System and method of reserving capacity for a pre-process order

• US 7,003,365 B1
• Filed: 12/02/2004
• Issued: 02/21/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 12/02/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company Limited
• Inventors: Chao, Jen-Lin, Huang, Wei-Chuan, Yen, Wei-Kuo, Chang, Chao-Hsin
• Primary Examiner(s): Von Buhr, Maria N.
• Application Number:
  US11/001,769
• Time in Patent Office: 446 Days
• Field of Search: 700 99-102, 700117-121, 705 8- 10, 705 26- 29
• US Class Current: 700/99
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06 Resources, workflows, human or project management; Enterprise or organisation planning; Enterprise or organisation modelling

Abstract

In a foundry that produces a product family a system and method of reserving capacity for a pre-process order includes a plurality of products, a common pre-process operation and a plurality of distinct post-process operations corresponding to the products. When a pre-process order related to the pre-process operation from a customer is received, pre-process capacity and post-process operating capacity are reserved according to the pre-process order, and the pre-process capacity is provided for the pre-process. When a post-process order for a product corresponding to a specific post-process operation in the product family is received before a cutoff date, the reserved post-process operating capacity is provided for the corresponding post-process operation. If no post-process order is received before the cutoff date, the reserved post-process operating capacity is released as remnant supply. Other systems and methods are also provided.

Claims

1. A system for reserving capacity for a pre-process order, comprising:

a process arrangement engine arranging a pre-process operation and a plurality of post-process operations for a product family, the product family comprising a plurality of products corresponding to the post-process operations;

an order management module for receiving a purchase order for the product family before a cutoff date; and

a capacity management module reserving capacity for the pre-process operation and one of the post-process operations and providing capacity for the pre-process operation when the order is a pre-process order, and providing post-process operating capacity for a specific post-process operation for the product corresponding to the specific post-process operation when the order is a post-process order corresponding to the specific post-process operation.

2. The system for reserving capacity for a pre-process order as claimed in claim 1, wherein the capacity management module is further configured to release the post-process operating capacity as remnant supply if the post-process order is not received before the cutoff date.

3. The system for reserving capacity for preprocess order as claimed in claim 1, wherein the capacity management module is further configured to transfer the pre-process capacity and the post-process operating capacity to full-run capacity when the order management module receives an emergency order for the specific product before the cutoff date, and the full-run capacity is provided to sequentially enable the pre-process operation and the corresponding post-process operation.

4. A method of reserving capacity for a pre-process order, comprising the steps of:

providing a pre-process operation and a plurality of post-process operations for a product family, the product family comprising a plurality of products corresponding to the post-process operations;

when receiving a pre-process order for the product family related to the pre-process, reserving capacity for pre-process operation and one of the post-process operations, and providing the pre-process capacity for the pre-process operation; and

when receiving a post-process order for the product family related to one of the post-process operations corresponding to a specific product before a cutoff date, providing the post-process operating capacity for the corresponding post-process operation.

5. The method of reserving capacity for a pre-process order as claimed in claim 4, further comprising releasing the post-process operating capacity as remnant supply if the post-process order is not received before the cutoff date.

6. The method of reserving capacity for a pre-process order as claimed in claim 4, further comprising, when receiving an emergency order for the specific product before the cutoff date, transferring the pre-process capacity and the post-process operating capacity to full-run capacity, and providing the full-run capacity for sequential enablement of the pre-process operation and the post-process operation corresponding to the specific product.

7. The method of reserving capacity for a pre-process order as claimed in claim 4, wherein:

the plurality of post-process operations comprises a first post-process operation and a plurality of second post-process operations;

the product family comprises a first product corresponding to the first post-process operation and a plurality of second products corresponding to the second post-process operations; and

the method further comprises;

when receiving a pre-process order for the product family related to the pre-process, reserving capacity for the pre-process operation and operating capacity for the first post-process operations, and providing the pre-process capacity for the pre-process operation;

when receiving a first post-process order for the first product related to the first post-process operation before a cutoff date, providing the capacity for the first post-process operation; and

when receiving a second post-process order for a second product corresponding to a specific second post-process operation before the cutoff date, transferring the first post-process operating capacity to second post-process operating capacity and providing the second post-process operating capacity for the specific second post-process operation.

8. The method of reserving capacity for a pre-process order as claimed in claim 7, further comprising releasing the first post-process operating capacity as remnant supply if neither the first post-process order nor the second post-process order is received before the cutoff date.

9. The method of reserving capacity for a pre-process order as claimed in claim 7, wherein a swap mechanism is utilized to exchange the first post-process operating capacity and remnant supply transferring the first post-process operating capacity to the second post-process operating capacity to meet the specific second post-process operation.

