Engineering database feedback system

• US 6,499,001 B1
• Filed: 06/20/2000
• Issued: 12/24/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 06/20/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Bell Semiconductor, LLC (Hilco Inc. (d/b/a Hilco Global))
• Original Assignee: LSI Logic Corporation (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Inventors: Meyer, Theodore O.
• Primary Examiner(s): ASSOUAD, PATRICK J
• Application Number:
  US09/596,909
• Time in Patent Office: 917 Days
• Field of Search: 700/108, 700/109, 700/116, 700/121, 702/187, 702/84, 438/14
• US Class Current: 702/187
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/41865 characterised by job scheduling, process planning, material flow
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/31331 Select manufacturing information by entering product number
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/31485 Verify and update all related data in relational database
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/45031 Manufacturing semiconductor wafers
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 90/02 Total factory control, e.g. smart factories, flexible manufacturing systems [FMS] or integrated manufacturing systems [IMS]

Abstract

A computerized engineering database feedback system provides special processing instructions for processing materials in a production process, and provides historical information related to the materials processed according to the special processing instructions. The system includes a request entry device through which requesting personnel may input special processing information indicating a way to process the materials differently from a normal way of processing of the materials. An instruction processing device receives the special processing information and generates the special-processing instructions based thereon. A process station device receives the special-processing instructions, and presents the special-processing instructions to material-processing personnel. The process station device also provides for inputting material information from the material-processing personnel, where the material information indicates one or more characteristics of the material processed according to the special-processing instructions. The system also includes a relational database in which the special processing information and the material information are compiled and related. An information retrieval device accesses the relational database, searches the relational database for material information related to special processing information, or searches the relational database for special processing information related to material information. Using the system, an engineer who wishes to have a lot of material processed in a special way for an engineering experiment may provide process operators with special-processing instructions. The system also allows the process operators to input information and test data related to the material that is processed according to the special instructions. Further, the system makes the results of the engineering experiment readily available to the company community in the relational database. By accessing the database, company engineers may view the results of previously-conducted experiments, and may thereby avoid wasting company resources by unnecessarily repeating the same experiments.

Claims

1. A computerized system for providing special processing instructions for processing materials in a production process, and for providing historical information related to the materials processed according to the special processing instructions, the system comprising:

a request entry device through which requesting personnel input special processing information indicating a way to process the materials differently from a normal way of processing of the materials,

an instruction processing device linked to the request entry device for receiving the special processing information and generating the special-processing instructions based thereon,

a process station device linked to the instruction processing device for receiving the special-processing instructions, for presenting the special-processing instructions to material-processing personnel, and for inputting material information from the material-processing personnel, where the material information indicates one or more characteristics of the material processed according to the special-processing instructions,

a relational database in which the special processing information and the material information are compiled and related, and

an information retrieval device linked to the relational database, for accessing the relational database, for searching the relational database for material information related to special processing information, or for searching the relational database for special processing information related to material information.

2. The computerized system of claim 1 further comprising:

the instruction processing device for generating the special-processing instructions as a sequential list of actions to be performed to process the materials according to the special processing information, and providing an action from the list to the process station device for presentation to the material-processing personnel,

the process station device for receiving the action from the instruction processing device, presenting the action to the material-processing personnel, receiving input from the material-processing personnel indicating that the action is complete, generating an action-complete indication based on the input from the material-processing personnel indicating that the action has been completed, and for providing the action-complete indication to the instruction processing device, and

the instruction processing device further for receiving the action-complete indication from the process station device, providing to the process station device a next action from the sequential list only after the action-complete indication associated with a most previous action is received,

whereby the material-processing personnel may proceed to a next action in the list only after completing all previous actions in the list.

3. The computerized system of claim 2 wherein:

the instruction processing device generates the sequential list of actions including material-processing actions and material-testing actions, and

the process station device generates a test-complete indication based on test data provided by the material-processing personnel indicating that a material-testing action has been completed, and generates a process-complete indication based on input provided by the material-processing personnel indicating that a material-processing action has been completed.

