Data processing: generic control systems or specific application – Specific application – apparatus or process – Product assembly or manufacturing
Reexamination Certificate
1999-03-31
2001-11-13
Grant, William (Department: 2121)
Data processing: generic control systems or specific application
Specific application, apparatus or process
Product assembly or manufacturing
C700S100000, C700S108000, C705S007380
Reexamination Certificate
active
06317643
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to methods and apparatus of inputting data, calculating various information based on that data, and summarizing and storing data.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Various methods and apparatus are known in the art for summarizing and storing data. However, none are adequate.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention in one embodiment includes a method comprised of the step of storing a first time and a first indicia, the first time being the time it takes a first number of products to be subjected to a first subprocess. The first indicia can be an indication of how many products are in the first number of products. The method may also include storing a second time and a second indicia, the second time being the time it takes a second number of products to be subjected to a second subprocess. The second indicia can be an indication of how many products are in the second number of products. The method may also include storing a third indicia, the third indicia being an indication of how many products are in a third number of products to be subjected to a first process. The first process may be comprised of the first and second subprocesses. The method may also include the step of determining a run time for the third number of products to be subjected to the first process based on the first and second times, and the first, second, and third indicia. The method may further include determining a fourth indicia, the fourth indicia being an indication of how many times the first subprocess needs to be repeated during the first process in order to process the third number of products, and determining a fifth indicia, the fifth indicia being an indication of how many times the second subprocess needs to be repeated during the first process in order to process the third number of products.
A plurality of further times and a corresponding plurality of further indicia may be stored wherein each of the plurality of further times is a time it takes for one of a plurality of further numbers of products to be subjected to one of a plurality of further subprocesses. The plurality of further indicia may be an indication of how many products are in each of the plurality of further numbers of products. The run time for the third number of products to be subjected to the first process can be determined based on the plurality of further times and the plurality of further indicia. The method of an embodiment of the present invention may be applied to semiconductor wafers. A new run time based on a new first time, the second time, and the first, second, and third indicia may be determined. The new run time may be compared with the original run time to determine if the original first time needs to be replaced. The first and second time may be first and second average times it takes for a first and second number of products to be subjected to a first and second subprocess, respectively, for a plurality of different processes.
The present invention also includes a method of storing a first average time and a first indicia; the first average time can be the average time it takes for a first number of products to be subjected to a first subprocess for a plurality of different processes. The first indicia can be an indication of how many products are in the first number of products. The method also includes storing a second average time and a second average indicia, wherein the second average time is the average time it takes a second number of products to be subjected to a second subprocess for a plurality of different processes. The second indicia may be an indication of how many products are in the second number of products. The method may further include storing a third indicia, the third indicia being an indication of how many products are in a third number of products to be subjected to a first process. The first process may be comprised of the first and second subprocesses. The method also includes storing a first override flag for the first process which when activated indicates that the first average time should be replaced by a first process specific time. A run time may also be determined for the third number of products to be subjected to the first process based on the first process specific time if the first override flag is set, and based on the second average time, and the first, second, and third indicia. The run time may be determined based on the first average time when the first override flag is not set.
The present invention also includes an apparatus comprised of a process specific memory, an average memory, a first computer processor, and an interactive device. The process specific memory includes a first process specific time for a first subprocess as occurring within a first process and a first override flag. The average memory may include a first average time for the first subprocess as occurring within a plurality of processes. The first computer processor ignores the first average time for the first subprocess and uses the first process specific time for determining the run time of the first process when the first override flag in the process specific memory is set. In this embodiment, the first process includes the first subprocess.
In general, the present invention can determine processing times and processing characteristics of a facility, piece of equipment and/or overall process. This is accomplished in one embodiment by identifying the various subprocesses that are necessary to complete a process on the machine or machines. These subprocesses are usually readily observable through the use of Industrial Engineering time study techniques. The present invention can then dynamically calculate the frequency or number of times that a subprocess is repeated during a run. Each subprocess average time is multiplied by its appropriate frequency and the results are summed up to arrive at the total processing times and processing characteristics of the equipment. Since machines or manufacturing equipment generally has the capability of doing so many different unique processes it becomes a rather large task to observe each and every particular process that could ever run on the particular machine. Using the present invention and a deductive process, all of the different overall processes can be characterized by observing, recording and storing only a few representative subprocesses, representing a large saving in time and expense.
REFERENCES:
patent: 5195041 (1993-03-01), George et al.
patent: 5980591 (1999-11-01), Akimoto et al.
Agere Systems Guardian Corp.
Garland Steven R.
Grant William
Tencza Jr. Walter J.
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