JPH09295707A - Management method for carrying object using carrier robot in clean room - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To manage carrying a cassette or the like quickly and accurately in a clean room. SOLUTION: An electronic module 10A which is installed on a specified position on a cassette 1b and a loaded object of the cassette which are carried automatically loaded with a worked and processed object is provided, and also a radio communication function and a ground station 22A to communicate with the electronic module are provided on a specified position of a carrier robot 30, and such information as a code to specify the cassette 1b and the loaded object of the cassette is recorded on a memory function of the electronic module 10A, and carrier management for the next process of the load can be performed by information read out by the ground station 22A of the carrier robot 30. In this case, the carrier robot 30A uses the cassette 1b for temporary storage for shipping and is connected to an upper management device or a control device of a transfer device by an information and communication function.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a method for managing transportation and transportation in a clean room using a transportation robot that performs processing by moving between each processing function device and stock function device in a clean room.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In a clean room such as a semiconductor wafer processing factory, a semi-finished product or a finished product in a manufacturing process is mounted on a predetermined carrier such as a cassette (hereinafter referred to as a cassette) between a processing apparatus and a stocker. It is then transported by the unmanned transport system, and is provided with a function of performing predetermined processing and temporarily storing it. The stocker is appropriately arranged between each processing function, and a buffer stocker for clean processing is provided between the outside and the inside of the clean room. It is standard that the stocking work for each stocker is carried out by an automatic transfer machine such as a transfer robot, but in many cases, a worker may manually carry in and out a desired cassette. Further, before the automatic transfer machine carries out the stocking operation from the stocker, the presence or absence of the cassette on the target shelf is confirmed by the optical sensor.

An ID card indicating the loaded object is attached to such cassettes. In a semiconductor processing apparatus such as a wafer cleaning apparatus, as means for automatically withdrawing or mounting an ID card together with a wafer from a cassette, there is one disclosed in, for example, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 6-77305, which replaces a wafer in a wafer cassette. As means for automatically removing or mounting the ID card at the time of cleaning or at the time of cleaning, there is one disclosed in, for example, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 6-183522. In addition, as the transport traveling function of the cassette unmanned transport system, a means for mounting the cassette on a transport carriage guided by a characteristic traveling path, and a linear motor
The means for arranging the secondary drive function on the traveling path and traveling the cassette itself as a secondary conductor is adopted. The host computer intensively performs the transport control using such traveling means and transfer means. That is, the information from the sender is collected in the host computer, and the unattended transport / transfer function of each cassette is operated by a command from the host computer. In order to manage entry and exit in a warehouse or the like using the above-mentioned unmanned transportation / transfer function, a bar code is printed on an ID card attached to the cassette to obtain information about the cassette in the host computer.

[0004]

By the way, in the delivery operation by the transfer robot, the operator visually confirms and takes out the cassette or the like desired to be delivered, and after checking, the operator carries the cassette in the next step. Since it took a lot of time to perform collation, there has been a demand for a transportation method capable of improving work efficiency. Further, in the case of centralized management by the host computer in the unmanned transport system as described above, if the function of the host computer is temporarily stopped due to some accident, the position of each cassette and the loaded contents of the cassette become unclear, and some cause When a cassette is transported to the wrong place, it is not easy to find it. Furthermore, if a cassette is manually loaded into the stocker, there is a risk that the inventory data will be confused and a different cassette will be loaded in the case of automatic unloading.

JP-A-6-77305 and JP-A-6-77305
The one disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 183522 aims to execute ID card management in response to movement of a cassette on which a wafer is mounted and the like, and a wafer and a mounted cassette to be transported without being limited to a specific processing function. It does not control the relationship with. If you use a bar code,
For example, since it is limited to about 20 digits, it is sufficient to control by assigning an ID number, but it is not possible to record the information necessary for managing / processing the conveyed object. In addition, it is necessary to properly attach the barcode.

Further, as shown in FIG. 5, the cassette 1n stored in the rack 40 which has a temporary stocker function of the cassette.
The bar code written on the ID card 1na of No. 1 is obstructed by the upper shelf and cannot be read. Therefore, it is necessary to attach the ID card 1nb to the front surface side of the cassette 1n so that the cassette 1n can be read even when it is stored in the shelf. Therefore, there is an inconvenience that the same ID card needs to be stuck to each surface of the cassette without error, depending on the transportation and storage conditions of the cassette. Also, to confirm the presence of cassettes stocked by a transfer machine (not shown) for loading and unloading from the rack 40,
At present, the optical sensor is used, but the accuracy is poor, and even if the presence of the cassette is confirmed, there is no guarantee that it is the desired cassette. It is an object of the present invention to provide an article transportation management method using a transportation robot in a clean room, which solves the above problems (problems) of the conventional one.

