US5164905A — Production system with order of processing determ…

Claim 1

Independent Claim 158 words

A production system for producing plural kinds of products, comprising: transporting means for transporting work lots which are to be processed through at least two processing means, repeatedly for each of said processing means; buffering means for temporarily holding a plurality of said lots to be transported by said transporting means; identifying means for identifying a kind of said lots; determining means for determining an order of processing for each of said lots which is processed through said processing means a repeated number of times, and which is held in said buffering means in accordance with i) an identification resulting from said identifying means, and ii) an inventory quantity of a lot to be processed next through one of said at least two processing means a corresponding repeated number of times; and interface means for supplying said plurality of lots held in said buffering means to said transporting means according to the order determined by said determining means.

Claim 2

Dependent Claim 158 words

A production system for producing plural kinds of products, comprising: transporting means for transporting work lots which are to be processed through at least two processing means, repeatedly for each of said processing means; buffering means for temporarily holding a plurality of said lots to be transported by said transporting means; identifying means for identifying a kind of said lots; determining means for determining an order of processing for each of said lots which is processed through said processing means a repeated number of times, and which is held in said buffering means in accordance with i) an identification resulting from said identifying means, and ii) an inventory quantity of a lot to be processed next through one of said at least two processing means a corresponding repeated number of times; and interface means for supplying said plurality of lots held in said buffering means to said transporting means according to the order determined by said determining means.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 70 words

The production system according to claim 1, which further comprises: a jig having, a carrier for holding each of a plurality of lots, wherein said carrier is transported on said transporting means; a container means for containing said lots in said carrier; and, first means for selectively supplying each of said lots from said jig to one of said processing means for processing and for storing said works after processing.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 71 words

The production system according to claim 2, wherein said carrier of said jig has an opening means in one direction for loading and unloading said lots and peripheral walls in three other directions thereof having work storage grooves for storing a plurality of lots with gaps left therebetween, and bases having a projected and a recessed portion, constructed to be capable of superimposing a plurality of said carriers one above another.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 24 words

The production system according to claim 2 wherein said first means further has means for supplying said lots to said carrier holding said lots.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 20 words

The production system according to claim 1, wherein said transporting means transports said lots in at least a single direction.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 19 words

The production system according to claim 1, wherein said transporting means transports said lots in a plurality of directions.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 20 words

The production system according to claim 1, wherein each of said lots includes at least a wafer of semiconductor material.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 21 words

The production system according to claim 7, wherein each of said lots includes a cassette holding a plurality of semiconductor wafers.

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 43 words

The production system according to claim 1, wherein said buffering means is installed adjacent to said transporting means, whereby said plurality of lots held in said buffering means are supplied to said processing means according to the order determined by said determining means.

Claim 11

Dependent Claim 41 words

The production system according to claim 1, wherein said buffering means is installed incorporated within said processing means, whereby said plurality of lots held in said buffering means are efficiently supplied to a desired one of said plurality of processing means.

Claim 12

Dependent Claim 45 words

The production system according to claim 1, wherein said determining means determines said order of said plurality of lots held in said buffering means, in accordance with the quantity of inventory of a succeeding process to a present process of a plurality of processing equipment.

Claim 13

Dependent Claim 35 words

The production system according to claim 10, wherein said determining means determines said order of said plurality of lots held in said buffering means, in accordance with a ratio of product numbers among said lots.

Claim 14

Dependent Claim 52 words

The production system according to claim 1, wherein said buffering means, said identifying means and said determining means are installed attached to said transporting means, thereby at least a lot of the lots on said transporting means is supplied to said processing means according to the order determined by said determining means.

Claim 15

Dependent Claim 44 words

The production system according to claim 1, wherein said buffering means, said identifying means and said determining means are provided to said processing means, thereby efficiently supplying said lots in said buffering means to a desired processing means of said plurality of processing means.

Claim 16

Dependent Claim 158 words

A shop for processing a plurality of lots, comprising: intra-shop transporting means for transporting said lots which are to be processed through at least two processing means, repeatedly for each of said processing means; buffering means for temporarily holding a plurality of said lots to be transported by said transporting means; identifying means for identifying a kind of said lots; determining means for determining an order of processing for each of said lots which is processed through said processing means a repeated number of times, and which is held in said buffering means in accordance with i) an identification resulting from said identifying means, and ii) an inventory quantity of a lot to be processed next through one of said at least two processing means a corresponding repeated number of times; and interface means for supplying said plurality of lots held in said buffering means to said transporting means according to the order determined by said determining means.

Claim 17

Dependent Claim 158 words

A shop for processing a plurality of lots, comprising: intra-shop transporting means for transporting said lots which are to be processed through at least two processing means, repeatedly for each of said processing means; buffering means for temporarily holding a plurality of said lots to be transported by said transporting means; identifying means for identifying a kind of said lots; determining means for determining an order of processing for each of said lots which is processed through said processing means a repeated number of times, and which is held in said buffering means in accordance with i) an identification resulting from said identifying means, and ii) an inventory quantity of a lot to be processed next through one of said at least two processing means a corresponding repeated number of times; and interface means for supplying said plurality of lots held in said buffering means to said transporting means according to the order determined by said determining means.

