Patent · US Expired

Method and computer program for using tool performance data for dynamic dispatch of wafer processing to increase quantity of output

US6594536B1 · kind B1 · utility

6Cited by
5References
30Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateFeb 13, 2002
Grant dateJul 15, 2003
Priority date
Expiry dateFeb 13, 2022

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
  • CPC primaryY10S438/907
  • WIPO fieldControl
  • WIPO sectorInstruments

Abstract

A method and computer program for dynamic matching of wafer lots waiting for processing and available tools to maximize wafer output. Wafer lot information and tool capability and availability is provides. Priority wafer lots are processed first. All permutations of the remaining non priority lots and available tools are then formed. The longest process time for each permutation is then calculated. A permutation wafers per hour, PWPH, equal to the total number of wafers processed for each permutation divided by the longest process time for that permutation is calculated. If only one permutation has the highest PWPH that permutation is selected for processing. If more than one permutation has the highest PWPH the total wafers per hour, TWPH, equal to the sum of the wafer per hour capability of each tool in the permutation is calculated for those permutations. Any permutation with the highest PWPH and TWPH is selected for processing.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.