4. The computerized system of claim 3 further comprising:

a communication network coupled to the instruction processing device and the process station device,

the process station device associated with one or more material-processing actions or material-testing actions to be performed at a material-processing station or a material-testing station within a processing plant, and

the instruction processing device for providing each one of the actions from the sequential list to the associated process station device via the communication network.

5. The computerized system of claim 1 further comprising:

a communication network coupled to the instruction processing device and the process station device, and

the process station device associated with a production station at which one or more of the special-processing instructions are performed to process the materials.

6. The computerized system of claim 1 further comprising:

a communication network linked to the relational database and the information retrieval device, and

the information retrieval device for accessing the relational database via the communication network, for searching the relational database for material information related to special processing information, or for searching the relational database for special processing information related to material information.

7. The computerized system of claim 1 wherein the relational database includes a synopsis file associated with the special processing information and the material information, the synopsis file providing a summary of the special processing information and the material information.

8. The computerized system of claim 7 further comprising:

the synopsis file providing a list of keywords associated with the special processing information and the material information, and

a search engine for searching the relational database based on the keywords.

9. The computerized system of claim 1 wherein the request entry device further comprises a display device and an input device.

10. The computerized system of claim 1 wherein the process station device further comprises a display device and an input device.

11. A computerized system for providing special-processing instructions for processing materials in a production process, and for providing historical information related to the materials processed according to the special-processing instructions, the system comprising:

a request entry device through which requesting personnel input special processing information indicating a way to process the materials differently from a normal way of processing of the materials,

a communication network coupled to the request entry device,

an instruction processing device coupled to the communication network for receiving the special processing information and generating the special-processing instructions based thereon, the special-processing instructions in the form of a sequential list of actions to be performed to process the materials,

a process station device coupled to the communication network, the process station device associated with one or more of the actions to be performed at a processing station within a processing plant, each process station device for receiving an action from the instruction processing device via the communication network, for presenting the action to material-processing personnel, for receiving input from the material-processing personnel indicating one or more characteristics of the material processed according to the action, for generating an action-complete indication indicating that an action has been completed, and for providing the action-complete indication to the instruction processing device via the communication network,

the instruction processing device further for receiving the action-complete indication from the process station device, for providing a next action from the sequential list to the associated process station device via the communication network after the action-complete indication associated with a most previous action is received, whereby the material-processing personnel may proceed to a next material processing action in the list only after completing all previous actions in the list,

a relational database in which the special processing information and the material information are compiled and related, the relational database linked to the communication network, the relational database including a synopsis file associated with the special processing information and the material information, the synopsis file providing a summary of the special processing information and the material information, and a list of keywords associated with the special processing information and the material information,

a search engine for searching the relational database based on the keywords, and

an information retrieval device linked to the communication network for accessing the relational database via the communication network, and for using the search engine to find material information related to special processing information, or to find special processing information related to material information.

12. A computer-implemented method for providing special-processing instructions for processing materials in a production process, and for providing historical information related to the materials processed according to the special-processing instructions, the method including the steps of:

(a) inputting special processing information indicating a way to process the materials differently from a normal way of processing of the materials,

(b) generating the special-processing instructions based on special processing information,

(c) presenting the special-processing instructions to material-processing personnel,

(d) receiving material information from the material-processing personnel, where the material information indicates one or more characteristics of the material processed according to the special-processing instructions, and

(e) compiling and relating the special processing information and the material information in a relational database.

13. The method of claim 12 including searching the relational database for material information related to special processing information.

14. The method of claim 12 including searching the relational database for special processing information related to material information.

15. The method of claim 12 further comprising:

step (b) including generating the special-processing instructions as a sequential list of actions to be performed to process the materials according to the special processing information,

step (c) including presenting an action from the sequential list to the material-processing personnel,

(f) receiving input from the material-processing personnel indicating that the action is complete, and

(g) presenting a next action from the sequential list to the material-processing personnel only after a most previous action is complete,

whereby the material-processing personnel may proceed to a next action in the list only after completing all previous actions in the list.

16. The method of claim 15 wherein:

step (f) includes receiving test data input from the material-processing personnel based on a test performed on the materials processed according to the special-processing instructions, and

step (e) includes compiling and relating the special processing information and the test data in the relational database.