Information system for production control

• US 5,787,021 A
• Filed: 12/18/1995
• Issued: 07/28/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 12/28/1994
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Deutsche ITT Industries GmbH
• Original Assignee: Detusche ITT Industries GmbH
• Inventors: Samaha, Moustafa
• Primary Examiner(s): Ramirez, Ellis B.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Stamber, Eric W.
• Application Number:
  US08/574,394
• Time in Patent Office: 953 Days
• Field of Search: 364/552, 364/554, 364/551.01, 364/551.02, 364/580, 364/468.28, 364/468.15, 364/468.16, 364/468.17
• US Class Current: 702/84
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/31323 Database for CIM
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/31365 Send message to most appropriate operator as function of kind of error
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/32182 If state of tool, product deviates from standard, adjust system, feedback
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/32196 Store audit, history of inspection, control and workpiece data into database
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/32207 Action upon failure value, send warning, caution message to terminal
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/33209 Protocol, mailbox, email, mail system
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/50197 Signature analysis, store working conditions, compare with actual
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 22/20 Sequence of activities consisting of a plurality of measurements, corrections, marking or sorting steps
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 90/02 Total factory control, e.g. smart factories, flexible manufacturing systems [FMS] or integrated manufacturing systems [IMS]

Abstract

An information system for production control wherein measured data from many test facilities is controlled, stored, and, if necessary, processed in a central data base. Via two-way data links, various data users can access the stored data and use this data for their own purposes. Thus it is possible, for example, to retrieve production figures of individual products or entire product ranges, complied statistics, calculate costs, determine yields, and the like. Access by the individual data users to the data base takes place via a terminal or a personal computer, with which nearly every work place is equipped and which are electronically interconnected via a data network for the exchange of data.

Claims

1. An information system for providing improved production control in the area of semiconductor fabrication, comprising:

a plurality of testers for generating data relative to semiconductor fabrication;

a database for receiving and storing said data;

means for analyzing said data including test profiles associated with the different devices to be tested, each of said profiles having a predetermined limit for generating an error message in response to said data exceeding said predetermined limit, wherein each said test profile is assigned to a receiving station; and

a plurality of said receiving stations, each said receiving station associated with one of said test profiles for automatically receiving said error message generated by one of said test profiles, wherein receipt of said error message from said assigned test profile initiates a check on a semiconductor fabrication procedure.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the data is selected from the group consisting of product-specific data or fabrication-specific data.

3. The system of claim 1, which further comprises a means for accessing said database.

4. The system of claim 1, which further comprises a means for installing said test profiles.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein each of said test profiles are programmable.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein each of said receiving stations is coupled to said analyzing facility by a two-way data link.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein said two way data link is an electronic-mail system.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein a first said error message from one of said plurality of test profiles assigned to one of said plurality of receiver stations sent to a first said receiving station initiates a check in a final test department.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein a second said error message from one of said plurality of test profiles assigned to one of said plurality of receiver stations sent to a second said receiving station initiates a check in a department selected from the group consisting of a preliminary test department, an intermediate test department and a production department.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein a third said error message from one of said plurality of test profiles assigned to one of said plurality of receiver stations sent to a third said receiving station initiates a check in a engineering department responsible for creating the individual test programs and test profiles.

11. An information system for providing improved production control in the area of semiconductor fabrication, comprising:

at least one tester for generating data relative to semiconductor fabrication;

a database for receiving and storing said data;

means for analyzing said data including test profiles associated to the different devices to be tested, each of said profiles having predetermined limits for generating at least one error message in response to said data exceeding said predetermined limits, wherein said test profile is assigned to a receiving station; and

a plurality of said receiving stations, at least one of said plurality of receiving stations remotely located, each said receiving station associated with at least one of said test profiles for automatically receiving said error message generated from one of said test profiles, wherein receipt of said error message from said assigned test profile initiates a check on a semiconductor fabrication procedure, wherein said plurality of receiving stations are coupled to said analyzing means by a two way data link comprising an electronic mail system, wherein each said error message generated in response to said data exceeding said predetermined limits is transmitted over said data link.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the data is related to semiconductor fabrication and is selected from the group consisting of product-specific data or fabrication-specific data.

13. The system of claim 11, which further comprises a means for accessing said database.

14. The system of claim 11, which further comprises a means for installing said test profiles.

15. The system of claim 11, wherein said test profiles are programmable.

16. The system of claim 11, wherein said plurality of receiving stations includes a first receiving station, wherein a first said error message sent to said first receiving station initiates a check in a final test department.

17. The system of claim 11, wherein said plurality of receiving stations includes a second receiving station, wherein a second said error message sent to said second receiving station initiates a check in a department selected from the group consisting of a preliminary test department, an intermediate test department and a production department.

18. The system of claim 11, wherein said plurality of receiving stations includes a third receiving station, wherein a third said error message sent to said third receiving station initiates a check in an engineering department responsible for creating individual test programs and test profiles.