[0007]

In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, a method for managing article transfer using a transfer robot in a clean room according to the present invention is a cassette for carrying processed / processed products and / or an unmanned transfer. A robot for carrying a ground station, which has an electronic module to be mounted at a predetermined position on a mounted object of a cassette, and has a wireless communication function for communicating with the electronic module and a function for reading the stored contents of the storage function of the electronic module by the wireless communication function. At a predetermined position of the electronic module, the storage function of the electronic module records information such as a code for identifying the cassette and / or a mounted object of the cassette, and the information read by the ground station of the transfer robot is used to store the information. Transport management for the next process of the loaded product was performed. In this case, the transfer robot is
It shall be used for delivery of stockers that temporarily store cassettes. Further, the transfer robot is connected to a higher-level management device and / or control device of the transfer device by an information communication function, and a ground station provided in the transfer robot is stored in the electronic module by the wireless communication function. It is desirable that the function is provided with a function for writing predetermined information, the electronic module is detachable, and a card type is used.

Since the present invention has the above-mentioned method,
The unattended transport cassette can be managed easily and surely, and even after the host computer is stopped, the reading function of the stored contents of the storage function of the electronic module arranged at each place automatically and quickly The location of the transported goods can be grasped. In addition, the function of writing in the stored contents of the storage function of the electronic module can immediately respond to changes in the contents of the cassette or its state. If the electronic module is detachable, the display of information indicating the cassette and the mounted items can be easily managed. If the electronic module is used as a card, the antenna configuration can be easily configured, and the replacement process in the event of a failure can be facilitated. You can get closer to the function.

[0009]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION An optimum embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. First Embodiment: FIG. 1 shows a functional configuration of an article conveyance processing system to which an article conveyance management method using an electronic module having a wireless communication function according to the present invention is applied.
In FIG. 1, reference numeral 1 is a cassette, and a semiconductor wafer or the like, which is a processing material in a clean room provided with an unmanned transfer function (not shown), is mounted on the cassette 1. Reference numeral 2 denotes a host computer which controls and manages an upper information processing system including the article transfer processing system, and illustrations of operating functions and display functions are omitted. A card-type IC card 10, which is a kind of electronic module having a storage function and a wireless communication function, is mounted on the predetermined surface of the cassette 1. Reference numeral 11 denotes a mobile station antenna for the wireless communication function of the IC card 10 functioning as a mobile station, which is shown integrally for transmission and reception.

Reference numeral 20 denotes a wireless communication function that functions as a ground station, and is mounted at a predetermined position on the tip of the arm 30a of the transfer robot 30 shown in FIG. The wireless communication function 20 functions as a set with the IC card 10 to perform wireless communication in order to execute the work in various processing facilities or warehouse facilities provided as a host system to which the article transport system is applied. 21 is an IC card 10 and a wireless communication function 20
The antenna for the ground station is for the transmission and the reception are shown as one. The wireless communication function 20 is a connection cable 20.
It is connected to the unit information processing function 22 for executing the goods management business by a. The information input device, the display device, and the control device of the transfer robot for transferring the cassette in the unit information processing function 22 are not shown. The unit information processing function 22 is connected to the host computer device 2 by a connection cable 22a. The connection cable 2a connected to the host computer device 2 is a cable that is connected to other unit information processing functions provided in each facility other than the unit information processing function 22, a control function for unattended conveyance of a cassette, and the like. ing.

Next, referring to FIGS. 2 and 3, the IC card 10 when the cassette stored in the stocker is unloaded.
The function of the wireless communication function 20 will be described. 2 shows an outline of the structural relationship between the stocker and the robot for explaining the present invention, and FIG. 3 shows the main functional elements for wireless communication, details of the carrier wave oscillation function, data processing function, etc. Functional elements are omitted and shown in a simplified form.

