Method and system for dispatching semiconductor lots to manufacturing equipment for fabrication
Patent 6584369 Issued on June 24, 2003. Estimated Expiration Date: January 25, 2021. Estimated Expiration Date is calculated based on simple USPTO term provisions. It does not account for terminal disclaimers, term adjustments, failure to pay maintenance fees, or other factors which might affect the term of a patent.
A method for dispatching available lots to unallocated machines is provided that includes receiving metrics data (26) providing performance measurements for a plurality of machines (18). The method next provides for determining a state for each of the machines (18) based on the metrics data (26). The method next provides for receiving one or more lots (22) to be dispatched where each lot (22) has a lot type and each lot type is associated with one of a plurality of models. The method next provides for selecting a preferred lot type (50) for each of the plurality of models associated with each of the machines (18) based on the state of the machine. The method next provides for selecting a preferred model (52) based on a time since a last run of the model, a cost of switching to a new model and lot type, and the state of the machine (18). The method next provides for resolving conflicts between selected preferred lot type/preferred model combinations when insufficient lots (22) are available to fill the selections. The method next provides for assigning each lot (22) to one of the machines (18) according to the preferred model (52) and preferred lot type (46) selections.
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January 25, 2021. Estimated Expiration Date is calculated based on simple USPTO term provisions. It does not account for terminal disclaimers, term adjustments, failure to pay maintenance fees, or other factors which might affect the term of a patent.
