JP4746460B2 - Digital data processing method and digital exposure apparatus using the same - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a digital exposure method and apparatus, and more particularly, to a digital data processing method and a digital exposure apparatus suitable for handling a plurality of versions of image data that are partially common to each other.

  For example, in the field of manufacturing printed circuit boards and liquid crystal display panels that perform drawing with multiple impositions (hereinafter represented by the field of manufacturing liquid crystal display panels), the liquid crystal display that is the main part of the product on each substrate The pattern portion of the panel is arranged at a predetermined position, and usually a character indicating unique information for each pattern portion, such as a product type code, a manufacturing number, etc., for the pattern portion at a position close to the pattern portion. , Symbols, etc. (hereinafter referred to as identifiers) are recorded.

The pattern portion described above is a basic pattern (here, a pattern for a liquid crystal display panel) designed by CAD (Computer aided design), and this pattern portion is a photo produced using a so-called photolithography technique. A mask was prepared, and exposure was performed by a method (analog method) in which an image on the photomask was transferred to a substrate to be a liquid crystal display panel.
Further, the identifier is generated in a department in charge of manufacturing management, and is managed in association with the basic pattern. The exposure of this identifier is separated from the exposure of the pattern part, and separately from the titler. It was exposed by a special exposure machine called.

That is, in the conventional analog exposure process, after the pattern exposure using the above-described photomask is performed with the identifier exposure portion masked, the mask of the identifier exposure portion protected in the unexposed state is removed. In this case, the identifier was exposed by the above-described dedicated exposure machine called the titler.
This is because the same mask is repeatedly used in the exposure process using the analog method, and the above-described identifier data cannot be recorded in this mask, and individual recording (exposure) must be performed. By not.

However, performing the exposure of the pattern portion and the exposure of the identifier data separately in this way increases the number of processes in addition to the fundamental problem of requiring a dedicated exposure machine called a titler. There are various problems such as inefficiency and difficulty in obtaining the positioning accuracy of the identifier with respect to the position of the pattern portion on the substrate, and improvements have been desired.
In response to this, in recent years, a digital exposure method, which is a direct exposure (drawing) method using a laser beam, has been developed and put into practical use.

Unlike the method of producing a photomask and transferring the image on the photomask to a substrate that will be a liquid crystal display panel like the analog exposure method, this digital exposure method uses a laser beam modulated in accordance with data. The direct drawing by the laser beam is performed on the substrate by scanning exposure.
Therefore, the digital exposure method can be made more practical by extending the object to be drawn (exposure) to the exposure of the identifier as well as the pattern portion.

  As this type of prior art, for example, Japanese Patent Application No. 2005-63597 “Image Data Conversion Device, Image Data Conversion Program, and Image Output System” (Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2005-310115 (hereinafter, referred to as Japanese Patent Application No. 2005-310115)) (Refer to Patent Document 1)). This technique is different from a common part (corresponding to the pattern part described above, hereinafter referred to as a master part) in a plurality of versions of images that are partly common to each other (corresponding to the identifier described above). In the following, this is referred to as a variable part) in the first format (data format at the time of design), and each of these is converted into the second format (data format for drawing), and the image output apparatus By outputting, multiple versions of the image are efficiently recorded.

  That is, in a drawing system based on a digital exposure method, a basic pattern designed by CAD is edited and edited into drawing pattern data (vector data or gerber data) representing a drawing pattern assigned to a substrate serving as a liquid crystal display panel. A processing apparatus such as CAM (Computer Aided Manufacturing), RIP (Raster Image Processor) that generates raster data by rasterizing drawing pattern data edited by this CAM, and raster data rasterized by this processing apparatus is used on a substrate. Digital drawing is performed using a digital exposure apparatus that draws (exposures) an image.

In this case, it is important to efficiently incorporate and arrange the identifiers on the substrate at the stage of assigning and arranging the image of the basic pattern on the substrate.
For this, the same information as the layout information used when the above-mentioned basic pattern image is allocated and arranged on the substrate can be used.