In FIG. 2, reference numeral 30 denotes a transfer robot (only often abbreviated as a robot hereinafter) which is dedicated to warehousing or carries out warehousing and unloading work, and grasps and moves a cassette by a grip 31 provided at the tip of an arm 30a via a support. It is configured to be posted. Further, 21 is the arm 3 of the robot 30.
This is a ground station antenna for wireless communication function of the ground station mounted on the tip of 0a via a support 30b. The antenna 21 shown in FIG. 2 is connected to the wireless communication function circuit 20A, and the wireless communication function circuit 20A constitutes a data processing device (referred to as a ground station) 22A together with the unit information processing function 22. That is, the antenna 21 and the wireless communication function circuit 20A are integrated as the wireless communication function 20 as shown in FIG. 1 by appropriately configuring the internal circuit corresponding to the structure of a robot, which is a target to be mounted as a ground station. However, they may be separated as shown in FIG.
The ground station 22A is connected to the robot controller 30A,
The ground station 22A and the robot controller 30A are properly connected to the host computer 2. Robot 30
Illustration of cables for connecting the main body and the control device 30A is omitted. A connection cable 2a is connected to the host computer device 2. A rack 40A is a cassette stocker, and in FIG. 2, the rack 40A is viewed from the side. 1b is a predetermined shelf 40A of the rack 40A
The cassette 10A stored in 2 is a mobile station, and is provided in the IC card 10 mounted in the cassette 1b.

In FIG. 3, reference numeral 22A denotes a ground station which is a combination of the radio communication function circuit 20A installed on the ground as described above and the unit information processing function 22. Ground station 22A
Is connected to the host computer device 2. The host computer device 2 includes a ground station 22N that collectively shows ground stations other than 22A, an unmanned carrier system management system,
That is, the control function 2 of the unattended transport function equipped with each cassette
9 is connected. 10A shows the configuration of the functional elements (hereinafter referred to as the mobile station) of the IC card as described above. In the ground station 22A, the unit information processing function 22 includes an interpersonal interface 23. By using the interpersonal interface 23 of the ground station 22A arranged at a predetermined location, for example, the loaded object of the cassette 1 (hereinafter referred to as a cassette loaded object) is put into and taken out of the rack, or necessary information about the loaded cassette loaded object is targeted. Mobile station 1 of cassette
Write the items to be stored in 0A. Further, it has a function of notifying the detected abnormality information as described later. The data input to the ground station 22A via the interpersonal interface 23, and / or the command signal or the like input from the host computer device 2 or the like as the upper management function is temporarily held as a predetermined coded signal. (This signal is called a temporary hold signal). Also, the ground station 22
In the wireless communication function A (code instructions are omitted), an output amplification function of an output signal obtained by modulating a carrier wave created by the transmission signal creation unit 24 with a predetermined interrogation signal by PSK (phase modulation) or FSK (frequency modulation) 25a, and a transmitting antenna 21 from the output unit 25b having a waveform shaping filtering function and a matching function with the transmitting antenna 21a.
a.

Now, a predetermined upper management device such as a manual command to the host computer device 2 or the interpersonal interface 23 is designated from the predetermined upper management device to the robot control device 30A to specify the upper shelf 40A1 on which the cassette 1b is placed. When a command is issued, the grip 31 of the robot 30 moves in front of the shelf 40A1 by the action of the control device 30A. When the grip 31 is moved in front of the shelf 40A1, the ground communication station 22A causes the wireless communication function 20 to transmit a predetermined call signal. However, since there is no cassette on the shelf 40A1,
Naturally, the wireless communication function 20 does not receive a response signal, which will be described later, which should be transmitted from the mobile station mounted in the cassette. Therefore, the unit information processing function 22 connected to the wireless communication function 20
Determines that there is no cassette on this shelf 40A1 and outputs a preset signal. That is, for example, the worker interface 23 or the like notifies the worker, or reports to the host computer device 2.

Next, when a command is issued to the robot controller 30A from the predetermined upper management device to eject the cassette 1b from the shelf 40A2, the control device 30A causes the grip 31 of the robot 30 to move the grip 31 of the shelf 40A2. Move forward. When the grip 31 moves to the front of the shelf 40A2, the wireless communication function 20 transmits a predetermined call signal as described above.

In the mobile station 10A, the receiving antenna 1
When 1a receives the radio wave transmitted by the ground station 22A,
The reception function 12 amplifies and demodulates the received wave. In addition, the DC component is extracted by rectification and stored in the storage function 13. The electric energy stored by the storage function 13 is used to operate each electric circuit of the mobile station 10A. The signal demodulated by the reception function 12 operates the data processing function 14. That is, when the above-mentioned call signal is received, the data processing function 14 reads a predetermined response signal and transmission data such as a preset cassette number from the storage function provided in the data processing function 14, and the transmission function 15 transmits a predetermined frequency. The carrier wave is modulated by, for example, ASK (amplitude modulation) and transmitted from the transmission antenna 11b.

