Method and apparatus for generating real-time data from static files

• US 6,556,882 B1
• Filed: 09/22/1999
• Issued: 04/29/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 09/22/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: GlobalFoundries, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Advanced Micro Devices, Inc.
• Inventors: Coss, Elfido Jr., Conboy, Michael R., Wang, Qingsu
• Primary Examiner(s): Picard, Leo
• Assistant Examiner(s): Bahta, Kidest
• Application Number:
  US09/401,089
• Time in Patent Office: 1,315 Days
• Field of Search: 700/108, 700/51, 700/109-110, 700/121, 702/183, 703/13, 703/14
• US Class Current: 700/108
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 22/20 Sequence of activities consisting of a plurality of measurements, corrections, marking or sorting steps

Abstract

A method and apparatus for performing manufacturing system analysis upon a manufacturing network. Real-time production data is collected. The real-time production data is stored in a static file database. A real-time data flow is emulated using said real-time production data from said static file database. A reactive function analysis is performed.

Claims

1. A method for performing manufacturing system analysis upon a manufacturing network comprising:

collecting real-time production data;

storing said real-time production data in a static file database;

emulating real-time data flow using said real-time production data from said static file database; and

performing a reactive function analysis, said reactive function analysis comprises performing a fault detection analysis on a test processing function based upon said emulation.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein collecting real-time production data further comprises collecting process data from a process run of semiconductor devices.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein collecting real-time production data further comprises collecting fabricated process data from a database.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein emulating real-time data flow using said real-time production data further comprises simulating a flow of real-time production data.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein performing reactive function analysis further comprises:

sending real-time data into a reactive system;

performing a reactive function using said real-time data;

performing fault-detection analysis on a result of performing said reactive function;

determining whether said result of performing said reactive function is approximately same as a predicted result; and

modifying a set of control inputs associated with said real-time data in response to a determination that said result of performing said reactive function is not approximately same as a predicted result.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein sending real-time data into a reactive system further comprises sending emulated data into a reactive system.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein sending real-time data into a reactive system further comprises sending real-time data into a reactive system into a test framework of a process control system.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein performing a reactive function using said real-time data further comprises executing a process control run of a test framework of a process control system using said real-time data.

9. An apparatus for performing manufacturing system analysis upon a manufacturing network, comprising:

a network including a network bus, said network being capable of emulating real-time data flow using real-time production data;

a first system including a first interface, the first interface adapted to couple the first system to the network bus to permit bi-directional communication between the first system and the network;

a data stream capture unit coupled with said network bus;

a second system including a second interface, the second interface adapted to couple the second system to the data stream capture unit to permit bi-directional communication between the second system and the network; and

a determining unit adapted to determine if the second system is functioning with the network in accordance with a predetermined standard.

10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein said network is coupled to an emulation unit that is capable of emulating a flow of real-time data.

11. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein said emulation unit is coupled to a static file database.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein said static file database comprises at least one of production data from processing run of semiconductor devices and emulated production data.

13. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the second interface is adapted to enable the second system to communicate bi-directionally with the network.

14. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein said second interface comprises a test framework of a process control system.

15. An apparatus for performing manufacturing system analysis upon a manufacturing network, comprising:

a network including a network bus;

a first Advanced Process Control (APC) framework including a first interface, the first interface adapted to couple the first APC framework to the network bus to permit bi-directional communication between the first APC framework and the network;

a data stream capture unit coupled with said network bus;

a second APC framework including a second interface, the second interface adapted to couple the second APC framework to the data stream capture unit to permit bi-directional communication between the second APC framework and the network; and

a determining unit adapted to determine if the second APC framework is functioning with the network in accordance with a predetermined standard.

16. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein said network is coupled to an emulation unit that is capable of emulating a flow of real-time data.

17. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein said emulation unit is coupled to a static file database.

18. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein said static file database comprises at least one of production data from processing run of semiconductor devices and emulated production data.

19. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the second APC framework is adapted to enable the second system to communicate bi-directionally with the network.

20. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein said second APC framework comprises a test framework.

21. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the second APC framework is adapted to communicate bi-directionally with the network providing that the second APC framework was determined to be operating in accordance with the predetermined standard.

27. The computer readable program storage device encoded with instructions that, when executed by a computer, performs the method of claim 21, wherein performing reactive function analysis further comprises:

sending real-time data into a reactive system;

performing a reactive function using said real-time data;

performing fault-detection analysis on a result of performing said reactive function;

determining whether said result of performing said reactive function is approximately same as a predicted result; and

modifying a set of control inputs associated with said real-time data in response to a determination that said result of performing said reactive function is not approximately same as a predicted result.

28. The computer readable program storage device encoded with instructions that, when executed by a computer, performs the method of claim 27, wherein sending real-time data into a reactive system further comprises sending emulated data into a reactive system.

29. The computer readable program storage device encoded with instructions that, when executed by a computer, performs the method of claim 28, wherein sending real-time data into a reactive system further comprises sending real-time data into a reactive system into a test framework of a process control system.

30. The computer readable program storage device encoded with instructions that, when executed by a computer, performs the method of claim 28, wherein performing a reactive function using said real-time data further comprises executing a process control run of a test framework of a process control system using said real-time data.

22. An apparatus for performing manufacturing system analysis upon a manufacturing network comprising:

means for collecting real-time production data;

means for storing said real-time production data in a static file database;

means for emulating real-time data flow using said real-time production data from said static file database; and

means for performing a reactive function analysis, said reactive function analysis comprises performing a fault detection analysis on a test processing function based upon said emulation.

23. A computer readable program storage device encoded with instructions that, when executed by a computer, performs a method for performing manufacturing system analysis upon a manufacturing network comprising:

collecting real-time production data;

storing said real-time production data in a static file database;

emulating real-time data flow using said real-time production data from said static file database; and

performing a reactive function analysis, said reactive fumction analysis comprises

performing a fault detection analysis on a test processing function based upon said emulation.

24. The computer readable program storage device encoded with instructions that, when executed by a computer, performs the method of claim 23, wherein collecting real-time production data further comprises collecting process data from a process run of semiconductor devices.

25. The computer readable program storage device encoded with instructions that, when executed by a computer, performs the method of claim 23, wherein collecting real-time production data further comprises collecting fabricated process data from a database.

26. The computer readable program storage device encoded with instructions that, when executed by a computer, performs the method of claim 23, wherein emulating real-time data flow using said real-time production data further comprises simulating a flow of real-time production data.