JP 2005-310115 A

  However, the problem here is that, in the field of manufacturing liquid crystal panels given as examples, in recent years, image patterns have become finer or liquid crystal displays using liquid crystal display panels (so-called LCDs) have a large size orientation. Along with this, the increase in the size of the entire substrate is remarkable, and the amount of data handled is increasing drastically, and this dramatic increase in the amount of data is caused by the image processing unit (specifically, the manufacturing apparatus). In other words, the burden on the synthesis processing of various data and the conversion processing from design data to drawing data is remarkably increased.

  Specifically, for example, in the manufacture of the above-mentioned liquid crystal display panel, in recent years, a large glass substrate of 2.4 m × 2.4 m has been used, and in this case, on this substrate Since the total amount of recording data (raster data) such as black matrix (BM) and R, G, B color filter layers to be recorded exceeds 2.4 terabytes (2.4 Tbytes), Regarding the handling of such a large amount of data, it is necessary to review the system configuration from the basic part, including the efficiency of the processing time.

  The present invention has been made in view of such circumstances, and an object of the present invention is to solve the problems based on the prior art and process the total amount of data to be handled within the capacity of the current data processing system. It is an object of the present invention to provide a digital data processing method and a digital exposure apparatus that can be processed by a current data processing system within a range that does not exceed a possible data amount.

  In order to achieve the above object, a digital data processing method according to the present invention includes circuit design data including mask data representing a panel image and individual layout information of the panel image, and identification information associated with each panel image. When generating drawing data of an image formed by arranging a plurality of the panel images in combination with (variable data), at least after mask data representing the panel image and the variable data are individually compressed, Drawing data is generated by synthesizing (claim 1).

  In the digital data processing method according to the present invention, the variable data includes information related to rotation and reversal of the variable data, and a synthesis process corresponding to the information related to the rotation and reversal is performed when generating drawing data. (Claim 2).

In the digital data processing method according to the present invention, after the drawing data is synthesized, the drawing data is converted into data unique to an exposure apparatus that performs drawing (exposure) (claim 3), or Before combining the drawing data, it is preferable to convert the drawing data into data specific to an exposure apparatus that performs drawing (exposure) using the drawing data.
In the digital data processing method according to the present invention, either the digital data processing method according to claim 3 or the digital data processing method according to claim 4 is selectively used depending on the required processing speed and processing accuracy. (Claim 5).
In the digital data processing method according to the present invention, it is preferable that a layout of the variable data is set when the mask data is laid out.

  In order to achieve the above object, a digital exposure apparatus according to the present invention includes circuit design data including mask data representing a panel image and individual layout information of the panel image, and identification associated with each panel image. An apparatus for generating drawing data of an image formed by combining a plurality of panel images in combination with information (variable data), the mask data representing the panel image and the individual panel images from the circuit design data Extraction means for extracting the layout information, data processing means for combining the mask data and variable data extracted by the extraction means and then combining them, and drawing data generated by the data processing means It has an exposure means for exposing by using (claim 7).

  In the digital exposure apparatus according to the present invention, the variable data includes information on rotation and reversal of the variable data, and the data processing unit corresponds to the information on rotation and reversal when generating the drawing data. It is preferable that the composition processing is performed (claim 8).

In the digital exposure apparatus according to the present invention, the data processing means converts the drawing data into data specific to the exposure apparatus that performs drawing (exposure) using the drawing data after the drawing data is synthesized. (Claim 9) Alternatively, the data processing means performs conversion into data specific to an exposure apparatus that performs drawing (exposure) using the drawing data before synthesizing the drawing data. (Claim 10).
In the digital data processing apparatus according to the present invention, either the digital data processing means according to claim 9 or the digital data processing means according to claim 10 is selectively used depending on the required processing speed and processing accuracy. (Claim 11).
Further, in the digital exposure apparatus according to the present invention, it is preferable that the data processing means sets the layout of the variable data when the mask data is laid out.