Claim 18

Dependent Claim 179 words

A production system for producing plural kinds of products, comprising: inter-shop transporting means for transporting lots between at least two of a plurality of shops, said lots to be processed through at least two processing means in said shops, repeatedly for each of said processing means; buffering means provided for each of said shops for temporarily holding a plurality of said lots to be transported by said transporting means; identifying means for identifying a kind of said lots; determining means for determining an order of processing for each of said lots which is processed through said processing means a repeated number of times, and which is held in said buffering means in accordance with i) an identification resulting from said identifying means, and ii) an inventory quantity of a lot to be processed next through one of said at least two processing means in said shops a corresponding repeated number of times; and interface means for supplying said plurality of lots held in said buffering means to said transporting means according to the order determined by the determining means.

Claim 19

Dependent Claim 179 words

A production system for producing plural kinds of products, comprising: inter-shop transporting means for transporting lots between at least two of a plurality of shops, said lots to be processed through at least two processing means in said shops, repeatedly for each of said processing means; buffering means provided for each of said shops for temporarily holding a plurality of said lots to be transported by said transporting means; identifying means for identifying a kind of said lots; determining means for determining an order of processing for each of said lots which is processed through said processing means a repeated number of times, and which is held in said buffering means in accordance with i) an identification resulting from said identifying means, and ii) an inventory quantity of a lot to be processed next through one of said at least two processing means in said shops a corresponding repeated number of times; and interface means for supplying said plurality of lots held in said buffering means to said transporting means according to the order determined by the determining means.

Claim 20

Dependent Claim 43 words

The production system according to claim 16, wherein said each of said shops further comprises: a plurality of processing apparatus for processing said lots; and a transporting means for transporting at least a lot of the lots among said plurality of processing apparatuses.

Claim 21

Dependent Claim 197 words

The production system according to claim 16, wherein each of said shops include equipment for processing a lot consisting of a plurality of wafers; cleaning equipment; inspection equipment; an intra-shop conveyer for transporting the lot at least between two of such equipment and disposed around a main lot transporter line; multi-stations in which each is adapted to temporarily stock the lot therein and disposed corresponding to each of said shops in a one-to-one relation; lot transporter equipment for transporting the lot on said main lot transporter line, between at least two of said multi-stations and said shops; a plurality of branch or junction equipment provided in each of said multi-stations for transferring the lot to and from said lot transporter equipment; a plurality of recognition devices disposed corresponding to said respective stations of each said multi-station for recognizing the type and the processed state of the lot; and a controller for processing according to the recognized results of said recognition devices, and adjusting the amounts of lots delivered from said multi-station of a processing in a shop so that the quantities of inventory of lots in a shop to process next is controlled to its predetermined quantity.

Claim 22

Dependent Claim 168 words

A production system for producing plural kinds of products comprising: transporting means for transporting lots between at least two shops, each of said shops having a plurality of processing equipment for processing said lots, said lots processed through at least two shops repeatedly for each of said shops; buffering means for temporarily holding a plurality of said lots to be transported by said transporting means; identifying means for identifying a kind of said lots; determining means for determining an order of each of said lots which is processed through said shops a repeated number of times, and which is held in said buffering means in accordance with i) an identification resulting from said identifying means, and ii) an inventory quantity of a lot to be processed next through one of said at least two shops a corresponding repeated number of times; and interface means for supplying said plurality of lots held in said buffering means to said transporting means according to the order determined by said determining means.

Claim 23

Dependent Claim 168 words

A production system for producing plural kinds of products comprising: transporting means for transporting lots between at least two shops, each of said shops having a plurality of processing equipment for processing said lots, said lots processed through at least two shops repeatedly for each of said shops; buffering means for temporarily holding a plurality of said lots to be transported by said transporting means; identifying means for identifying a kind of said lots; determining means for determining an order of each of said lots which is processed through said shops a repeated number of times, and which is held in said buffering means in accordance with i) an identification resulting from said identifying means, and ii) an inventory quantity of a lot to be processed next through one of said at least two shops a corresponding repeated number of times; and interface means for supplying said plurality of lots held in said buffering means to said transporting means according to the order determined by said determining means.

Claim 24

Dependent Claim 17 words

The production system according to claim 19, wherein said lots are physically grouped on said transporting means.

Claim 25

Dependent Claim 44 words

The production system according to claim 19, wherein said buffering means further comprises a holding mechanism for separately holding each lot in an order of process for the grouped lots, said order of process being derived from said order determined by said determining means.

Claim 26

Dependent Claim 28 words

The production system according to claim 19, wherein said buffering means holds said lots according to the kind of lots they are identified as by the identifying means.

Claim 27

Dependent Claim 28 words

The production system according to claim 19, wherein at least one of said lots on said transporting means is transported according to a predetermined order of its processes.

Claim 28

Dependent Claim 35 words

The production system according to claim 23, further including a writing means for writing information of completion of processing to a lot in said buffering means per each completion of processes by said processing equipment.

