Method of achieving high productivity fault tolerant...

Details Method of achieving high productivity fault tolerant... Method of achieving high productivity fault tolerant...

2007-05-11

2009-02-24

Decady, Albert (Department: 2121)

Data processing: generic control systems or specific application

Specific application, apparatus or process

Product assembly or manufacturing

C700S121000, C700S213000, C414S217000, C414S277000

Reexamination Certificate

active

07496423

ABSTRACT:
The present invention generally comprises a method for achieving fault tolerance in a PV FAB. A plurality of processing tools may be coupled together along a processing line, and a plurality of substantially identical processing lines may be arranged within the FAB. Whenever a processing tool within any processing line is shut-down, rather than shut-down the entire processing line containing the shut-down processing tool, work-pieces may be routed around the shut-down processing tool by transferring the work-pieces to an adjacent processing line within the FAB. At a location after the shut-down processing tool, the work-pieces may be transferred back to the processing line containing the shut-down processing tool. During the time period that the processing tool is shut-down, the other processing lines within the FAB may increase their throughput in order to maintain a substantially constant optimum throughput for the FAB over a given period of time.

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