Other characteristic configurations of the present invention include the following.
(1) In the digital data processing method according to any one of claims 1 to 5, the variable data type (alphanumeric characters, barcode, data matrix, etc.) is further set when the mask data is laid out. Digital data processing method and digital exposure apparatus embodying this method.
(2) The digital data processing method according to any one of claims 1 to 6, further comprising a digital data processing method capable of exposing an arbitrary comment as the variable data, and a digital exposure apparatus embodying the method.
(3) A digital data processing method capable of exposing the date and time as an arbitrary comment as described above, and a digital exposure apparatus embodying this method.
(4) A digital data processing method that exposes data specified by an integrated production system (so-called CIM: Computer Integrated Manufacturing) as the various variable data (alphanumeric characters, barcode, data matrix, etc.), and A digital exposure apparatus embodying this method.

  In the conventional analog exposure technology, the circuit pattern is exposed by an exposure apparatus using a fixed mask, and the variable pattern is exposed by a dedicated apparatus such as a titler. However, according to the present invention, the circuit pattern and the variable pattern are once exposed. Therefore, the time required for exposure can be greatly shortened. In addition, since a dedicated device for variable exposure is not required, the cost can be reduced and the space for installing the device can be reduced.

In the present invention, since variable data is generated and combined with compressed data as it is, it is possible to reduce the amount of memory to be used and to achieve a high practical effect that processing can be performed at high speed. Can also be obtained.
Furthermore, since the degree of freedom regarding operations such as generation and designation of variable data itself increases, the degree of freedom over the entire exposure process is remarkably improved.

  DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS Hereinafter, an image recording system according to the present invention will be described in detail based on preferred embodiments shown in the accompanying drawings.

  FIG. 1 is a block configuration diagram of a compression mask data synthesis method for explaining an outline of a digital data processing method according to the present invention. Although described in detail below, the compressed mask data composition method according to the present embodiment is a method for compositing compressed variable data with compressed mask data.

  FIG. 1 shows an example of a system configuration that is a premise for carrying out the compressed mask data composition method according to the present embodiment. The system 10 includes a layout unit 12, a CIM 14, and a mask data compression unit 16. The digital exposure device 18 is also configured.

  The layout unit 12 has a function of performing layout of panel data and variable data in cooperation with the CIM 14 shown below. More specifically, the layout unit 12 lays out the layout (position of variable data) based on the layout of mask data. , Size, resolution, direction, etc.) type (alphanumeric characters, bar code, data matrix, etc.), and the function of specifying the presence or absence of backside scanning.

  The CIM 14 is an integrated management system for production processes, and has a function of performing production planning and production management. Further, the CIM 14 has a function of managing identification IDs and the like of parts to be produced.

  The mask data compression unit 16 also has a function of performing mask data compression to enable high-speed processing in cooperation with the CIM 14. The mask data compression method and the like here will be described in detail later.

In addition, the digital exposure apparatus 18 here includes a variable data generation unit 18A, an inversion unit 18B, a rotation unit 18C, a compression unit 18D, a variable data composition unit 18E, a conversion unit 18F, and an exposure unit 18G.
Based on various variable information sent from the layout unit 12 and information such as a manufacturing number sent from the CIM unit 14, the variable data generation unit 18A generates various variable data, that is, generates alphanumeric data, barcodes, etc. It has a function to perform generation, data matrix generation, and the like.

  The reversing unit 18B provides a mirror image of variable data for enabling scanning from the back of a substrate made of a light transmissive material such as a glass substrate with respect to various types of variable data sent from the variable data generation unit 18A. The rotating unit 18C also generates a layout in four directions, up, down, left, and right with respect to the substrate for various types of variable data sent from the variable data generating unit 18A (after the inversion process). It has a function of rotating variable data for this purpose.

  Further, the compression unit 18D can synthesize data amounts of various variable data subjected to the inversion or / and rotation processing in the inversion unit 18B and the rotation unit 18C, that is, can cope with this synthesis system. It has a compression function for compressing to a resolution corresponding to the amount of data.

