Substrate Processing Status Timeline for Idle Time Visibility
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing systems fail to provide an intuitive and comprehensive display of the operation statuses of substrate processing apparatuses, making it difficult for operators to identify idle times and inefficiencies within substrate processing systems.
Innovation Solution
An information processing apparatus that acquires and displays history information of substrate processing apparatuses, allowing for the visualization of operation states in chronological order, with identifiable time zones and alarm states, enabling operators to easily understand and improve system performance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of information
If detailed history information of substrate processing apparatus is displayed, then operators can identify idle times and inefficiencies, but the display becomes complex and difficult to interpret
Solution Approach 1:
The display is segmented into multiple functional areas: a timeline showing chronological sequence of operations, a state display showing current apparatus state, and an alarm display showing abnormal states. This segmentation allows operators to view different aspects of operation status separately, reducing cognitive load while preserving comprehensive information.
Solution Approach 2:
Critical information such as alarm states and current apparatus states are extracted from the overall history data and displayed prominently in dedicated display areas. This extraction allows operators to quickly identify important status information without being overwhelmed by the complete detailed history.
2Loss of information
If multiple apparatus states are displayed simultaneously, then comprehensive operation status is provided, but it becomes difficult to track chronological progression
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a temporal dimension through the timeline display, where apparatus states are arranged chronologically from left to right. This dimensional transformation allows operators to simultaneously view multiple states while clearly understanding their temporal sequence, as each state's position on the timeline indicates when it occurred.
Solution Approach 2:
The system preliminarily processes raw history data into structured timeline events with defined start and end times before display. This preliminary organization of data into chronological segments makes it easier to track the progression of apparatus states over time without losing comprehensive information.
3Difficulty of detecting and measuring
If alarm states are highlighted in the display, then abnormal conditions are easily detected, but the overall operation status becomes less visible
Solution Approach 1:
Alarm states are displayed with distinctive visual characteristics (such as red coloring or special icons) in the alarm display area, while normal operation states use different visual indicators. This local differentiation allows operators to quickly detect alarms without losing visibility of overall operation status, as the contrasting visual qualities help distinguish abnormal from normal conditions.
Solution Approach 2:
The timeline serves as an intermediary that connects alarm detection with overall operation status viewing. By showing alarm events positioned chronologically on the timeline, operators can understand both the specific alarm condition and its context within the overall operation sequence, maintaining visibility of comprehensive status while highlighting critical alarms.
Data Source
AI summary
An information processing apparatus that displays operation statuses of one or more substrate processing apparatuses. The information processing apparatus includes: an acquisition unit that acquires history information of a plurality of apparatus states to which the plurality of substrate processing apparatuses have transitioned; and a display control unit that displays time zones during which the substrate processing apparatuses were in the plurality of apparatus states, in chronological order, based on the acquired history information such that each of the apparatus states is identifiable.