When the receiving antenna 21b of the ground station 22A receives the radio wave transmitted by the mobile station 10A, it amplifies it with a received signal amplifying function 26 belonging to a wireless communication function (code designation is omitted) and transmits it with a demodulating function 27. Is taken out and transmitted to the unit information processing function 22. If the unit information processing function 22 confirms the response signal and does not match the commanded data regarding the delivery cassette, for example, the interpersonal interface 2
3 or the like to notify the worker or to the host computer device 2. When the unit information processing function 22 confirms the response signal and determines that the data matches the commanded data regarding the shipping cassette, the unit information processing function 22 sends an OK signal to the robot controller 30A, so that the robot 30 in FIG. 2 executes the shipping operation. To do. Therefore, for example, the target cassette that has been stocked on the shelf 40A2 by the robot 30 is installed in the unmanned transfer function (not shown). Therefore, by the control function 29 of the unmanned transfer function, the cassette 1b carrying the above-mentioned article is transferred to the next processing facility or the like. Further, the robot control device 30A transmits a predetermined report signal to the host computer device 2.

When the ground station 22A is instructed to rewrite the contents of the storage function provided in the data processing function 14 of the mobile station, a predetermined command signal is added to the above-mentioned temporary hold signal and the transmission signal generating section 24 is added. It is modulated into the carrier wave created in step 1 and transmitted from the transmitting antenna 21a. Mobile station 10A
In the above, when the receiving antenna 11a receives the transmission radio wave transmitted by the ground station 20A, it is demodulated by the receiving function 12, and the demodulated signal is processed according to a predetermined command signal included in the reception signal. In this case, data processing function 1
4 is recorded in the memory function provided. When the ground station 22A and the mobile station 10A are in the communication-enabled state as described above, if the information about the cassette loading is written by the interpersonal interface 23, the information immediately moves without being temporarily held as described above. It may be transmitted to the station 10A.

In the above description, it is explained that only the antenna (shown in FIG. 2) or the wireless communication function (shown in FIG. 1) is attached to the arm tip portion of the transfer robot for automatically transferring the cassette. However, it suffices to dispose a predetermined portion of the ground station, which is appropriately configured according to the mechanical condition of the transfer robot, at an appropriate location. Further, in order to transfer the cassette, it has been explained that the grip is attached to the transfer robot, but the cassette moving mechanism may be a fork corresponding to the structure and configuration conditions of the cassette and the cassette transfer device. It suffices to set the wireless communication function or the mounting condition and mounting position of the antenna in accordance with the condition.

Second Embodiment: In the first embodiment, the IC card, which is an electronic module, is illustrated as being fixed to the cassette, but the second embodiment shown in FIG. An IC card is detachably installed. In FIG. 4, 10S is an IC card holder (electronic module holder) provided in the cassette 1, and the IC card 10 having a communication function is detachably attached to the IC card holder 10S. Reference numeral 11 denotes an IC card antenna (ground station antenna) which is a mobile station. That is, when carrying out an article loaded in the cassette 1 from a facility that does not form the ground station 22A, prepare an IC card 10 in which information is written in advance corresponding to a specific cassette 1 and load it when necessary. To do. In addition, even if the IC card 10 fails, replacement with a spare IC card can be performed. Others are the same as those of the first embodiment described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 3, and therefore description thereof will be omitted.

The above description shows the basic configuration for realizing the technical idea of the present invention and the embodiment for explaining the operation thereof, and includes an unmanned transfer system related to a clean room and a semiconductor wafer which is an on-board object. It may be applied appropriately in accordance with the conditions of the processing apparatus and its transport cassette.
For example, IC as an electronic module to be mounted in a cassette
Although the case of a card is shown, as for the functions of other shapes and configurations, as described in the embodiment, the information about the corresponding cassette is mounted in detail in the cassette itself, and the wireless communication is formed with the ground. It suffices to provide a function of notifying the person in charge on the ground or the management function (host computer etc.) by the function and recording the information inputted from the person in charge of the ground or the management function (host computer etc.).
Further, although the position where the electronic module is mounted on the cassette is also illustrated and described as being the upper surface in each embodiment, it is possible to mount the electronic module at any appropriate place in accordance with the usage conditions of the cassette and the structure of the stocker. Just do it. Also, the mounting position and the transmission output of the wireless communication function of the ground station may be set in correspondence with the mounting condition of the electronic module in the cassette.
Further, it is a matter of course that the ground station that does not need to write data may have only the data reading function and not the data writing function. Further, in the description of the embodiments, only the case where the cassette is unloaded from the rack by the robot is described, but it is clear that the present invention can also function similarly when the cassettes are moved from the processing device or the like. Obviously, it is possible to execute the processing described above even when the data recorded on the mobile station needs to be rewritten in a case other than the warehousing. It goes without saying that the robot can perform conventional work regardless of the mounting of the functional device according to the present invention.