  Then, the variable data combining unit 18E combines the compressed variable data sent from the compression unit 18D and the compressed mask data sent from the mask data compression unit 16 (to the compressed mask data). Incorporating compressed variable data) has a function of performing data synthesis.

The conversion unit 18F has a function of converting the data synthesized by the variable data synthesis unit 18E into data unique to the apparatus suitable for the next exposure unit 18G used for actual exposure based on the data. .
The exposure unit 18G has a function of performing exposure with laser light using the data converted by the conversion unit 18F.

  Hereinafter, the data compression method and the like, which are characteristic features of the present invention, among the functions of the above-described units will be described in detail.

First, the outline of the compression method in the mask data compression unit 16 will be described. Here, an indexed 1-byte fixed length RLE (run length compression) is taken as an example.
FIG. 2 is an image thereof.
As shown in FIG. 2, one line is divided into a plurality of sections, and an index for each section size is realized by having an offset to the compressed data for each section size. Indexing speeds up the coordinate search in RLE data. The compressed data is compressed by a fixed length RLE. Here, the fixed length RLE is composed of 1 byte, the first bit indicates white / black, and the remaining 7 bits indicate the run length.

If the data arrangement is as shown in FIG. 3, the total number of bits is 3330 bits. When this is compressed with the fixed length RLE of the maximum run length 120, it is as follows.
0x78 0xF8 0x8A 0x78 0x78 0x3C 0xF8 0x8A 0x78 0x78 0x3C
0xF8 0x8A 0x78 0x78 0x3C 0xF8 0x8A 0x78 0x78 0x3C 0xF8 0x8A 0x78 0x78 0x3C
0xF8 0x8A 0x78 0x78 0x3C 0xF8 0x8A 0x78 0x78 0x3C 0xF8 0x8A 0x46

Next, preprocessing for variable exposure will be described.
Normally, when data is combined for each exposure, two areas of a pre-combination data area and a post-combination data area are required. Here, in order to realize it on only one surface, preprocessing as described below is performed. Hereinafter, a specific example will be described.

  The combination position, size, and resolution of the variable data are given by the information from the layout unit 12 described above. Therefore, the variable area data can be overwritten and changed by setting the variable corresponding area of the compressed mask data to the variable data size after compression. By overwriting the variable relevant area of the compressed mask data for each exposure, one data area is sufficient.

for that purpose,
Continuous length = RLE data of 0 is output to the variable target area of the compressed mask data in a continuous length unit calculated by variable data resolution / input data resolution.
For example, when the variable data resolution is 125 μm and the input data resolution is 1 μm, the run length is 125, and RLE data is output in units of 125 run lengths. Assuming that the maximum length of RLE is 120, RLE data is output in 120 and 5 stations (see FIG. 4).

Next, the variable data generation unit 18A to compression unit 18D will be supplementarily described.
The variable data generation unit 18A generates the variable raster data having the variable data resolution described above as one pixel. The resolution, type, and value to be generated are known from the variable information sent from the layout unit 12 and the information such as the serial number sent from the CIM unit 14 as described above.

In the reversing unit 18B, when scanning from the back side is designated, the variable raster data is reversed left and right here.
The rotation unit 18C rotates variable raster data according to the direction specified by the layout unit 12 if necessary.

In addition, the compression unit 18D performs resolution conversion of variable raster data and RLE compression in order to synthesize variable data with compressed mask data.
Here, since fixed length compression is used, the input data resolution RLE data can be created directly from the variable resolution data in the X direction. FIG. 5 shows a case in which RLE data having 1 μm resolution is created from 125 μm resolution data (maximum run length: 120).

  For the Y direction, the variable resolution is not increased to the input data resolution, and the data pitch resolution remains unchanged. When the data pitch resolution is 125 μm and the input data resolution is 1 μm, the amount of variable data can be significantly reduced to 1/125 by processing 125 lines of input data with one line of variable data (see FIG. 6).

