JP2011159267A - Memory system with a plurality of replaceable nonvolatile memories - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To significantly improve convenience of data processing by storing all of image data in a primary storage device, namely, a memory that allows direct access to any part of the image data, in a device that collects a large amount of image data in a defect inspection device or the like for semiconductor photomasks and allows a computer to detect defects on photomasks on the basis of the image data. <P>SOLUTION: A plurality of sockets 2 are mounted on a memory board 1. Removable nonvolatile memory cards such as SD cards are attached to the sockets. A memory system is constructed so that a total capacity of the mounted memories shows the entire capacity by controlling it by a control circuit 4 provided in a center part of the memory board. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2011,JPO&INPIT

Description

The present invention detects foreign matter, defects, etc. while scanning the surface of the object to be inspected with high resolution, such as a photomask appearance inspection device for semiconductors and a wafer appearance inspection device for semiconductors, and collecting an image of the surface of the inspection object In a device having a mechanism for performing the above, the present invention is applied to a memory system that stores an entire image collected in an examination.

In a semiconductor photomask visual inspection apparatus and a semiconductor wafer visual inspection apparatus, the surface of a photomask or wafer is scanned with a resolution higher than 1 micron, an image is collected, and defects and foreign matter are detected.
When an image is acquired with high resolution, the volume of image data per examination increases, and in recent apparatuses, the data size has become 1 terabyte or more per examination.
The memory capacity of computers built into these inspection devices is increasing year by year, but on the other hand, the resolution is higher and it is difficult to store all the image data of one inspection in the existing memory system. is there.
In view of this, inspection images from many current inspection apparatuses are generally stored in a memory on a computer in the inspection apparatus for each small area as the inspection progresses, and are sequentially processed. In this case, the collected image of a certain area is stored only for a short time until the image of the next area is input, and the defect or foreign object detection process must be performed within that short time, or When an image in an area that has already been erased is used again, there is a problem in that the area must be inspected again.
In addition, if all inspection images having a large capacity exceeding 1 terabyte are stored in a volatile memory such as a D-RAM, that is, a conventional primary storage device, there is a disadvantage that power consumption and heat generation amount increase. It is difficult to realize.
Further, there is a method of storing all inspection images in a secondary storage device such as a hard disk storage device or a silicon disk storage device. However, the hard disk has a problem in reliability because the disk of the storage medium rotates at high speed. Recently, multiple hard disk drives such as RAID 5 are combined into a single drive system to provide redundancy, and even if one disk drive unit breaks, the image data stored there is A mechanism that will not be lost has also been developed. However, in such a system, a broken disk drive unit must be replaced and a rebuilding operation must be performed to return the system to a healthy state.
As an alternative to the hard disk drive storage device, a silicon disk storage device using a nonvolatile memory such as a flash memory has been used. In the case of a silicon disk, since there is no drive unit, it has the advantages of higher reliability and lower power consumption, and is rapidly spreading in personal computers and the like. However, the flash memory has a limitation in the number of times of reading and writing, and it is a problem that each storage device must be replaced when the lifetime is reached. Since both the hard disk drive storage device and the silicon disk storage device are secondary storage devices, image data is stored in a file format. In this case, it takes a long time to access data at an arbitrary position in the image data.

Problems to be solved by the invention

  It can store huge image data of up to 10 terabytes collected by semiconductor photomask visual inspection device and semiconductor wafer visual inspection device in one inspection, and can store image data like primary storage device. Direct access to any location, time required to read and write data is significantly shorter than when accessing any location in a file written to hard disk storage or silicon disk storage, and consumption It is to develop a memory system that can easily find a storage medium that has low power, is broken or has a lifetime, and that can be easily replaced.

Means for solving the problem

(A) A plurality of sockets (2) are arranged on the memory board (1), and a removable nonvolatile memory card (3) such as an SD card that can be inserted into the socket is loaded into each socket.
(A) On the memory board (1), a data input / output unit (6) with the outside of the memory board as shown in FIG. 2, a buffer (7) for temporarily storing data, and a control for sorting data reading and writing A circuit composed of the section (8) is provided, and this circuit is connected to each memory socket (2). This control circuit corresponds to (4) in FIG. The control circuit (4) automatically recognizes a memory socket in which an available memory cart (3) is recognized as a valid memory socket, and one byte or several bytes in the valid memory socket. By allocating data write / read destinations, the slow read / write speed, which is a drawback of memory cards made of flash memory, is solved. For example, when data is written byte by byte into 10 memory sockets, if the processing speed of the control circuit is sufficiently faster than 10 times the writable speed of the memory card, this memory -The writing speed of the board can be 10 times faster than the memory card used there.
(C) The memory socket (2) is arranged on both sides of the memory board (1) or at the end of one side. This makes it possible to easily replace the memory card when any memory card (3) has a problem.
(D) In the vicinity of each memory socket (2), LED lamps (5) corresponding to each memory socket are installed in a one-to-one correspondence. This LED lamp is lit when a failure occurs in either the memory socket or the memory card by the diagnostic program operating on the control circuit (4), and the memory socket or the memory card is defective. To inform.
(E) A memory system having a larger capacity is constructed by collecting a plurality of memory boards (1) and loading them into the memory base board (10). (Figure 3)

Next, the embodiment of the present invention will be described. When the SD card (3) that normally operates is inserted into the socket (2) of the memory board (1), the LED lamp (5) attached to the socket in which the SD card is installed. Lights up and informs you that you can save data there.
When the personal computer and the memory base board (10) are connected with a USB 2.0 standard cable and data is sent from the PC to the memory system via the control circuit 4, the LED lamp of the socket in which the SD card is installed blinks. Then, the data is written.
At this time, a writing speed of 20 MByte / Sec or higher is observed, and writing can be performed at a speed exceeding 10 MByte / Sec of the SD speed class 10.

The invention's effect

With the present invention, it was possible to construct a memory system having a capacity of 2.5 TBytes and confirm the operation. It is now possible to construct a large memory space of up to 10 terabytes by increasing the capacity per non-volatile memory card used or increasing the number of memory sockets.
Since an SD card using flash memory is used as the storage medium, it consumes less power compared to using a D-RAM even though it is a primary storage device. Can hold.
By writing one byte at a time to 10 memory cards, a writing speed 10 times faster than that of a single memory can be realized.
There are no moving parts, improving reliability.
The diagnostic program in the LED and control circuit makes it easy to distinguish between a working memory socket and a non-working memory socket. Time can be greatly reduced.

Front view of memory board Mechanism for reading / writing data to / from non-volatile memory at high speed Diagonal view with memory board mounted on memory base board

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Memory board 2 Memory socket 3 Removable non-volatile memory card 4 Memory board control part 5 LED lamp for memory operation check 6 Data input / output part 7 outside the memory board Temporary data Buffer 8 for storing data Control unit 9 for distributing data reading and writing Memory part 10 Memory base board

Claims (5)

A plurality of sockets are mounted on a board called a memory board, and a removable non-volatile memory card such as an SD card or a memory stick is loaded therein, and the total memory capacity is utilized as one huge memory. Capable memory system. Control that enables reading and writing of data at high speed by changing the write destination memory card for each byte or multiple bits or bytes for the non-volatile memory card mounted on the memory board. circuit. A structure that makes it easy to load and unload a memory card by placing sockets on the memory board on both sides and ends of the memory board. The function of confirming the normal operation of each memory card loaded in the socket by the LED lamp, control circuit and diagnostic software arranged in the vicinity of each socket. A memory base for collecting a plurality of memory boards loaded with memory cards and loading them on one board so that the total memory capacity of the memory boards can be used as one huge memory. board.

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