Patent ID: 6351686
Filing Date: 2002-02-26
Classification: F02M,H01L

Abstract:
A method of controlling a semiconductor device manufacturing apparatus including a plurality of processing apparatuses successively drawing out and processing a plurality of semiconductor wafers which constitute a process lot, said processing apparatuses having a standby port where a next-processed lot which is to be processed after said process lot is on standby, said manufacturing apparatus further including a stocker holding a lot to be transported to said standby port, comprising the steps of:predicting time when processing starts for a last semiconductor wafer among semiconductor wafers which were on standby in said processing apparatus and consequently there is no standby wafer left in said processing apparatus; setting transfer starting time when transfer of a next-processed lot to said standby port is started to enable processing of semiconductor wafers to start successively after said last semiconductor wafer is processed, said starting time being set by using said time when there is no standby wafer left in said processing apparatus; selecting said next-processed lot; and transferring said next-processed lot to said processing apparatus at or after said transfer starting time.