Next, details of variable data composition in the variable data composition unit 18E will be described.
The synthesis of the variable data is realized by overwriting the variable target area data in the compressed mask data with the compressed variable raster data. However, at this time, the preprocessing as described above needs to be performed.

If the start logical coordinates and logical size of the variable target area are (Xv, Yv) and (Wv, Hv), the copy start section is Ss, and the copy end section is Se,
Ss = Xv / section size Ss, Se are calculated from Se = (Xv + Wv) / section size.

If Ss = Se, the variable region is in a single section (see FIG. 7), and if Ss <Se, the variable region extends over a plurality of sections (see FIG. 8).
When a variable section is included in a single section, the data to be copied is composed of three blocks divided by the start and end points of the variable area. The first and last blocks use the corresponding part of the input data as they are, and the intermediate block overwrites and copies the variable data (see FIG. 7).

When a variable area is included in a plurality of continuous sections, the first section is divided into two blocks by the start point of the variable area. When creating the data, the first half block uses the corresponding part of the input data as it is, and the second half block overwrites the variable data.
The last section is divided into two blocks by the end point of the variable area. When creating the data, the first half block copies the relevant part of the variable data, and the second half block uses the relevant part of the input data as it is.
If there is an intermediate section, the variable data is synthesized by overwriting the relevant portion of the variable data for the section size (see FIG. 8).

In order to synthesize the variable data described above, it is necessary to detect the cut point of the compressed master data. If the coordinate point for cutting the variable region is x, the corresponding section No. (this is referred to as sect) of the cutting data is calculated as follows.
sect = x / section size

Further, the cutting coordinates c from the head of the section are calculated as follows.
c = x− (section size × sect)
The data corresponding to the position c needs to be searched sequentially from the beginning of the section and cut off. The search procedure is as shown in FIG.

  In FIG. 9, in step S91, pos for counting the total run length from the head of the RLE data, idx for counting the current number of bytes (index) of the RLE data are reset, and then the index currently focused on a Is calculated (step S93).

  In step S94, it is determined whether or not pos + a is equal to or greater than the current cutout position c. If pos + a is equal to or greater than the current cutout position c, the RLE data is cut (step S98). Otherwise, idx is increased by 1 byte (step S95), and a is added to pos (step S96).

  The above-described series of processing is repeated from the beginning of the RLE data (step S92), detecting the cutting point (step S98), or until idx reaches the maximum number of bytes of the RLE data (step S97).

Here, the data length a of RLE is calculated by data [idx] AND (logical product) 0x7F. As an example, the compressed data is as follows.
0x78 0xF8 0x8A 0x78 0x78 0x3C 0xF8 0x8A 0x78 0x78 0x3C
In this case, when c = 50 is applied to the above compressed data, the leading 0x78 (120) is cut into 0x32 (50) and 0x46 (70), and the block data is
0x32
0x46 0xF8 0x8A 0x78 0x78 0x3C 0xF8 0x8A 0x78 0x78 0x3C
It is divided into two blocks.

When the synthesis of variable data is completed as described above, this data is sent to the conversion unit 18F. As described above, the conversion unit 18F converts the data into apparatus-specific data suitable for exposure.
A specific example is mirror data sampled for each mirror of DMD (Digital Mirror Device).
It is possible to improve exposure accuracy by simultaneously performing correction processing such as alignment correction at the time of conversion.

The data converted by the conversion unit 18F is sent to the exposure unit 18G, and as described above, exposure is performed using data unique to the apparatus.
As a specific example, mirror data is converted into DMD driving data, and exposure by DMD driving + laser light irradiation is given.

Next, another method (embodiment) relating to the combination of mask data and variable data will be described (see FIG. 10).
In the embodiment described above (see FIG. 1), the variable data combining unit 18E combines the compressed variable data with the compressed mask data, and then combines the combined data into device-specific data. It was a conversion method.

On the other hand, in the embodiment described below (see FIG. 10), the variable data combining unit 18E combines the compressed variable data with the mask data that has been compressed and converted into the device-specific data. is there.
In this method, the mask data that has been compressed and further converted into device-specific data is basically the same as the compressed mask data, but after being converted into device-specific data by the conversion unit 18F. The difference is that variable data is synthesized.

