Patents by Inventor Shinjiro Watanabe

Shinjiro Watanabe has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Publication number: 20240118338
    Abstract: One aspect of the present disclosure relates to a method of setting up a test apparatus that is a method of setting up the test apparatus to test a substrate by bringing a probe into contact with an electrode pad formed on a chip on the substrate that is mounted on a stage. The method includes acquiring a first image including the probe in a probe card that is attached to the test apparatus. The method includes calculating first information including a center of gravity, and an angle, for the probe card, based on probe information including a position of the probe that is calculated based on the first image; and probe information or pad information that is pre-provisioned and corresponds to the probe card. The method includes acquiring a second image including the electrode pad on the substrate mounted on the stage.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 7, 2022
    Publication date: April 11, 2024
    Inventor: Shinjiro WATANABE
  • Publication number: 20240019483
    Abstract: A testing device includes photographing, segmenting, position determining, and position adjusting units. The photographing unit is configured to photograph a needle tip of a probe needle provided in a probe card used for testing of a test object. The segmenting unit is configured to recognize a needle region and a needle tip region of a validation image photographed by the photographing unit, by inputting the validation image to a segmentation model that is trained as described in the specification. The position determining unit is configured to determine a position of the needle tip based on a positional relationship between the needle region and the needle tip region. The position adjusting unit is configured to adjust a relative position between the test object and the needle tip of the probe needle based on the position of the needle tip determined by the position determining unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 3, 2023
    Publication date: January 18, 2024
    Inventors: Shinjiro WATANABE, Taisei KONDO
  • Publication number: 20230314362
    Abstract: An inspection apparatus for electrical inspection of a substrate is provided. The inspection apparatus includes: a probe card including a plurality of probes; a stage on which the substrate is placed, the stage being configured to move the substrate relative to the probe card and to bring the substrate into contact with the probes; and a controller configured to control a movement of the stage. The controller calculates, using a first displacement amount based on a vertical load of the probe card and a second displacement amount based on an unbalanced load of the probe card that is inclined with respect to the vertical load, a three-dimensional correction amount for the unbalanced load of the probe card, and the controller moves the stage based on the three-dimensional correction amount.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 22, 2023
    Publication date: October 5, 2023
    Inventor: Shinjiro WATANABE
  • Patent number: 11715657
    Abstract: A substrate misalignment detection method includes: acquiring first image information or first position information of a substrate held to a stage by suction at a first height position; delivering the substrate from the stage to a holder in a state in which the suction of the substrate is released and causing the holder to hold the substrate at the first height position; acquiring second image information or second position information of the substrate held at the first height position; and detecting misalignment of the substrate by comparing the first image information with the second image information or by comparing the first position information with the second position information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 5, 2021
    Date of Patent: August 1, 2023
    Assignee: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED
    Inventors: Shinjiro Watanabe, Koji Aramaki
  • Publication number: 20220381820
    Abstract: There is provided an alignment method of a probe card including a plurality of probe groups provided corresponding to a plurality of chips, comprising: a first mode for calculating a gradient and a center of a probe group based on position information of two or more probes included in the probe group for each of the plurality of chips and calculating a gradient and a center of the probe card based on the calculated grandients and the calculated centers of the plurality of probe groups.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 18, 2022
    Publication date: December 1, 2022
    Inventor: Shinjiro WATANABE
  • Patent number: 11499992
    Abstract: An inspection system includes a plurality of inspection apparatuses, and a data processing apparatus capable of communicating with the plurality of inspection apparatuses. The data processing apparatus includes a storage part storing a model that determines a causal relationship between an apparatus parameter related to setting of the plurality of inspection apparatuses and index data obtained when the plurality of inspection apparatuses are operated, a collection part collecting the apparatus parameter and the index data, a determination part determining whether or not the index data is included in a predetermined allowable range, and a calculation part calculating an adjustment amount for adjusting the apparatus parameter, based on the apparatus parameter and the index data, and the model, when it is determined that the index data is not included in the predetermined allowable range.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 26, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2022
    Assignee: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED
    Inventor: Shinjiro Watanabe
  • Patent number: 11340259
    Abstract: A probe card management system includes inspection apparatuses that inspect an inspection object and a management apparatus that manages a state of a probe card. Each inspection apparatus includes a camera that captures an image of a tip of each needle provided on the probe card, an inspection part that measures a state of the tip from the image, and inspects the inspection object by bringing the tip into contact with each test pad based on the measurement result, and supplying an electrical signal to the inspection object through the tip; and a transmission part that transmits the measurement result and a number of executions of the inspection to the management apparatus. The management apparatus includes a threshold specification part that specifies a first threshold value, and a notification part that notifies an outside of the number of executions and the first threshold value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2022
