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US Patent 6907305 - Agent reactive scheduling in an automated manufacturing environment

US Patent Issued on June 14, 2005
Estimated Patent Expiration Date: Icon_subject April 30, 2022Estimated 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.
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Abstract

A method and apparatus for scheduling in an automated manufacturing environment, comprising are disclosed. The method includes detecting an occurrence of a predetermined event in a process flow; notifying a software scheduling agent of the occurrence; and reactively scheduling an action from the software scheduling agent responsive to the detection of the predetermined event. The apparatus is automated manufacturing environment including a process flow and a computing system. The computing system further includes a plurality of software scheduling agents residing thereon, the software scheduling agents being capable of reactively scheduling appointments for activities in the process flow responsive to a plurality of predetermined events.

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Inventors

Assignee

Application

No. 10135145 filed on 04/30/2002

US Classes:

700/99, Resource allocation700/100, Job scheduling700/121, Integrated circuit production or semiconductor fabrication705/8, Allocating resources or scheduling for an administrative function358/1.13, Emulation or plural modes705/9, Staff scheduling or task assignment700/97, Design or planning700/1, GENERIC CONTROL SYSTEM, APPARATUS OR PROCESS707/3, Query processing (i.e., searching)700/101, Priority ordering700/12State of condition or parameter (e.g., on/off)

Field of Search

705/8, Allocating resources or scheduling for an administrative function700/99, Resource allocation700/100, Job scheduling700/121, Integrated circuit production or semiconductor fabrication700/101Priority ordering

Examiners

Primary: Gandhi, Jayprakash N.

Attorney, Agent or Firm

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International Class

G06F019/00

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