  In the method according to the present embodiment, the mask data converted by the conversion unit 18F is converted into apparatus-specific data suitable for the exposure apparatus. A specific example is mirror data sampled for each DMD mirror. When mirror data is compressed with fixed-length RLE data, indexing is performed in units of size (section size) for each mirror at the time of conversion, thereby speeding up the coordinate search of mirror data (see FIG. 11).

In addition, the variable data composition unit 18E synthesizes variable data with device-specific data suitable for exposure. Here, as a specific example, it is assumed that mirror data is sampled for each mirror and fixed length RLE.
The data composition method according to this embodiment is basically the same as the compression mask data composition method according to the previous embodiment, except that the target is not mask data but mirror data corresponding to the beam position. Different (multiplicity, coordinate offset).

When the coordinate system is defined as shown in FIG. 12 and the number of mirrors of the DMD element is 1024 × 240, each beam logical coordinate of the mirrors 1 to 1024 × 240 is Pn = (Xn, Yn), and the logic of the variable target area If the coordinates and size are (Xv, Yv) and (Wv, Hv), respectively,
Yv ≦ Yn ≦ Yv + Hv
Mirror data satisfying Xv ≦ Xn + (section No. × section size) ≦ Xv + Wv
The data between them is synthesized with variable data.

If the copy start section is Ss and the copy end section is Se,
Ss = (− Xn + Xv) / section size Se = (− Xn + Xv + Wv) / section size Ss and Se are calculated.

  If Ss = Se, the variable area is within a single section, and if Ss <Se, the variable area extends over a plurality of sections. Based on Ss and Se, the division type of the region is determined in the same manner as the method described in paragraphs [0046] to [0047]. Also, the calculation of the cutting point can be performed in the same manner as the method described in paragraphs [0048] to [0050].

Here, the comparison regarding the system which concerns on two above-mentioned embodiment is shown.
FIGS. 13A and 13B show the difference between the workflows according to both methods. FIG. 13A shows a method for synthesizing compressed mask data (that is, the method according to the first embodiment), and FIG. 13B. Indicates a method for synthesizing device-specific data (the method according to the second embodiment).

Generally, exposure is performed in units of lots (meaning processing units) (for example, when one lot is 10 sheets, the designated processing number in FIG. 13 is 10).
In the method for synthesizing the compressed mask data shown in FIG. 13A (the method according to the first embodiment), conversion processing into device-specific data is required every time exposure is performed (that is, steps S131 to S134). Therefore, the amount of processing is large, but there is an advantage that high-precision output is possible, for example, alignment correction is simultaneously performed during conversion.

In the method for synthesizing device-specific data shown in FIG. 13B (the method according to the second embodiment), conversion to device-specific data is first performed once, and variable data is used during exposure. Since only generation, inversion, rotation, and composition are performed (that is, only steps S137 to S139 are repeated), the amount of processing is very small and high-speed processing is possible. However, alignment correction or the like is performed for each exposure. Can not.
Therefore, in practice, it is preferable to use both methods appropriately according to the amount of mask data.

  As described above, according to the present invention, the total amount of data to be handled is within a range that does not exceed the amount of data that can be processed within the capacity of the current data processing system, and the processing by the current data processing system is performed. It has become possible to realize a digital data processing method and a digital exposure apparatus that enable the above.

  Although the present invention has been described in detail above, the present invention should not be limited to the above-described embodiment, and various modifications and changes may be made without departing from the spirit of the present invention. Nor.

  For example, in the above digital data processing method, a digital data processing method in which an arbitrary comment can be exposed as the variable data, a digital exposure apparatus embodying the method, and a date and time can be exposed as the arbitrary comment described above. Digital data processing method, digital exposure apparatus embodying this method, and various data (alphanumeric, bar code, data matrix, etc.) digital data specified by CIM to be exposed A processing method and a digital exposure apparatus that embodies this method are suitably put to practical use.

