Detecting component temperature in a system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12487133-B2
Application number	US-202117760055-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 5, 2021
Priority date	Feb 6, 2020
Publication date	Dec 2, 2025
Grant date	Dec 2, 2025

Abstract

There is provided a method of detecting the temperature of a component of a support system for semiconductor processing equipment, the method comprising: applying a radio frequency identity tag to the component, the radio frequency identity tag having a serial number; reading the radio frequency identity tag with a reader, the reader arranged to read the serial number of the radio frequency identity tag, and to identify the resonant frequency of the radio frequency identity tag; and converting the resonant frequency of the radio frequency tag to a temperature of the radio frequency identity tag.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1 . A method of detecting the temperature of a process pipe of semiconductor processing equipment, the method comprising:
applying a radio frequency identity tag to the process pipe, the radio frequency identity tag having a serial number and comprising:
an antenna arranged to be placed in thermal communication with the process pipe;
an electrically insulating pad, the electrically insulating pad separating the antenna from the process pipe;
electrical parts electrically coupled to the antenna and arranged to be remote from the process pipe; and
a thermal insulation layer, the thermal insulation layer separating the electrical parts of the radio frequency identity tag from the antenna, the insulating pad, and the process pipe;
recording the serial number and an installation location of the radio frequency identity tag in a database; reading the radio frequency identity tag with a reader, the reader arranged to read the serial number of the radio frequency identity tag, and to identify the resonant frequency of the radio frequency identity tag; converting the resonant frequency of the radio frequency tag to a temperature of the radio frequency identity tag; and looking up the serial number of the radio frequency identity tag in the database to associate the temperature of the radio frequency identity tag with the installation location of the radio frequency identity tag.

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the temperature of the process pipe is determined to be the same as the temperature of the radio frequency identity tag.

3 . A non-transitory computer-readable medium having stored thereon programs arranged such that when executed by a computer system cause the computer system to operate in accordance with the method of claim 1 .

4 . A radio frequency identity tag for detecting the temperature of a component of a support system for semiconductor processing equipment, the radio frequency identity tag comprising:
an antenna arranged to be placed in thermal communication with the component; an electrically insulating pad, the electrically insulating pad separating the antenna from the component; electrical parts electrically coupled to the antenna and arranged to be remote from the process pipe; and a thermal insulation layer, the thermal insulation layer separating the electrical parts of the radio frequency identity tag from the antenna, the insulating pad, and the pipe.

5 . The radio frequency identity tag of claim 4 , wherein the antenna, electrically insulating pad and electrical parts are encased in a case.

6 . The radio frequency identity tag of claim 4 , further comprising an adhesive pad for affixing the electrically insulating pad to the component.

7 . The radio frequency identity tag of claim 4 , wherein the radio frequency identity tag is one of:
a passive tag, an active tag, and a battery assisted passive tag.

8 . The radio frequency identity tag of claim 4 , wherein the electrical parts include a memory for storing a serial number, the serial number transmitted by the radio frequency identity tag when the radio frequency identity tag is interrogated.

9 . The radio frequency identity tag of claim 4 , wherein the electrically insulating pad is an electrical insulator and is thermally conductive.

Assignees

• Edwards Vacuum Llc

Inventors

• Faulkner Budd Edward

Classifications

• G06K2007/10504

  Data fields affixed to objects or articles · CPC title

• G06K7/10297

  arrangements for handling protocols designed for non-contact record carriers such as RFIDs NFCs, e.g. ISO/IEC 14443 and 18092 (cryptographic protocols H04L9/00; network security protocols H04L63/00; real-time communication protocols in data switching networks H04L65/00; network protocols for data switching network services H04L67/00) · CPC title

• G06K19/07758

  arrangements for adhering the record carrier to further objects or living beings, functioning as an identification tag · CPC title

• G06K7/10405

  the interrogation device including an arrangement for sensing environmental parameters, such as a temperature or acceleration sensor, e.g. used as an on/off trigger or as a warning means · CPC title

• G06K19/0723

  the record carrier comprising an arrangement for non-contact communication, e.g. wireless communication circuits on transponder cards, non-contact smart cards or RFIDs · CPC title