SEMI International Standards
Standards New Activity Report Form (SNARF)
Date Prepared: 01/03/2023Revised (if Applicable):

Document Number: 7017
SNARF for: Line Item Revision to SEMI E120.2-0922, Specification for Protocol Buffers for Common Equipment Model (CEM)

Originating Global Technical Committee: Information & Control
Originating TC Chapter: North America
Task Force (TF) in which work is to be carried out: Diagnostic Data Acquisition Task Force NA
Note: If a new task force is needed, also submit a task force organization form (TFOF)

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1. Rationale:
a. Describe the need or problem addressed by this activity.
(Indicate the customer, what benefits they will receive, and if possible, quantify the impact on the return on investment [ROI] if the Document is implemented.)
SEMI E120 defines the Common Equipment Model (CEM) and SEMI E120.2 defines how it is represented with Protocol Buffers technology. As implementers work on solutions using gRPC and Protocol Buffers technology to support EDA Freeze 3 standards being developed by the DDA Task Force, some new requirements and gaps are identified.

This Line Item Revision is to address these issues and clarify things to help the reader.


b. Estimate effect on industry.
2: Major effect on an industry sector - identify the relevant sector
Sector or Company Information: Anyone implementing EDA

c. Estimate technical difficulty of the activity.
II: Some Difficulty - Disagreements on known requirements exist but developing consensus is possible

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2. Scope:
a: Describe the technical areas to be covered or addressed by this Document development activity. For Subordinate Standards, list common concepts or criteria that the Subordinate Standard inherits from the Primary Standard, as well as differences from the Primary Standard:
As part of the work on this Line Item Revision, the task force will investigate:

SEMI E120.2
· Current Protocol Messages defined in .proto file do not accurately represent SEMI E120 objects. Identified issues include:
o Inconsistent handling of Name, UID, and Description information for EquipmentElement, MaterialLocation and LogicalElement derived component classes from Nameable object. (so it cannot be accurately stored in the Protocol Buffer messages.)
o EquipmentType.Module is defined to be a ModuleType message type, but SEMI E120 says you should have access to Name, UID and Description fields for the Module. This should be changed to a higher base type (change to EquipmentElementType). Other similar changes need to be made.

· Review if there should be a protocol buffers message for the SEMI E120 Nameable abstract class. (i.e. delete the NameableSelectorType message to avoid confusion). If the NameableSelectorType message is deleted,
o EquipmentElement, MaterialLocation and LogicalElements become the new top-level objects. (base objects). List of logical elements need to be added to these base objects that previously existed in NameableSelectorType.
o Add clarifications that Standards that use SEMI E120 that actually want to return a nameable abstract object (i.e. the returned object could truly be different base component types or have multiple instances), that Standard should define an appropriate Protocol Buffers message to represent it.

· Changes to address any bias terminology to avoid in the Specification, Complementary File or Supplemental Material file.


Any other changes to address features or defects, or issues with the Style Guide raised by Task Force members during the development and review of the proposed changes related to these line item topics. Significant changes in scope still require a SNARF revision in compliance with SEMI Regulations.

b: Expected result of activity
Line-item revision to an existing Standard or Safety Guideline

For a new Subordinate Standard, identify the Primary Standard here:


Modification of an existing part of Standard(s) or Safety Guideline(s) including Appendices, Complementary Files, and Supplementary Materials, Addition of one or more Appendices or Complementary Files to an existing Standard or Safety Guideline, Addition of one or more Related Information sections or Various Materials to an existing Standard or Safety Guideline, Revision or addition of one or more Subordinate Standards to an existing Primary Standard

For Standards, identify the Standard Subtype below:
Specification

Miscellaneous (describe below):

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3. Projected Timetable for Completion:

a: General Milestones
a. Activity Start: 01/20/2023b. 1st Draft by: 01/20/2023
c. (Optional) Informational Ballot by: d. Letter Ballot by: 02/01/2023
e. TC Chapter Approval By:04/15/2023

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4. Liaisons with other Global Technical Committees/TC Chapters/Subcommittees/TFs:
a. List SEMI global technical committees, TC Chapters, subcommittees, or task forces in your or other Regions/Locales that should be kept informed regarding the progress of this activity. (Refer to SEMI Standards organization charts and global technical committee charters and scopes as needed.)
I&C Global Technical Committee

b. List any planned Type I Liaisons with external nonprofit organizations (e.g., SDO) that should receive Draft Documents from Standards staff for feedback during this activity and be notified when the Letter Ballot is issued (refer to Procedure Manual § 7):


c. Intercommittee Ballots:
will not be issued

Identify the recipient global technical committee(s):

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5. Safety Considerations:
The resulting document is expected:
NOT to be a Safety Guideline

NOTE FOR "to be a Safety Guideline": When all safety-related information is removed from the Document, the Document is NOT technically sound and complete - Refer to Section 15.1 of the Regulations for special procedures to be followed.

NOTE FOR "NOT to be a Safety Guideline": When all safety-related information is removed from the Document, the Document is still technically sound and complete.

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6. Intellectual Property Considerations:
Note: Both a: and b: below should be checked for Revision of existing Standard(s) and Safety Guideline(s).

a. For a new Standard or Safety Guideline and for any part to be modified or added in a Revision of published Standards and Safety Guidelines:
patented technology is intended to be included in the proposed Standard(s) or Safety Guideline(s).

If "patented technology is intended to be included in the proposed Standard(s) or Safety Guideline(s) " is selected above, then also check one:
Letter of Intent received

b. For Revision, Reapproval, Reinstatement, or Withdrawal of existing Standard(s) and Safety Guideline(s):
there is previously known material patented technology necessary to use or implement the Standard(s) and Safety Guideline(s)

c. The body of the Document and any Appendices, Complementary Files, Related Information sections, or Various Materials that may or may not be a part of the Document by reference:
the incorporation of Copyrighted Item will NOT be required



NOTE FOR ‘the use of patented technology or the incorporation of Copyrighted Item(s) is NOT required’: If in the course of developing the Document, it is determined that the use of patented technology or Copyrighted Item(s) is necessary for the Document, the provisions of Regulations § 16 must be followed.

NOTE FOR ’will incorporate Copyrighted Item’: A copyright release letter must be obtained from the copyright owner prior to publication.

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7. Comments, Special Circumstances:
SEMI E120 included patent material and is covered by NON-ASSERTION AGREEMENT (LOA) between SEMI and Asyst Technologies has been signed with for US Patents #11/340101, #11/107508, #09/899833, and 09/496009, in 2007. This agreement is maintained by PEER Group, who has acquired the patents and patent applications previously owned by Asyst Technologies

No intent to add new patent material as part of this Line Item Revision.

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8. TC Member Review:
is not required for this SNARF.

Member Review Start Date; None.
Member Review End Date: None.

NOTE FOR ‘TC Member Review’ is required by the Regulations for a period of at least two weeks
before approval of a new, or a major revision of an existing, Standard or Safety Guideline. (Refer to Regulations ¶ 8.2.1)
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9. SNARF Approval Dates:
TC Chapter or GCS01/16/2023
Recorded in TC Minutes

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10. SNARF Extension Dates:
TC Chapter Extension Granted on
Extension Expires on