    Assignee: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED
    Inventor: Shinjiro Watanabe
  • Publication number: 20210210366
    Abstract: A substrate misalignment detection method includes: acquiring first image information or first position information of a substrate held to a stage by suction at a first height position; delivering the substrate from the stage to a holder in a state in which the suction of the substrate is released and causing the holder to hold the substrate at the first height position; acquiring second image information or second position information of the substrate held at the first height position; and detecting misalignment of the substrate by comparing the first image information with the second image information or by comparing the first position information with the second position information.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 5, 2021
    Publication date: July 8, 2021
    Inventors: Shinjiro WATANABE, Koji ARAMAKI
  • Publication number: 20200242747
    Abstract: An image recognition system includes: an image data collector configured to collect image data including a recognition target from a plurality of test apparatuses; a learning processor configured to perform additional machine learning based on the image data collected in the image data collector for a first model configured to recognize a characteristic portion of the recognition target; a model updater configured to update a model from the first model to a second model based on a result of the additional machine learning; a first transmitter configured to transmit the second model to a specific test apparatus; a recognition result determiner configured to receive and determine a recognition result using the second model in the specific test apparatus; and a second transmitter configured to transmit the second model to at least one of the plurality of test apparatuses in accordance with a determination result by the recognition result determiner.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 23, 2020
    Publication date: July 30, 2020
    Inventor: Shinjiro WATANABE
  • Publication number: 20200191830
    Abstract: A probe card management system includes inspection apparatuses that inspect an inspection object and a management apparatus that manages a state of a probe card. Each inspection apparatus includes a camera that captures an image of a tip of each needle provided on the probe card, an inspection part that measures a state of the tip from the image, and inspects the inspection object by bringing the tip into contact with each test pad based on the measurement result, and supplying an electrical signal to the inspection object through the tip; and a transmission part that transmits the measurement result and a number of executions of the inspection to the management apparatus. The management apparatus includes a threshold specification part that specifies a first threshold value, and a notification part that notifies an outside of the number of executions and the first threshold value.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 10, 2019
    Publication date: June 18, 2020
    Inventor: Shinjiro WATANABE
  • Publication number: 20200166542
    Abstract: An inspection system includes a plurality of inspection apparatuses, and a data processing apparatus capable of communicating with the plurality of inspection apparatuses. The data processing apparatus includes a storage part storing a model that determines a causal relationship between an apparatus parameter related to setting of the plurality of inspection apparatuses and index data obtained when the plurality of inspection apparatuses are operated, a collection part collecting the apparatus parameter and the index data, a determination part determining whether or not the index data is included in a predetermined allowable range, and a calculation part calculating an adjustment amount for adjusting the apparatus parameter, based on the apparatus parameter and the index data, and the model, when it is determined that the index data is not included in the predetermined allowable range.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 26, 2019
    Publication date: May 28, 2020
    Inventor: Shinjiro WATANABE
  • Publication number: 20190187180
    Abstract: A prober for performing inspection comprises a probe position detection camera configured to detect a position of a leading end of the probe for performing a relative position alignment of the electrode of the wafer and the probe, a probe height detector configured to detect a height of the leading end of the probe from a reference surface serving as a reference of a height of the probe position detection camera, an adjustment mechanism configured to adjust a distance between the leading end of the probe and the probe position detection camera based on a detection result of the probe height detector, and a correction mechanism configured to correct the distance between the leading end of the probe and the probe position detection camera based on image data of the probe captured by the probe position detection camera after the distance is adjusted by the adjustment mechanism.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 18, 2018
    Publication date: June 20, 2019
    Inventor: Shinjiro WATANABE
  • Patent number: 9296010
    Abstract: A coating film forming apparatus includes: a coating nozzle; a horizontal moving mechanism that relatively moves a substrate and the coating nozzle; a pressure regulating mechanism that regulates a pressure inside the coating nozzle; and a controller that changes an amount of the coating solution to be supplied from the coating nozzle, wherein the coating nozzle includes: a discharge port that is formed long in a direction perpendicular to a direction of the relative movement with respect to the substrate; and a storage chamber that communicates with the discharge port and stores the coating solution therein, and wherein while the coating solution is applied to the substrate, the pressure regulating mechanism is controlled according to a change in width of the substrate, to regulate the pressure inside the storage chamber to thereby change a discharge amount per unit time of the coating solution to be discharged.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 13, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 29, 2016
    Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventors: Shinjiro Watanabe, Michikazu Nakamura
  • Publication number: 20150059644
    Abstract: A coating film forming apparatus includes: a coating nozzle; a horizontal moving mechanism that relatively moves a substrate and the coating nozzle; a pressure regulating mechanism that regulates a pressure inside the coating nozzle; and a controller that changes an amount of the coating solution to be supplied from the coating nozzle, wherein the coating nozzle includes: a discharge port that is formed long in a direction perpendicular to a direction of the relative movement with respect to the substrate; and a storage chamber that communicates with the discharge port and stores the coating solution therein, and wherein while the coating solution is applied to the substrate, the pressure regulating mechanism is controlled according to a change in width of the substrate, to regulate the pressure inside the storage chamber to thereby change a discharge amount per unit time of the coating solution to be discharged.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 13, 2014
    Publication date: March 5, 2015
    Inventors: Shinjiro WATANABE, Michikazu NAKAMURA
  • Publication number: 20140239484
    Abstract: In a method for forming a sintered silver coating film, for use as a heat spreader, on a semiconductor substrate or a semiconductor package, a coating film of an ink or paste containing silver nanoparticles is formed on one surface of the semiconductor substrate or the substrate package. Further, the coating film is sintered by heating the coating film under an atmosphere of a humidity of 30% to 50% RH (30° C.) by a ventilation oven.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 19, 2014
    Publication date: August 28, 2014
    Applicant: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventors: Kenji MATSUDA, Dai SHINOZAKI, Muneo HARADA, Yoshinobu MITANO, Michikazu NAKAMURA, Itaru IIDA, Shinjiro WATANABE
  • Patent number: 8105452
    Abstract: The present invention is a bonding apparatus which bonds a first object to be bonded and a second object to be bonded by bringing a bonding member into contact with an upper surface of the second object to be bonded placed on an upper surface of the first object to be bonded and ultrasonically vibrating the second object to be bonded by the bonding member, and the bonding member includes: a contact portion brought into contact with the second object to be bonded; and a holding portion holding the second object to bonded. With this structure, it is possible to prevent the object to bonded from sliding sideways to thereby properly bond the objects to be bonded to each other, even with a low pressing force.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 3, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2012
    Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventor: Shinjiro Watanabe
  • Publication number: 20110121057
    Abstract: The present invention is a bonding apparatus which bonds a first object to be bonded and a second object to be bonded by bringing a bonding member into contact with an upper surface of the second object to be bonded placed on an upper surface of the first object to be bonded and ultrasonically vibrating the second object to be bonded by the bonding member, and the bonding member includes: a contact portion brought into contact with the second object to be bonded; and a holding portion holding the second object to bonded. With this structure, it is possible to prevent the object to bonded from sliding sideways to thereby properly bond the objects to be bonded to each other, even with a low pressing force.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 3, 2011
    Publication date: May 26, 2011
    Applicant: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventor: Shinjiro WATANABE
  • Patent number: 7896052
    Abstract: The present invention is a bonding apparatus which bonds a first object to be bonded and a second object to be bonded by bringing a bonding member into contact with an upper surface of the second object to be bonded placed on an upper surface of the first object to be bonded and ultrasonically vibrating the second object to be bonded by the bonding member, and the bonding member includes: a contact portion brought into contact with the second object to be bonded; and a holding portion holding the second object to bonded. With this structure, it is possible to prevent the object to bonded from sliding sideways to thereby properly bond the objects to be bonded to each other, even with a low pressing force.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 22, 2006
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2011
    Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventor: Shinjiro Watanabe
  • Publication number: 20070119535
    Abstract: The present invention is a bonding apparatus which bonds a first object to be bonded and a second object to be bonded by bringing a bonding member into contact with an upper surface of the second object to be bonded placed on an upper surface of the first object to be bonded and ultrasonically vibrating the second object to be bonded by the bonding member, and the bonding member includes: a contact portion brought into contact with the second object to be bonded; and a holding portion holding the second object to bonded. With this structure, it is possible to prevent the object to bonded from sliding sideways to thereby properly bond the objects to be bonded to each other, even with a low pressing force.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 22, 2006
    Publication date: May 31, 2007
    Inventor: Shinjiro Watanabe
  • Patent number: 7221176
    Abstract: In a vacuum prober, a head plate is arranged on a prober chamber. A stage, first moving mechanism, recessed chamber, and sealing member are provided in the prober chamber. The stage is arranged below a probe card. The first moving mechanism vertically moves the stage in at least the Z direction. The recessed chamber has a bottom portion and side portion. A lower camera, an upper camera, and the stage are operated to obtain data for alignment. When the upper end of the side portion of the recessed chamber comes into tight contact with the lower surface of the sealing member and a vacuum mechanism evacuates the recessed chamber, a vacuum chamber is formed. As the chamber has a small capacity, the time required for evacuation can be shortened.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2005
    Date of Patent: May 22, 2007
    Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventors: Haruhiko Yoshioka, Kiyoshi Takekoshi, Shinjiro Watanabe