Systems and methods that monitor re-qualification indicia associated with durable items to ensure physical process quality

• US 7,065,424 B1
• Filed: 03/04/2004
• Issued: 06/20/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 03/04/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: National Semiconductor Corporation (Texas Instruments, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: National Semiconductor Corporation (Texas Instruments, Inc.)
• Inventors: MacDonald, William, Logsdon, George, Rust, Darren Lee
• Primary Examiner(s): Gandhi, Jayprakash N.
• Application Number:
  US10/794,796
• Time in Patent Office: 838 Days
• Field of Search: 700/90, 700/95, 700/109, 700/121, 702/84
• US Class Current: 700/109
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06 Resources, workflows, human or project management; Enterprise or organisation planning; Enterprise or organisation modelling

Abstract

This invention introduces systems and methods that control production process quality, wherein the production process has a plurality of durable items, each durable item is associated with a re-qualification process initiated as a function of a life expectancy associated therewith. The life expectancy associated with each durable item is reset upon completion of the associated re-qualification process. An exemplary method comprises (I) monitoring re-qualification indicia associated with each associated re-qualification process, and (ii) controlling availability of re-qualified durable items of the production process as a function of the re-qualification indicia to thereby control production process quality.

Claims

1. A method of controlling quality of a production process, said production process having a plurality of durable items, each said durable item associated with a re-qualification process initiated as a function of a life expectancy associated with said each said durable item, said life expectancy associated with said each said durable item reset upon completion of said associated re-qualification process, said method comprising the steps of (I) monitoring re-qualification indicia associated with each said associated re-qualification process, and (ii) controlling availability of re-qualified durable items of said production process as a function of said re-qualification indicia to thereby control production process quality.

2. The method of controlling quality of a production process as set forth in claim 1 further comprising the step of deriving re-qualification indicia in response to said life expectancy associated with said each said durable item.

3. The method of controlling quality of a production process as set forth in claim 1 further comprising the step of resetting said life expectancy associated with said each said durable item upon completion of said re-qualification process.

4. The method of controlling quality of a production process as set forth in claim 3 further comprising the step of setting said re-qualification indicia to complete in response to resetting said life expectancy associated with said each said durable item.

5. The method of controlling quality of a production process as set forth in claim 3 wherein the step of resetting said life expectancy associated with said each said durable item is responsive to the step of setting said re-qualification indicia to complete.

6. The method of controlling quality of a production process as set forth in claim 1 wherein a first durable item has at least one use associated therewith and is within a first associated re-qualification process, said method further comprising the step of denying availability of said first durable item as a function of said re-qualification indicia to thereby control production process quality.

7. The method of controlling quality of a production process as set forth in claim 1 wherein a first durable item has at least one use associated therewith and is within a first associated re-qualification process, said method further comprising the step of according availability of said first durable item as a function of said re-qualification indicia to thereby control production process quality.

8. The method of controlling quality of a production process as set forth in claim 7 further comprising the step of according availability of said first durable item when said re-qualification indicia indicates that said re-qualification process is incomplete in response to a control signal.

9. The method of controlling quality of a production process as set forth in claim 8 wherein said control signal indicates that said first durable item is available for a first use associated therewith although said re-qualification process in incomplete.

10. The method of controlling quality of a production process as set forth in claim 8 wherein said control signal is generated by an operator having proper authorization.

11. The method of controlling quality of a production process as set forth in claim 1 wherein a first re-qualification process may be initiated in response to a first durable item malfunctioning.

12. A method of controlling quality of a semiconductor manufacturing process, said semiconductor manufacturing process having a plurality of durable items, each said durable item associated with a re-qualification process initiated as a function of a life expectancy associated with said each said durable item, said life expectancy associated with said each said durable item reset upon completion of said associated re-qualification process, said method comprising the steps of (i) monitoring re-qualification indicia associated with each said associated re-qualification process, and (ii) controlling availability of re-qualified durable items of said semiconductor manufacturing process as a function of said re-qualification indicia to thereby control semiconductor manufacturing process quality.

13. The method of controlling quality of a semiconductor manufacturing process as set forth in claim 12 further comprising the step of deriving re-qualification indicia in response to said life expectancy associated with said each said durable item.

14. The method of controlling quality of a semiconductor manufacturing process as set forth in claim 12 further comprising the step of resetting said life expectancy associated with said each said durable item upon completion of said re-qualification process.

15. The method of controlling quality of a semiconductor manufacturing process as set forth in claim 14 further comprising the step of setting said re-qualification indicia to complete in response to resetting said life expectancy associated with said each said durable item.

16. The method of controlling quality of a semiconductor manufacturing process as set forth in claim 14 wherein the step of resetting said life expectancy associated with said each said durable item is responsive to the step of setting said re-qualification indicia to complete.

17. The method of controlling quality of a semiconductor manufacturing process as set forth in claim 12 wherein a first durable item has at least one use associated therewith and is within a first associated re-qualification process, said method further comprising the step of denying availability of said first durable item as a function of said re-qualification indicia to thereby control semiconductor manufacturing process quality.

18. The method of controlling quality of a semiconductor manufacturing process as set forth in claim 12 wherein a first durable item has at least one use associated therewith and is within a first associated re-qualification process, said method further comprising the step of according availability of said first durable item as a function of said re-qualification indicia to thereby control semiconductor manufacturing process quality.

19. The method of controlling quality of a semiconductor manufacturing process as set forth in claim 18 further comprising the step of according availability of said first durable item when said re-qualification indicia indicates that said re-qualification process is incomplete in response to a control signal.

20. The method of controlling quality of a semiconductor manufacturing process as set forth in claim 19 wherein said control signal indicates that said first durable item is available for a first use associated therewith although said re-qualification process in incomplete.

21. The method of controlling quality of a semiconductor manufacturing process as set forth in claim 19 wherein said control signal is generated by an operator having proper authorization.

22. The method of controlling quality of a semiconductor manufacturing process as set forth in claim 12 wherein a first re-qualification process may be initiated in response to a first durable item malfunctioning.