10. The method of reserving capacity for a pre-process order as claimed in claim 7, further comprising the steps of:

when receiving a first emergency order for the first product before the cutoff date, transferring the pre-process capacity and the first post-process operating capacity to first full-run capacity, and providing the first full-run capacity for sequential enablement of the pre-process operation and the first post-process operation; and

when receiving a second emergency order for the second product corresponding to the specific second post-process operation, transferring the pre-process capacity and the first post-process operating capacity to second full-run capacity, and providing the second full-run capacity for sequential enablement of the pre-process operation and the specific second post-process operation.

11. A system for reserving capacity for a pre-process order, comprising:

a process arrangement engine arranging a pre-process, a first post-process operation and a plurality of second post-process operations for a product family, the product family comprising a first product corresponding to the first post-process operation and a plurality of second products corresponding to the second post-process operations;

an order management module for receiving a purchase order for the product family before a cutoff date; and

a capacity management module for reserving capacity for the pre-process operation and capacity for the first post-process operation and providing capacity for the pre-process operation when the order is a pre-process order, providing the capacity for the first post-process operation when the order is a first post-process order for the first product, and transferring the first post-process operating capacity to second post-process operating capacity and providing the second post-process operating capacity for a specific second post-process operation when the order is a second post-process order for a second product corresponding to the specific second post-process operation.

12. The system for reserving capacity for a pre-process order as claimed in claim 11, wherein the capacity management module is further configured to release the first post-process operating capacity as remnant supply if neither the first post-process order nor the second post-process order is received before the cutoff date.

13. The system for reserving capacity for a pre-process order as claimed in claim 11, wherein the capacity management module is further configured to utilize a swap mechanism to exchange the first post-process operating capacity and remnant supply in transferring the first post-process operating capacity to the second post-process operating capacity to meet the specific second post-process operation.

14. The system for reserving capacity for a pre-process order as claimed in claim 11, wherein the capacity management module is further configured to transfer the pre-process capacity and the first post-process operating capacity to first full-run capacity when the order management module receives a first emergency order for the first product before the cutoff date, and the first full-run capacity is provided for sequential enablement of the pre-process operation and the first post-process operation.

15. The system for reserving capacity for a pre-process order as claimed in claim 11, wherein the capacity management module is further configured to transfer the pre-process capacity and the first post-process operating capacity to second full-run capacity when the order management module receives a second emergency order for the second product corresponding to the specific second post-process operation before the cutoff date, and the second full-run capacity is provided for sequential enablement of the pre-process operation and the specific second post-process operation.

16. A system for reserving capacity for a pre-process order in a semiconductor foundry, comprising:

a process arrangement engine arranging a pre-process, a first post-process operation and a plurality of second post-process operations for a semiconductor product family according to a plurality of lots in the semiconductor foundry, the semiconductor product family comprising a first semiconductor product corresponding to the first post-process operation and a plurality of second semiconductor products corresponding to the second post-process operations;

an order management module for receiving a purchase order for the semiconductor product family before a cutoff date; and

a capacity management module reserving capacity for the pre-process operation and capacity for the first post-process operation and providing capacity for the pre-process operation when the order is a pre-process order, providing the capacity for the first post-process operation when the order is a first post-process order for the first semiconductor product, and transferring the first post-process operating capacity to second post-process operating capacity and providing the second post-process operating capacity for a specific second post-process operation when the order is a second post-process order for a second semiconductor product corresponding to the specific second post-process operation.

17. The system for reserving capacity for a pre-process order in a semiconductor foundry according to claim 16, wherein the capacity management module is further configured to release the first post-process operating capacity as remnant supply if neither the first post-process order nor the second post-process order is received before the cutoff date.

18. The system for reserving capacity for a pre-process order in a semiconductor foundry according to claim 16, wherein the capacity management module is further configured to utilize a swap mechanism to exchange the first post-process operating capacity and remnant supply in transferring the first post-process operating capacity to the second post-process operating capacity for the specific second post-process operation.

19. The system for reserving capacity for a pre-process order in a semiconductor foundry according to claim 16, wherein the capacity management module is further configured to transfer the pre-process capacity and the first post-process operating capacity to first full-run capacity when the order management module receives a first emergency order for the first semiconductor product before the cutoff date, and the first full-run capacity is provided for sequential enablement of the pre-process operation and the first post-process operation.

20. The system for reserving capacity for a pre-process order in a semiconductor foundry according to claim 16, wherein the capacity management module is further configured to transfer the pre-process capacity and the first post-process operating capacity to second full-run capacity when the order management module receives a second emergency order for the second semiconductor product corresponding to the specific second post-process operation before the cutoff date, and the second full-run capacity is provided for sequential enablement of the pre-process operation and the specific second post-process operation.

