Patent ID: 8028049
Filing Date: 2011-09-27
Classification: G05B,Y02P

Abstract:
1. A tool management method executed by a tool server apparatus coupled with a remote client system via a first network and coupled with a plurality of tools via a second network, each of the plurality of tools being physical tools used in a factory for transporting or processing semiconductor wafers, comprising: receiving a first request from the remote client system via the first network, the first request containing a uniform resource locator path including a function field and an object field, the object field and the function field identifying a tool object model for an identified tool, the tool object model providing a logical description for use in an automatic control environment of the factory and associated with the plurality of tools; determining a function to be performed on the tool identified in said object field in said uniform resource locator path based on said function field in said uniform resource locator path; in response to said first request, sending a first message to the tool identified in the object field in the uniform resource locator path via the second network, said first message is operable for initiating processing on the tool identified in the object field in the uniform resource locator path; awaiting an initiate processing acknowledge from the tool; upon receipt of said initiate processing acknowledge from the tool, awaiting an event report from the tool indicating completion of the action; upon receipt of the event report, sending a message to the tool acknowledging the receipt of the event report; and wherein the logical description provided by the tool object model enables the initiation of the processing and determination of physical parameters of the identified tool to determine when to initiate the processing; wherein the sending of said first message is in response to execution of a first tool object method identified in said first request; receiving a second request from the remote client system via the first network, said second request selected from the group consisting of information requests, expand requests and edit requests, wherein, in response to said information requests, an HTML page is generated using a set of selected data for a tool object corresponding to a managed tool for sending to the remote client system, in response to said edit request, an HTML page is generated having a portion operable for user entry of one or more values for modifying a tool object attribute for sending to the remote client system according to a second tool object method, and in response to said expand requests, an HTML page is generated using a set of child object names and relations to a parent object identified in said expand request for sending to the remote client system; overriding said first or second tool object method; wherein said overriding said first or second tool object method comprises: