Rule based system and method for automatically generating photomask orders by conditioning information from a customer's computer system

• US 20050055659A1
• Filed: 06/25/2004
• Published: 03/10/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 07/30/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Phototronics Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Phototronics Incorporated
• Inventors: Cahalane, Daniel J., Croke, Charles E., Suttile, Edward J., Ridgway, Nick
• Granted Patent: US 7,669,167 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 716/50
• CPC Class Codes: G03F 1/68 Preparation processes not covered by groups G03F1/20 - G03F1/50
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2111/04 Constraint-based CAD
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 30/00 Computer-aided design [CAD]
• CPC Class Codes: G16Z 99/00 Subject matter not provided for in other main groups of this subclass

Abstract

A system for generating photomask orders in a specified format includes at least one template or order for entry and storage of photomask order data, wherein the at least one template or order is created based upon requirements of a specified photomask order format. The system includes at least one set of rules corresponding to the at least one template or order, wherein the set of rules includes instructions which insure that a user enter complete information into the at least one template or order as required by the specified order format. A graphical user interface is associated with the at least one template or order, wherein the user can access the at least one template or order to enter photomask order data and create an order in a specified format. A data processing mechanism imports electronic information from external media into the at least one template or order.

Claims

1. A system for generating photomask orders in a specified format comprising:

at least one template or order for entry and storage of photomask order data, wherein said at least one template or order is created based upon requirements of a specified photomask order format;

at least one set of rules corresponding to said at least one template or order, wherein said set of rules includes instructions which insure that a user enter complete information into said at least one template or order as required by the specified order format;

a graphical user interface associated with said at least one template or order, wherein the user can access said at least one template or order to enter photomask order data and create an order in a specified format; and

a data processing mechanism for importing electronic information from external media into said at least one template or order.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein said data-processing mechanism comprises instructions that map the data contained in said electronic information to a format usable for said system for generating photomask orders.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein said external media is located on a remote computer system.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein said external media is located on the same computer system as said graphical user interface.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein said electronic information comprises information regarding one or more of the following:

logistics suppliers, equipment suppliers, parts suppliers, photomask manufacturer, and transportation services.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein said system further comprises:

a custom module for receiving a command line to instruct said system to access said electronic information from said external media.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein said system further comprises:

a message generator for alerting users of said system as to the status of an order being generated.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein a message is generated by said message generator in the form of one or more of the following:

an e-mail, a text message to be delivered over a communication network, and a log file.

9. A system for generating photomask orders in a specified format comprising:

at least one template or order for entry and storage of photomask order data, wherein said at least one templates or order is created based upon requirements of a specified photomask order format;

at least one set of rules corresponding to at least one templates or order, wherein said set of rules includes instructions which insure that a user enter complete information into said template or order as required by the specified order format; and

a data-processing mechanism for accessing one or more external sources of electronic information, wherein said one or more sources of electronic information are accessed through a data service system.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein said data service system comprises and enables users to simultaneously access one or more of the following:

Internet web sites, databases, intranets, and other internal or external resources.

11. The system of claim 9, wherein said data-processing mechanism comprises instructions that map the data contained in said electronic information to a format usable for said system for generating photomask orders.

12. The system of claim 9, wherein said one or more external sources of electronic information is located on a remote computer system.

13. The system of claim 9, wherein said at least one template or order is created through a graphical user interface and said one or more external sources of electronic information is located on the same computer system as said graphical user interface.

14. The system of claim 9, wherein said electronic information comprises information regarding one or more of the following:

logistics suppliers, equipment suppliers, parts suppliers, photomask manufacturer, and transportation services.

15. The system of claim 9, further comprising:

a custom module for receiving a command line to instruct said system to access said one or more sources of electronic information.

16. The system of claim 9, further comprising a message generator for alerting users of said system as to the status of an order being generated.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein a message is generated by said message generator in the form of one or more of the following:

an e-mail, a text message to be delivered over a communication network, and a log file.

19. The method of claim 17, wherein said data-processing mechanism comprises instructions that map the data contained in said electronic information to a format usable for said system for generating photomask orders.

20. The method of claim 17, wherein said external database is located on a remote computer system.

21. The method of claim 17, wherein said external database is located on the same computer system as said graphical user interface.

22. The method of claim 17, wherein said electronic information comprises information regarding one or more of the following:

logistics suppliers, equipment suppliers, parts suppliers, photomask manufacturer, and transportation services.

23. The method of claim 17, further comprising receiving a command line to access said electronic information from said external database.

24. The method of claim 17, further comprising generating a message that alerts users as to the status of an order being generated.

25. The method of claim 17, wherein said message is in the form of one or more of the following:

an e-mail, a text message to be delivered over a communication network, or a log file.

18. A method for generating photomask orders in a specified format, comprising:

generating at least one order for the storage of photomask order data, wherein said at least one order is created by entering data into one or more templates governed by at least one set of rules; and

accessing electronic information from an external database by a data processing mechanism to incorporate said electronic information into said template.

26. A method for generating photomask orders in a specified format, comprising:

generating at least one order for the storage of photomask order data, wherein said at least one order is created by entering data into at least one template governed by at least one set of rules;

accessing electronic information from a data service; and

incorporating said electronic information into said order.

27. The method of claim 26, wherein the step of accessing comprises simultaneously accessing one or more of the following:

Internet web sites, databases, intranets, and other internal or external resources.

28. The method of claim 26, wherein the step of incorporating comprises mapping the data contained in said electronic information to a format usable for generating photomask orders.

29. The method of claim 26, wherein said electronic information is located on a remote computer system.

30. The method of claim 26, wherein said at least one order is created through a graphical user interface and said electronic information is located on the same computer system as said graphical user interface.

31. The method of claim 26, wherein said electronic information comprises information regarding one or more of the following:

logistics suppliers, equipment suppliers, parts suppliers, photomask manufacturer, and transportation services.

32. The method of claim 26, further comprising receiving a command line to access said electronic information from said data service.

33. The method of claim 26, further comprising generating a message that alerts users as to the status of an order being generated.

34. The method of claim 33, wherein said message is in the form of one or more of the following:

an e-mail, a text message to be delivered over a communication network, and a log file.

35. A processor readable storage medium containing processor readable code for programming a processor to perform a method comprising the steps of:

generating at least one order for the storage of photomask order data, wherein said at least one order is created by entering data into at least one template governed by at least one set of rules;

accessing electronic information from a data service; and

incorporating said electronic information into said order.

36. The processor readable storage medium of claim 35, wherein the step of accessing comprises simultaneously accessing one or more of the following:

Internet web sites, databases, intranets, and other internal or external resources.

37. The processor readable storage medium of claim 35, wherein the step of incorporating comprises mapping the data contained in said electronic information to a format usable for generating photomask orders.

38. The processor readable medium of claim 35, wherein said electronic information is located on a remote computer system.

39. The processor readable medium of claim 35, wherein the data is entered into the at least one template through a graphical user interface and said electronic information is located on the same computer system as said graphical user interface.

40. The processor readable medium of claim 35, wherein said electronic information comprises information regarding one or more of the following:

logistics suppliers, equipment suppliers, parts suppliers, photomask manufacturer, and transportation services.

41. The processor readable medium of claim 35, wherein the method further comprises receiving a command line to access said electronic information from said data service.

42. The processor readable medium of claim 35, wherein the method further comprises generating a message that alerts users as to the status of an order being generated.

43. The processor readable medium of claim 42, wherein said message is in the form of one or more of the following:

an e-mail, a text message to be delivered over a communication network, and a log file.