Substrate Processing Data Display for Faster Abnormality Isolation

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Existing methods for monitoring substrate processing in manufacturing apparatuses, such as those used in semiconductor production, struggle to quickly identify the cause of abnormalities, leading to prolonged downtime and reduced productivity.

Innovation Solution

An information processing apparatus that acquires and displays processing data from multiple substrate processing apparatuses separately, allowing for the visualization of data trends specific to each apparatus, facilitating the identification of abnormal patterns and their causes.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If statistical processing results are displayed on a lot-by-lot basis, then abnormalities can be detected in manufacturing apparatuses, but it becomes difficult to immediately determine the tendency of statistical processing results for each apparatus

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveabnormality detection capabilityVSAvoidapparatus-specific tendency information

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSLoss of information

Solution Approach 1:

The patent divides the display into multiple regions, with each region dedicated to displaying statistical processing results for a specific manufacturing apparatus. This segmentation allows operators to view apparatus-specific tendencies clearly while maintaining overall abnormality detection capability across all apparatuses.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

2Reliability

If graph display shows lot-by-lot statistical processing results, then abnormality detection is enabled, but the cause of abnormality becomes difficult to identify and elimination time increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveabnormality detectionVSAvoidabnormality elimination time

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

By segmenting the display into apparatus-specific regions, the patent enables operators to quickly identify which specific apparatus is causing the abnormality, thereby reducing the time required to eliminate the abnormality.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent employs color coding to visually distinguish between normal and abnormal states, as well as to highlight apparatus-specific tendencies. This visual differentiation accelerates the identification of abnormal causes and reduces elimination time.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #32Color changes

3Productivity

If multiple apparatuses are monitored together, then overall production status is visible, but apparatus-specific data trends become difficult to distinguish

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveoverall monitoring efficiencyVSAvoidapparatus-specific data trends

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSLoss of information

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the display into multiple regions, with each region dedicated to a specific apparatus. This allows apparatus-specific data trends to be clearly distinguished while maintaining visibility of overall production status across all apparatuses.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Data Source

PatentUS12298737B2Information processing apparatus, information processing method, article manufacturing system, and article manufacturing method

Publication Date: 2025.05.13 CANON KK

AI summary

An information processing apparatus includes an acquisition unit configured to acquire information including first processing data indicating a result of substrate processing performed by a first substrate processing apparatus, and second processing data indicating a result of substrate processing performed by a second substrate processing apparatus different from the first substrate processing apparatus, and a display control unit configured to control display on a display device based on the information acquired by the acquisition unit. The display control unit displays the first processing data and the second processing data in different regions.