SYSTEM AND METHOD OF DEMAND AND CAPACITY MANAGEMENT

• US 20090271019A1
• Filed: 01/19/2009
• Published: 10/29/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 08/14/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Lam Research (H.K.) Ltd. (Taiwan) (LAM Research Corporation), Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company Limited
• Inventors: Wang, Chung-Wen, Wu, Chii-Ming M., Chin, Chiang-Sheng, Liou, Edwin
• Granted Patent: US 9,870,547 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 700/100
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06 Resources, workflows, human or project management; Enterprise or organisation planning; Enterprise or organisation modelling
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/08 Logistics, e.g. warehousing, loading or distribution; Inventory or stock management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/28 Logistics, e.g. warehousing, loading, distribution or shipping

Abstract

Systems of demand and capacity management with machine-time accuracy are provided. The system includes an allocation planning module, an order management module, a capacity model, and a capacity management module. The allocation planning module receives a demand plan for a product. The capacity management module transforms the demand plan into a machine-time-based plan according to the capacity model, and reserves capacity according to the machine-time-based plan for the demand plan. The capacity management module further transforms a purchase order received by the order management module before a cutoff date for the product into a machine-time-based order, accepts the machine-time-based order and decreases the reservation capacity depending on the machine-time-based plan.

Claims

1. A system for demand and capacity management, comprising:

an allocation planning module to receive a demand plan for a product from a participating customer, wherein the demand plan is quantity-based, and designates a specific quantity of the product;

a capacity model having route information for the product, wherein the route information identifies a plurality of tools that used for producing the product, and corresponding machine time that the product spent on the respective tools; and

a capacity management module to transform the quantity-based demand plan into a machine-time-based plan according to the route information in the capacity model and the specific quantity of the product, wherein the machine-time-based plan indicates specific machine times for the respective tools, and to reserve capacity according to the machine-time-based plan, wherein the capacity is machine-time-based, and represented by machine times of the respective tool.

2. The system of claim 1 further comprising an order management module to receive a purchase order for the product from the participating customer before a cutoff date.

3. The system of claim 2 wherein the capacity management module is configured to transform the purchase order into a machine-time-based order according to the route information in the capacity model, accept the machine-time-based order, and decrease the reservation capacity depending on the machine-time-based plan.

4. The system of claim 3 wherein the capacity management module is configured to reject orders sent from nonparticipating customers before the cutoff date.

5. The system of claim 4 wherein the capacity management module is configured to release the reservation capacity as remnant capacity after the cutoff date.

6. The system of claim 5 wherein the order management module is configured to receive a second purchase order for a second product after the cutoff date for the product.

7. The system claim 6 wherein the capacity management module is configured to transform the second purchase order into a second machine-time-based order according to the capacity model, accept the second machine-time-based order, and decrease the remnant capacity.

8. The system of claim 2 wherein the capacity management module is configured to utilize a swap mechanism to exchange the reservation capacity to meet a third purchase order sent from a participating customer if the third purchase order is not compatible with the demand plan.

9. The system of claim 2 further comprising a production line to manufacture the product according to the purchase order.

10. The system of claim 9 further comprising a delivery unit to deliver the product to the participating customer.

11. The system of claim 2 wherein the cutoff date is the cycle time for the product.

12. The system of claim 2 wherein the cutoff date is the cycle time for the product plus a predefined time for buffer.

13. A system for demand and capacity management comprising a computer readable medium storing a computer program for execution by a processor, the computer program comprising:

an allocation planning module to receive a demand plan for a product from a participating customer, wherein the demand plan is quantity-based, and designates a specific quantity of the product;

a capacity model having route information for the product, wherein the route information identifies a plurality of tools that used for producing the product, and corresponding machine time that the product spent on the respective tools; and

a capacity management module to transform the quantity-based demand plan into a machine-time-based plan according to the route information in the capacity model and the specific quantity of the product, wherein the machine-time-based plan indicates specific machine times for the respective tools, and to reserve capacity according to the machine-time-based plan, wherein the capacity is machine-time-based, and represented by machine times of the respective tool.

14. A system of demand and capacity management in an IC foundry, comprising:

an allocation planning module to receive a demand plan corresponding to an IC product from a participating customer, wherein the demand plan is quantity-based, and designates a specific quantity of the IC product;

a capacity model having route information of the IC product, wherein the route information records a plurality of tools that used for producing the IC product, and corresponding machine time that the IC product spent on the respective tools; and

a capacity management module to transform the quantity-based demand plan into a machine-time-based plan according to the route information in the capacity model and the specific quantity of the product, wherein the machine-time-based plan indicates specific machine times for the respective tools, and reserve capacity according to the machine-time-based plan, wherein the capacity is machine-time-based, and represented by machine times of the respective tools.

15. The system of claim 14 further comprising an order management module to receive a purchase order corresponding to the IC product from the participating customer before a cutoff date of the IC product.

16. The system of claim 15 wherein the capacity management module further transforms the purchase order into a machine-time-based order according to the route information in the capacity model, accepts the machine-time-based order, and decreases the reservation capacity depending on the machine-time-based plan.

17. The system of claim 16 wherein the capacity management module further rejects an order sent from other customers before the cutoff date.

18. The system of claim 17 wherein the capacity management module further releases the reservation capacity as remnant capacity if the cutoff date passes.

19. The system of claim 18 wherein the order management module further receives a second purchase order corresponding to a second IC product after the cutoff date of the IC product.

20. The system of claim 19 wherein the capacity management module further transforms the second purchase order into a second machine-time-based order according to the capacity model, accepts the second machine-time-based order, and decreases the remnant capacity.

21. The system of claim 15 wherein the capacity management module further utilizes a swap mechanism to exchange the reservation capacity to meet a third purchase order sent from the participating customer if the third purchase order is not compatible with the demand plan.

22. The system of claim 15 further comprising a production line to manufacture the IC product according to the purchase order.

23. The system of claim 22 further comprising a delivery unit to deliver the IC product to participating customer.

24. The system of claim 15 wherein the cutoff date is the cycle time for the product.

25. The system of claim 15 wherein the cutoff date is the cycle time for the product plus a predefined time for buffer.