JP3213119B2 - Equipment status monitoring system - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to the status of a device for monitoring various statuses, such as the normal / abnormal status of various devices, for example, a production line manufacturing device, a material storage device, etc. It relates to a monitoring system.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Most semiconductor manufacturing lines are automated, and the lines are established in cooperation with the automated manufacturing equipment. Therefore, if each device does not operate normally, there is a problem in production efficiency and quality control. Therefore, a status monitoring system for each manufacturing device is provided.

Conventionally, this type of system has a number of host controllers, allocates a plurality of devices constituting a line to each of them in an appropriate number, and automatically controls each of the host controllers for a manufacturing device connected online. It is configured to monitor the situation. As a result, this monitoring system has significantly reduced the monitoring burden on the worker.

[0004]

However, in the above-mentioned conventional system, since each host controller can monitor only the manufacturing apparatus connected online, the apparatuses to be monitored are distributed to two or more host controllers. In such a case, it is necessary to use two or more host controllers, which is troublesome for the operator and leaves room for improvement in that point.

The present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned problems of the prior art, and has as its object the purpose of monitoring a single host even if the devices to be monitored are distributed to two or more host controllers. It is an object of the present invention to provide an apparatus status monitoring system capable of obtaining status data of all apparatuses to be monitored only by using a controller.

[0006]

According to the present invention, there is provided an apparatus status monitoring system for monitoring a plurality of apparatuses each having a specific function by a plurality of host controllers, wherein each of the plurality of host controllers includes a plurality of the plurality of apparatuses. A management master file in which each device name of each of the plurality of host controllers connected to each of the plurality of host controllers is arranged in a form corresponding to the host controller name; 1 consisting of monitored objects
Or, for two or more device sets, a device set master file in which each device name of a monitoring target constituting the device set is arranged in a form corresponding to the set name, and a device set specifying means for specifying a device set, A device name obtaining means for obtaining the device name of the monitoring target forming the specified device set by referring to the device set master file; and a monitoring target indicated by the obtained device name among the plurality of host controllers by referring to the management master file A management host controller name obtaining means for obtaining the connected host controller name, and when the obtained host controller name indicates its own, the status data is obtained directly from the monitoring target, and the obtained host controller name is a host controller other than its own. Indicates that this monitoring Characterized in that it comprises a status data acquisition means for acquiring the status data.

[0007]

According to the present invention, when a device set, which is a set of devices to be monitored in any one of a plurality of host controllers, is specified by the specifying means, the connection destination of the devices forming the device set is determined. However, if this is another host controller, the status data of the device is obtained by communication between the host controllers, so that no matter which host controller is operated, the monitoring target is connected to which host controller is connected. Thus, the status data of all the devices can be obtained, and the status of all the devices can be monitored only by operating one host controller.

Further, since the monitoring target is managed by a file, the monitoring target can be set arbitrarily, and even if there is a change in the device group, it is possible to easily cope with software.

[0009]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 shows the configuration of an apparatus status monitoring system according to an embodiment of the present invention.

In FIG. 1, reference numerals 1a, 1b,... Denote host controllers, and these host controllers 1a, 1b,.
Are connected online by a network bus B, various devices 2a to 2d to be monitored are connected to the host controller 1a, and various devices 2e to 2h are also connected to the host controller 1b. Similarly, one or more devices to be monitored are connected to a host controller (not shown).

The host controller 1a includes a management master file 3a, a device set master file 4a,
a, a device set name obtaining unit 6a, a host controller name obtaining unit 7a, a communication unit 8a, a starting unit 9a, a first data obtaining unit 10a, and a second data obtaining unit 11a.

The management master file 3a contains the devices 2a, 2
.. b indicate to which of the host controllers 1a and 1b each is connected. As shown in FIG. 2, each host controller name 1a 'and 1b' is assigned to each device name 2a.
, 2b ',... Are arranged in a corresponding manner. Needless to say, the host controller A is the name of the host controller 1a,
Indicate the names of the host controllers 1b, and the devices A, B,... Indicate the names of the devices 2a, 2b,.

The device set master file 4a contains the device 2
a, 2b,..., which indicate devices which are constituent elements of various device sets composed of various combinations of devices, and as shown in FIG. 2a ', 2b', ... are the set names 20a ', 20b',
20c '. As shown in FIG. 4, the file includes a device set 20a having devices 2a, 2b, 2c, and 2d as constituent elements, and a device set 20a.
b indicates that the devices 2e, 2f, 2g, and 2h are components, and the device set 20c is 2d, 2g, and 2h. Among these device sets, the one denoted by reference numeral 20c is a host controller 1a, 1 having two monitoring targets.
b.

