Parallel control method for sequential process control flow

• US 20050240929A1
• Filed: 04/26/2004
• Published: 10/27/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 04/26/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company Limited
• Inventors: Chang, Yao-Hsiung, Ho, Dan, Chen, Yi-Da
• Granted Patent: US 7,386,353 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 718/100
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/41865 characterised by job scheduling, process planning, material flow
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/32291 Task sequence optimization
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/32332 Expert scheduler
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2209/5017 Task decomposition
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/466 Transaction processing
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/485 Task life-cycle, e.g. stopping, restarting, resuming execution G06F9/4881 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/5038 considering the execution order of a plurality of tasks, e.g. taking priority or time dependency constraints into consideration scheduling strategies G06F9/4881 and subgroups
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 90/02 Total factory control, e.g. smart factories, flexible manufacturing systems [FMS] or integrated manufacturing systems [IMS]

Abstract

A parallel control method for sequential process control flow. First, a parallel step including a plurality of independent sub-steps is generated in a sequential process control flow. One of the sub-steps is directed to execute at a time, and any sub-step gains the right to execute when the other sub-steps are in waiting state. It is assessed the parallel step is complete by whether all of the sub-steps are complete, and the sequential process control flow is controlled to a next step succeeding the parallel step if the parallel step is complete.

Claims

1. A parallel control method for sequential process control flow, comprising the steps of:

generating a parallel step including a plurality of independent sub-steps in a sequential process control flow; and

controlling the sequential process control flow to a next step succeeding the parallel step if the parallel step is complete.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising directing one of the sub-steps to execute at a time until all of the sub-steps have been executed.

3. The method of claim 2 further comprising gaining of a right by any sub-step to execute when the other sub-steps are in waiting state.

4. The method of claim 3 further comprising releasing of the right of execution by the parallel step if all of the sub-steps are in waiting state.

5. The method of claim 4 further comprising activating the parallel step if an acknowledgement of one sub-step in waiting state is received, and directing the sub-step indicated by the acknowledgement to execute.

6. The method of claim 1 further comprising assessing the completion of the parallel step if all of the sub-steps are complete.

7. The method of claim 1 further comprising suspending the sequential process control flow if any sub-step completes with an exception.

8. The method of claim 7 further comprising indicating the sub-step having the exception for exception recovery.

9. The method of claim 2 further comprising directing the sub-steps to run according to an execution time and behavior of respective sub-steps.

10. A parallel control method for sequential process control flow, comprising the steps of:

selecting a plurality of independent sub-steps in a sequential process control flow;

generating a parallel step including the sub-steps in the sequential process control flow;

directing one of the sub-steps to execute at a time;

gaining of a right by any sub-step to execute when the other sub-steps are in waiting state;

assessing the parallel step is complete if all of the sub-steps are complete; and

controlling the sequential process control flow to a next step succeeding the parallel step if the parallel step is complete.

11. The method of claim 10 further comprising releasing of the right of execution by the parallel step if all of the sub-steps are in waiting state.

12. The method of claim 11 further comprising activating the parallel step if an acknowledgement of one sub-step in waiting state is received, and directing the sub-step indicated by the acknowledgement to execute.

13. The method of claim 10 further comprising suspending the sequential process control flow if any sub-step completes with an exception.

14. The method of claim 13 further comprising indicating the sub-step having the exception for exception recovery.

15. The method of claim 10 further comprising directing the sub-steps to run according to an execution time and behavior of respective sub-steps.

16. A machine-readable storage medium storing a computer program which, when executed, directs a computer to perform a parallel control method for sequential process control flow, comprising the steps of:

generating a parallel step including a plurality of independent sub-steps in a sequential process control flow; and

controlling the sequential process control flow to a next step succeeding the parallel step if the parallel step is complete.

17. The storage medium of claim 16 further comprising directing one of the sub-steps to execute at a time until all of the sub-steps have been executed.

18. The storage medium of claim 17 further comprising gaining of a right by any sub-step to execute when the other sub-steps are in waiting state.

19. The storage medium of claim 18 further comprising releasing of the right of execution by the parallel step if all of the sub-steps are in waiting state.

20. The storage medium of claim 19 further comprising activating the parallel step if an acknowledgement of one sub-step in waiting state is received, and directing the sub-step indicated by the acknowledgement to execute.

21. The storage medium of claim 16 further comprising assessing the completion of the parallel step if all of the sub-steps are complete.

22. The storage medium of claim 16 further comprising suspending the sequential process control flow if any sub-step completes with an exception.

23. The storage medium of claim 22 further comprising indicating the sub-step having the exception for exception recovery.

24. The storage medium of claim 17 further comprising directing the sub-steps to run according to an execution time and behavior of respective sub-steps.

25. A machine-readable storage medium storing a computer program which, when executed, directs a computer to perform a parallel control method for sequential process control flow, comprising the steps of:

selecting a plurality of independent sub-steps in a sequential process control flow;

generating a parallel step including the sub-steps in the sequential process control flow;

directing one of the sub-steps to execute at a time;

gaining of a right by any sub-step to execute when the other sub-steps are in waiting state;

assessing the parallel step is complete if all of the sub-steps are complete; and

controlling the sequential process control flow to a next step succeeding the parallel step if the parallel step is complete.

26. The storage medium of claim 25 further comprising releasing of the right of execution by the parallel step if all of the sub-steps are in waiting state.

27. The storage medium of claim 26 further comprising activating the parallel step if an acknowledgement of one sub-step in waiting state is received, and directing the sub-step indicated by the acknowledgement to execute.

28. The storage medium of claim 25 further comprising suspending the sequential process control flow if any sub-step completes with an exception.

29. The storage medium of claim 28 further comprising indicating the sub-step having the exception for exception recovery.

30. The storage medium of claim 25 further comprising directing the sub-steps to run according to an execution time and behavior of respective sub-steps.