It is a block block diagram of a compression mask data composition method for explaining an outline of a digital data processing method according to the present invention. It is an image figure explaining the outline | summary of the data compression system in the mask data compression part in the system which concerns on embodiment. It is a figure which shows the data arrangement | sequence used as the origin of the specific example of the data compression system shown in FIG. It is a figure explaining the example of pre-processing of data composition in the system concerning an embodiment. It is FIG. (1) explaining the example of a data compression process in the data compression part in the system which concerns on embodiment. It is FIG. (2) explaining the example of a data compression process in the data compression part in the system which concerns on embodiment. It is a figure (the 1) figure explaining the variable data synthetic | combination processing example in the system which concerns on embodiment. FIG. 8 is a (second) diagram illustrating an example of variable data synthesis processing in the system according to the embodiment. It is a flowchart explaining the cutting point calculation processing example of compression mask data in the system which concerns on embodiment. It is a block block diagram of the apparatus specific data composition system for demonstrating the outline | summary of the digital data processing method which concerns on other embodiment of this invention. It is a figure which shows an example of the apparatus specific data in the system which concerns on embodiment. It is a figure which shows the logical coordinate and coordinate system of mirror data in the system which concerns on embodiment. It is a flowchart explaining comparatively the two data composition processing shown as an embodiment.

Explanation of symbols

10, 10A (data synthesis) system 12 layout unit 14 CIM
16 mask data compression unit 18 digital exposure apparatus 18A variable data generation unit 18B inversion unit 18C rotation unit 18D compression unit 18E variable data composition unit 18F conversion unit 18G exposure unit

Claims (12)

An image formed by arranging a plurality of panel images by combining circuit design data including mask data representing a panel image, individual layout information of the panel image, and identification information (variable data) relating to each panel image. When generating the drawing data of
A digital data processing method characterized in that at least the mask data representing the panel image and the variable data are individually compressed and then combined to generate drawing data.   The digital data processing method according to claim 1, wherein the variable data includes information related to rotation and inversion of the variable data, and a synthesis process corresponding to the information about the rotation and inversion is performed when generating drawing data.   3. The digital data processing method according to claim 1, wherein after the drawing data is synthesized, the drawing data is converted into data specific to an exposure apparatus that performs drawing (exposure).   3. The digital data processing method according to claim 1, wherein conversion to data specific to an exposure apparatus that performs drawing (exposure) using the drawing data is performed before the drawing data is synthesized.   A digital data processing method that selectively uses the digital data processing method according to claim 3 or the digital data processing method according to claim 4 according to a required processing speed and processing accuracy.   The digital data processing method according to claim 1, wherein a layout of the variable data is set when the mask data is laid out. An image formed by arranging a plurality of panel images by combining circuit design data including mask data representing a panel image, individual layout information of the panel image, and identification information (variable data) relating to each panel image. An apparatus for generating drawing data of
Extracting means for extracting mask data representing the panel image and individual layout information of the panel image from the circuit design data;
Data processing means for combining the mask data and variable data extracted by the extraction means after individually compressing them,
A digital exposure apparatus comprising exposure means for performing exposure using drawing data generated by the data processing means.   The variable data includes information related to rotation and inversion of the variable data, and the data processing means performs synthesis processing corresponding to the information about the rotation and inversion when generating drawing data. 8. The digital exposure apparatus according to 7.   9. The digital exposure apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the data processing means performs conversion into data specific to an exposure apparatus that performs drawing (exposure) using the drawing data after the drawing data is synthesized.   The digital data according to claim 7 or 8, wherein the data processing means performs conversion into data specific to an exposure apparatus that performs drawing (exposure) using the drawing data before combining the drawing data. Exposure device.   A digital data processing apparatus that selectively uses either the digital data processing means according to claim 9 or the digital data processing means according to claim 10 depending on required processing speed and processing accuracy.   The digital exposure apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the data processing unit sets a layout of the variable data when the mask data is laid out.

Images