The designation means 5a designates a device set to be monitored. In this case, various menus are displayed on a display of a host controller or the like, and when a monitoring menu is selected from the menus, the device set names 20a, 20b, 20c
Is displayed, and one of them is selected and input.

The device name obtaining means 6a refers to the device set master file 3a based on the device set name from the specifying means 5a, extracts a device name corresponding to the input device set name, and derives this from the host controller name obtaining means. 7a.
The host controller name acquiring means 7a extracts the connected host controller name of the monitoring target device indicated by the acquiring device name passed from the device name acquiring means 6a, and acquires first and second data according to the host controller names. Means 1
0a, 11a to the starting means 9a to be started first,
Generate a second data acquisition request.

The communication unit 8a communicates with another host controller, and when receiving a data communication request described later, issues a third data acquisition request to the activation unit 9a.

Upon receiving the first data acquisition request, the activation means 9a acquires status data of the devices 2a to 2d,
When the first data acquisition means 10a generates a first start command to instruct the first data acquisition means 10a and receives a second data acquisition request, the devices 2e to 2e.
2h of the situation data, and display on the display or output by printout by the second data acquisition means 1
When a second activation command is issued to the first controller 1a and a third data acquisition request is received, the first data acquisition unit 10a acquires status data of the devices 2a to 2d and transfers the status data to the host controller 1b. Then, a third start command is issued.

When the first data acquisition means 10a receives the first activation command, it acquires the status data directly from the devices 2a to 2d and supplies it to the output means 12a. Then, the output means 12a displays the status data on a display or prints out the status data. Further, the first data acquisition unit 10a, upon receiving the third start command, acquires the acquired device 2
The status data of a to 2d is given to the communication means 8a. Then, the communication means 8a sends the status data to the host controller 1b on the bus B.

The second data acquisition means 11a is provided in one-to-one correspondence with the host controllers 1b,... Other than the host controller 1a, and the second start command starts one of them. . For example, assuming that the second data acquisition unit 11a corresponding to the illustrated host controller 1b receives the second start command, the second data acquisition unit 11a acquires the status data of the devices 2e to 2h as follows. Operate. First, the second data acquisition unit 11a gives a data communication instruction to the communication unit 8a. Then, the communication unit 8a issues a data communication request to the host controller 1b, receives the status data sent from the host controller 1b, and gives it to the second data acquisition unit 11a. As a result, the second data acquisition unit 11a achieves the initial purpose, and supplies the obtained status data to the output unit 12a, and causes the display to display, print out, and the like.

Since the host controller 1b has the same configuration as that of the host controller 1a, the reference numerals of the corresponding elements are given "b" instead of "a", and the description is omitted. The other host controllers have the same configuration.

Next, the operation of the above system will be described.

First, the operator operates the host controller 1.
Consider the case where a is used.

The designating means 5a displays the monitoring target menu on a display, and allows the operator to select one of three types of device set. When a device set is selected,
As described above, it is passed to the device name obtaining means 6a.

When the operator selects the device set 20a, the devices 2a to 2d constituting the device set 20a are all connected to the host controller 1a in use. 2a'-2d
Through the acquisition of the host controller name 1a 'by the host controller acquisition means 7a and the activation of only the first data acquisition means 10a by the first activation instruction of the activation means 9a. ~ 2
The status data is obtained directly from d. The obtained data is output by the output means 12a in a predetermined output format. For example, when semiconductor manufacturing is considered, the situation data includes the operation state of the fitting place, the number of processed lots (the number of wafers), the alarm state, and the like.

Next, when the operator selects the set 20b, the devices 2e to 2h constituting the set 20b are all connected to the other host controller 1b.
The acquisition of the device names 2e 'to 2h' by the device name acquisition unit 6a, the acquisition of the host controller name 1b 'by the host controller name acquisition unit 7a, the activation of the second data acquisition unit 11a by the second activation instruction of the activation unit 9a, Output of a data communication command by the second data acquisition unit 11a, output of a data communication request by the communication unit 8a, output of a data acquisition request by the communication unit 8b of the host controller 1b,
The first data acquisition unit 10b is activated by the third activation instruction of the activation unit 9b, the status data of the devices 2e to 2h is output from the first data acquisition unit 10b to the communication unit 8b, and the status data is received by the communication unit 8a. Thus, the second data acquisition unit 11a acquires the status data of the devices 2e to 2h, and supplies this to the output unit 12a. As a result, the operator can monitor the status of the devices 2e to 2h connected to the other host controller 1b by using the host controller 1a.