[0022]

Since the present invention has the above-described element functions, it has the following excellent effects. (1) Since the cassette or the product loaded with the cassette is provided with an electronic module having a wireless communication function and a memory function, and the antenna for wireless communication of the ground station is mounted at a predetermined position of the tip of the transfer robot, etc. Occasionally, proper communication is performed between the transfer robot and the electronic module to accurately confirm the presence of the desired cassette and the mounted components of the cassette among the many cassettes stored in the stocker, and transfer it to the next process. It can be done easily and reliably. (2) In this case, if the electronic module is a card type, the handling including mounting to the cassette becomes easy. (3) Also, if the electronic module is detachably attached to the cassette, information can be recorded in the electronic module in advance, and if the electronic module fails, it can be easily replaced, which facilitates system management and maintenance. It's easy to do. (4) Further, according to the present invention, since the conveyed article and the information on this article can be conveyed in perfect synchronization and can be easily grasped, for example, the location of the cassette and the related information are lost in the management department. Even if a situation occurs, the location of the article can be found quickly and accurately, and the contents loaded in the cassette can be grasped. (5) Furthermore, if the information is stored in the electronic storage function as in the present invention, the amount of written information is not limited as in the case of using a conventional barcode. For example, while a barcode can record only information of about 20 digits, a storage capacity of 512 bytes to 1024 bytes can be easily obtained.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration of a first embodiment to which an article transportation management method in a clean room based on the present invention is applied,
It is a perspective view which shows the schematic structure of 2nd Embodiment.

FIG. 2 is a side view of a stocker (rack) and a transfer transfer robot for explaining the first and second embodiments of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing a schematic configuration of element functions constituting each of a ground station and a mobile station in a wireless communication function corresponding to the first and second embodiments to which the present invention is applied.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view illustrating a detachable structure of a mobile station, which describes a second embodiment to which the present invention is applied.

FIG. 5 is a front view of a stocker (rack) for explaining the problems of the conventional one.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1: Cassette 2: Host computer device 10: Electronic module (IC card), (mobile station) 10A: Mobile station 10S: Electronic module holder (IC card holder) 11: Antenna for mobile station 14: Data processing function of mobile station 20 : Wireless communication function 21: Ground station antenna 22: Unit information processing function 22A: Ground station 29: Control function of unmanned transfer function 30: Transfer robot 30a: Arm 31: Grip 40A: Stocker (rack)

Claims (5)

[Claims] 1. An electronic module having a wireless communication function and a memory function for mounting a processed / processed product in a clean room and carrying it unmanned and / or mounting it at a predetermined position on the mounted product of the cassette. A ground station having a wireless communication function for communicating with the module and a function for reading the stored contents of the storage function of the electronic module by the wireless communication function is provided at a predetermined position of the transport robot, and the storage function of the electronic module includes the cassette and / or
Alternatively, information such as a code for identifying the mounted object of the cassette is recorded, and the transfer of the mounted object to the next process is managed based on the information read by the ground station of the transfer robot. Control method of goods transportation in clean room. 2. The method of managing conveyance of articles in a clean room according to claim 1, wherein the conveyance robot is used for leaving a stocker for temporarily storing a cassette. 3. The transfer robot is connected to an upper management device and / or a control device of the transfer device by an information communication function, and a ground station provided in the transfer robot is
The article conveyance management method for a clean room according to claim 1 or 2, further comprising a function of writing predetermined information in a storage function of the electronic module by the wireless communication function. 4. The method of managing conveyance of articles in a clean room according to claim 1, wherein the electronic module is detachable. 5. The article transportation management method according to claim 1, wherein the electronic module is a card type.