Patent ID: 7640072

Claim:
A control method for a substrate processing apparatus comprising at least one vacuum processing chamber in which substrates are processed, at least one transfer chamber for transferring the substrates, at least one container housing a plurality of inspection substrates for inspection of the vacuum processing chamber or the transfer chamber, and a storage device, comprising: a control step of causing the storage device to continue to store a housing state relating to an arrangement of the inspection substrates in the container as setup information at least during replacement period of the inspection substrates in the container; wherein the substrate processing apparatus comprises a plurality of containers, each housing a plurality of inspection substrates for inspection of the vacuum processing chamber or the transfer chamber, and said control step selects a container housing an inspection substrate having a shortest lifetime out of the containers, and selects an inspection substrate having a longest lifetime out of the inspection substrates in the selected container, the selected inspection substrate being used in inspection of the vacuum processing chamber or the transfer chamber.