Further, when the operator selects the set 20c, the device 2d among the devices 2d, 2g, and 2h constituting the set 20c is connected to the host controller 1a, and
Since g and 2h are connected to the host controller 1b, the device name 2d by the device name obtaining means 6a
, 2g ', 2h', the host controller names 1a ', 1b' by the host controller acquisition means 7a, the first data acquisition means 10a by the first activation instruction of the activation means 9a, and the second activation instruction. Starting with the activation of the second data acquisition means 11b, the first data acquisition means 10
a, the status data of the device 2d is obtained by the second data obtaining means 10b, and the status data of the devices 2g, 2h is obtained by the second data obtaining means 10b. The operator is connected to the host controller 1b by using only the host controller 1a. All status monitoring including the devices 2g and 2h can be performed.

As is clear from the above, according to the present embodiment, regardless of which host controller 1a or 1b is operated, the monitoring target of all devices 2a to 2h is independent of which host controller is connected. Since the status data can be obtained, the status of all the devices 2a to 2h can be monitored only by operating one of the host controllers 1a and 1b.

Further, since the monitoring target is managed by the files 3 and 4, the monitoring target can be set arbitrarily, and even if the device group is deleted or changed, it can be easily handled.

Therefore, a very large profit can be obtained when considering a manufacturing apparatus constituting a semiconductor manufacturing line that changes drastically in view of the degree of technological progress.

Although the above embodiment has been described with reference to the case where two host controllers and eight devices are provided, the present invention is not limited to this.

[0032]

As described above, according to the present invention, when a device set, which is a set of devices to be monitored in any one of a plurality of host controllers, is designated by the designation means, the devices forming the device set are designated. The connection destination is determined. If this is another host controller, the status data of the device is obtained by communication between the host controllers. Therefore, even if any host controller is operated, the monitoring target is any host controller. Irrespective of whether or not the devices are connected, the status data of all devices can be obtained, and the status of all devices can be monitored by operating only one host controller.

Further, since the monitoring target is managed by a file, the monitoring target can be arbitrarily set by software, and even if the device group is deleted or changed, it can be easily handled. There is also an advantage.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a configuration of an apparatus status monitoring system according to one embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram showing a configuration of a management master file shown in FIG.

FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram showing a configuration of a device set master file shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram illustrating the contents of a device set master file shown in FIG. 3;

[Explanation of symbols]

 1a, 1b Host controller 1a ', 1b' Host controller name 2a-2h Various devices to be monitored 2a'-2h 'Device name 3a, 3b Management master file 4a, 4b Device set master file 5a, 5b Device set specifying means 6a, 6b Device name obtaining means 7a, 7b Host controller name obtaining means 8a, 8b Communication means 9a, 9b Starting means 10a, 10b First data obtaining means 11a, 11b Second data obtaining means 12a, 12b Output means 20a-20c Device set 20a '~ 20c' Device set name B Network bus

──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continued on the front page (58) Field surveyed (Int.Cl. ⁷ , DB name) H04Q 9/00-9/16 H04L 12/28

Claims (1)

(57) [Claims] 1. An apparatus status monitoring system for monitoring a plurality of apparatuses each having a unique function by a plurality of host controllers, wherein each of the plurality of host controllers is each of the plurality of host controllers among the plurality of apparatuses. A management master file in which each device name of each device connected to the host controller is arranged in a form corresponding to the host controller name; and one or more than one or two or more monitoring targets each of the plurality of devices. A device set master file in which the names of individual devices to be monitored constituting the device set are arranged in a form corresponding to the set name, device set specifying means for specifying the device set, and the device set A device name obtaining means for obtaining the names of the devices to be monitored that form the specified device set by referring to a master file; A management host controller name obtaining means for obtaining a monitoring target connected host controller name indicated by the obtaining device name among the plurality of host controllers by referring to a master file; and when the obtaining host controller name indicates itself, the monitoring target Status data obtaining means for obtaining the status data directly from the host controller and obtaining the status data of the monitoring target through communication with the host controller when the obtained host controller name indicates a host controller other than the host controller. Equipment status monitoring system.