Patent ID: 6134482
Filing Date: 2000-10-17
Classification: G05B,H01L,Y02P

Abstract:
A method for controlling semiconductor wafer fabrication equipment comprising processing means for processing semiconductor wafers; storage means for storing semiconductor wafers, said storage means being furnished corresponding to said processing means; first transport means for transporting semiconductor wafers between said processing means and said storage means; and second transport means for transporting semiconductor wafers between process regions each made up of said processing means, of said storage means and of said first transport means, said process regions being furnished as many as needed; said method further comprising a semiconductor wafer supplying step and a semiconductor wafer output step;said semiconductor wafer supplying step including the steps of:selecting semiconductor wafers to be transported to processing means on the basis of a remaining process time applicable to said processing means included in said semiconductor wafer fabrication equipment; andtransporting and supplying the semiconductor wafers selected by said semiconductor wafer selecting step to said processing means; andsaid semiconductor wafer output step including the steps of:selecting a transport destination constituted by either processing means or storage means to which to transport the semiconductor wafers having been processed by processing means; andoutputting and transporting the processed semiconductor wafers from a transport source constituted by processing means to either the processing means or the storage means selected by said transport destination selecting step in accordance with a transport control changeover code read from said processing means and said storage means furnished in said semiconductor wafer fabrication equipment.