Claim 29

Dependent Claim 144 words

A production method for processing lots comprising the steps of: transporting lots which are to be processed through at least two processing means, repeatedly for each of said processing means; buffering by temporarily holding a plurality of said lots to be transferred by said transporting step; identifying a kind of said lots; determining an order of processing for each of said lots which is processed through said processing means a repeated number of times, and which is held in said buffering step in accordance with i) an identification resulting from said identifying step and ii) an inventory quantity of a lot to be processed next through one of said at least two processing means a corresponding repeated number of times; and supplying said plurality of lots held in said buffering step to said processing means according to the order determined by said determining step.

Claim 30

Dependent Claim 144 words

A production method for processing lots comprising the steps of: transporting lots which are to be processed through at least two processing means, repeatedly for each of said processing means; buffering by temporarily holding a plurality of said lots to be transferred by said transporting step; identifying a kind of said lots; determining an order of processing for each of said lots which is processed through said processing means a repeated number of times, and which is held in said buffering step in accordance with i) an identification resulting from said identifying step and ii) an inventory quantity of a lot to be processed next through one of said at least two processing means a corresponding repeated number of times; and supplying said plurality of lots held in said buffering step to said processing means according to the order determined by said determining step.

Claim 31

Dependent Claim 150 words

The production method in a shop for processing lots comprising the steps of: intra-shop transporting of said lots which are to be processed through at least two processing means repeatedly for each of said processing means; buffering by temporarily holding a plurality of said lots to be transported by said transporting step; identifying a kind of said lots; determining an order of processing for each of said lots which is processed through said processing means a repeated number of times, and which is held in said buffering step in accordance with i) an identification resulting from said identifying step, and ii) an inventory quantity of at lot to be processed next through one of said at least two processing means a corresponding repeated number of times; and supplying said plurality of lots held in said buffering step to said processing means according to the order determined by said determining step.

Claim 32

Dependent Claim 150 words

The production method in a shop for processing lots comprising the steps of: intra-shop transporting of said lots which are to be processed through at least two processing means repeatedly for each of said processing means; buffering by temporarily holding a plurality of said lots to be transported by said transporting step; identifying a kind of said lots; determining an order of processing for each of said lots which is processed through said processing means a repeated number of times, and which is held in said buffering step in accordance with i) an identification resulting from said identifying step, and ii) an inventory quantity of at lot to be processed next through one of said at least two processing means a corresponding repeated number of times; and supplying said plurality of lots held in said buffering step to said processing means according to the order determined by said determining step.

Claim 33

Dependent Claim 157 words

A production method comprising the steps of: inter-shop transporting of lots between at least two of a plurality of shops, said lots are to be processed through at least two processing means in said shops, repeatedly for each of said processing means; buffering by temporarily holding a plurality of lots to be transported by said transporting step; identifying a kind of said lots; determining an order of processing for each of said lots which is processed through said processing means a repeated number of times, and which is held in said buffering step in accordance with i) an identification resulting from said identifying step, and ii) an inventory quantity of a lot to be processed next through one of said at least two processing means in said shops a corresponding repeated number of times; and supplying said plurality of lots held in said buffering step to said shops according to the order determined by said determining step.

Claim 34

Dependent Claim 157 words

A production method comprising the steps of: inter-shop transporting of lots between at least two of a plurality of shops, said lots are to be processed through at least two processing means in said shops, repeatedly for each of said processing means; buffering by temporarily holding a plurality of lots to be transported by said transporting step; identifying a kind of said lots; determining an order of processing for each of said lots which is processed through said processing means a repeated number of times, and which is held in said buffering step in accordance with i) an identification resulting from said identifying step, and ii) an inventory quantity of a lot to be processed next through one of said at least two processing means in said shops a corresponding repeated number of times; and supplying said plurality of lots held in said buffering step to said shops according to the order determined by said determining step.

Claim 35

Dependent Claim 136 words

A production method comprising the steps of: transporting lots between at least two shops each of said shops having a plurality of processing equipment for processing said lots; buffering by temporarily holding a plurality of said lots to be transported in the transporting step; identifying a kind of said lots; determining an order of said lots which is processed through said shops a repeated number of times, and which is held in said buffering step in accordance with i) an identification resulting from said identification step, and ii) an inventory quantity of a lot to be processed next through one of said at least two shops a corresponding repeated number of times; and supplying said plurality of lots held in said buffering step to said processing means according to the order determined by said determining step.

Claim 36

Dependent Claim 136 words

A production method comprising the steps of: transporting lots between at least two shops each of said shops having a plurality of processing equipment for processing said lots; buffering by temporarily holding a plurality of said lots to be transported in the transporting step; identifying a kind of said lots; determining an order of said lots which is processed through said shops a repeated number of times, and which is held in said buffering step in accordance with i) an identification resulting from said identification step, and ii) an inventory quantity of a lot to be processed next through one of said at least two shops a corresponding repeated number of times; and supplying said plurality of lots held in said buffering step to said processing means according to the order determined by said determining step.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	1995-11-17	1996-05-18	1996-11-17	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	1999-11-17	2000-05-18	2000-11-17	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	2003-11-17	2004-05-18	2004-11-17	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

Production system with order of processing determination

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