21. A method of reserving capacity for a pre-process order in a semiconductor foundry, comprising the steps of:

providing a pre-process, a first post-process operation and a plurality of second post-process operations for a semiconductor product family according to a plurality of lots in the semiconductor foundry, the semiconductor product family comprising a first semiconductor product corresponding to the first post-process operation and a plurality of second semiconductor products corresponding to the second post-process operations;

when receiving a pre-process order for the semiconductor product family related to the pre-process, reserving capacity for the pre-process operation and operating capacity for the first post-process operations, and providing the pre-process capacity for the pre-process operation;

when receiving a first post-process order for the first semiconductor product related to the first post-process operation before a cutoff date, providing the capacity for the first post-process operation; and

when receiving a second post-process order for a second semiconductor product corresponding to a specific second post-process operation before the cutoff date, transferring the first post-process operating capacity to second post-process operating capacity and providing the second post-process operating capacity for the specific second post-process operation.

22. The method of reserving capacity for a pre-process order in a semiconductor foundry according to claim 21, further comprising releasing the first post-process operating capacity as remnant supply if neither the first post-process order nor the second post-process order is received before the cutoff date.

23. The method of reserving capacity for a pre-process order in a semiconductor foundry according to claim 21, wherein a swap mechanism is utilized to exchange the first post-process operating capacity and remnant supply in transferring the first post-process operating capacity to the second post-process operating capacity to meet the specific second post-process operation.

24. The method of reserving capacity for a pre-process order in a semiconductor foundry according to claim 21, further comprising the steps of:

when receiving a first emergency order for the first semiconductor product before the cutoff date, transferring the pre-process capacity and the first post-process operating capacity to first full-run capacity, and providing the first full-run capacity for sequential enablement of the pre-process operation and the first post-process operation; and

when receiving a second emergency order for the second semiconductor product corresponding to the specific second post-process operation before the cutoff date, transferring the pre-process capacity and the first post-process operating capacity to second full-run capacity, and providing the second full-run capacity for sequential enablement of the pre-process operation and the specific second post-process operation.

25. A manufacturing method of a semiconductor product family comprising a first semiconductor product and a plurality of second semiconductor products, the manufacturing method comprising the steps of:

providing a pre-process, a first post-process operation and a plurality of second post-process operations for the semiconductor product family, the first semiconductor product corresponding to the first post-process operation, and each of second semiconductor products corresponding to each of the second post-process operations;

receiving a pre-process order for the semiconductor product family related to the pre-process operation before a cutoff date;

reserving capacity for the pre-process operation and operating capacity for the first post-process operations;

manufacturing a plurality of components according to the pre-process order by performing the pre-process operation with the pre-process capacity;

when receiving a first post-process order for the first semiconductor product related to the first post-process operation before the cutoff date, performing the first post-process operation on the components with the first post-process operating capacity to obtain a plurality of the first semiconductor products for the first post-process order; and

when receiving a second post-process order for a second semiconductor product corresponding to a specific second post-process operation before the cutoff date, transferring the first post-process operating capacity to second post-process operating capacity and performing the corresponding second post-process operation on the components with the second post-process operating capacity to obtain a plurality of the second semiconductor products corresponding to the second post-process order.

26. The manufacturing method as claimed in claim 25, further comprising storing the components in stock to provide a component inventory for the semiconductor product family.

27. The manufacturing method as claimed in claim 26, further comprising retrieving the components from the stock for the first post-process operation when receiving the first post-process order and for the second post-process operation when receiving the second post-process order.

28. The manufacturing method as claimed in claim 25, wherein a swap mechanism is utilized to exchange the first post-process operating capacity and remnant supply in transferring the first post-process operating capacity to the second post-process operating capacity to meet the specific second post-process operation.

29. The manufacturing method as claimed in claim 25, further comprising the steps of:

when receiving a first emergency order for the first semiconductor product before the cutoff date, transferring the pre-process capacity and the first post-process operating capacity to first full-run capacity, and providing the first full-run capacity for sequential enablement of the pre-process operation and the first post-process operation;

when receiving a second emergency order for the second semiconductor product corresponding to the specific second post-process operation, transferring the pre-process capacity and the first post-process operating capacity to second full-run capacity, and providing the second full-run capacity for sequential enablement of the pre-process operation and the specific second post-process operation; and

when neither the first post-process order nor the second post-process order is received before the cutoff date, releasing the first post-process operating capacity as remnant supply.