process control, and a second processor that performs software updates. This segmentation allows the update process to occur without shutting down the entire system, maintaining productivity while improving software reliability in the updated processor.
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically switches between processors during operation. The first processor handles normal substrate processing while the second processor undergoes software updates. After update completion, the system can switch to the updated processor, enabling continuous operation without downtime and maintaining high productivity while achieving software improvements.
2Reliability
If process chamber is shut down for software update, then software can be updated, but chamber environment conditions deteriorate and significant time is required to restore them
Solution Approach 1:
By segmenting the control functionality across two processors, the system allows one processor to be updated while the other maintains chamber operations. This eliminates the need to shut down the chamber for software updates, preventing environmental deterioration and avoiding the time-consuming restoration process.
Solution Approach 2:
The system maintains continuous useful action by keeping the first processor operational during the second processor's software update. The chamber environment remains stable and productive throughout the update process, eliminating downtime and the need for time-consuming environmental restoration.
3Reliability
If software update is performed, then new functionality or error corrections are achieved, but downtime and environmental restoration time significantly reduce overall throughput
Solution Approach 1:
The control system is segmented into two independent processing units, allowing parallel operation of substrate processing and software updating. This enables software improvements without interrupting substrate processing, maintaining high throughput while achieving reliability improvements.
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically manages processor roles, with one processor handling substrate processes while the other undergoes updates. This dynamic allocation allows continuous substrate processing during software updates, preventing throughput reduction while achieving software reliability improvements.
Data Source
AI summary
Methods and systems for input/output (IO) handling during an update process for a manufacturing system controller are provided. First notifications are transmitted by an IO driver of a system controller between components of a process chamber and a substrate process IO handler of the system controller. The substrate process IO handler executes substrate process control instructions corresponding to a process recipe. The first notifications correspond to operations associated with substrate process control instructions. A determination is made that substrate process control instructions are to be updated. A detection is made that the substrate process is terminated. Second notifications are transmitted between the components of the process chamber and a system IO handler. The system update IO handler executes system update control instructions including commands configured to cause the components of the process chamber to maintain an environment of the process chamber at a target condition while the substrate process control instructions are updated.