Daily target generation and machine allocation with priority

Claim 3

A method in accordance with claim 1 including the steps of as follows: determining the push target, wherein said push target is determined by computer using the equation as follows: Push-Target.sub.j =max(0, wip.sub.j +flow.sub.-- in.sub.j -std.sub.-- wip.sub.j); for j=1, . . . J (1) where: flow -- in 1 =r o (wafer release) and flow -- in j+1 =Target j (n-1); for j=1, . . . J-1 and the superscript index (n-1) refers to the previous iteration, and determining the pull target, wherein said pull target is determined by computer using the equation as follows: Pull-Target.sub.j =max(0, flow.sub.-- out.sub.j+i +std.sub.-- wip.sub.j+1 -wip.sub.j+i) for j=J-1, . . . 1 where: flow -- out j =d j (demand for output wafers for the day), and flow -- out j =Target j (n-1); for j=J, . . . 2 and the superscript index (n-1) refers to the previous iteration.

Claim 4

A method in accordance with claim 2 including determining the upper bound target by computer using the equation as follows: UB.sub.-- target.sub.j =max (Pull-Target.sub.j, Push-Target.sub.j).

Claim 5

A method in accordance with claim 2 including the steps as follows: iterating the TG&MA -- PR method comprising: Step 1. Prioritize Lots High Priority Lot: priority "1" in database management system Low Priority Lot: priority "2", "3", "4", "5" in database management system, Step 2. Calculate Upper -- Bound Target by technology, stage and priority, Step 3. Apply TG&MA -- PR to high priority lots, Step 4. Apply TG&MA -- PR to low priority lots using residual machine capacity, Step 5. Apply SOPEA -- PR to Compute Stages of penetration Flow-In, and Step 6. Iterate from step 2 to step 5.

Claim 6

A method in accordance with claim 3 including the steps of determining capacity constraint and machine allocation by computer, as follows: applying UB-Target to high priority lots (having a higher priority of "1" in database management system), applying UB-Target to low priority lots (having lesser priorities of "2", "3", "4", "5" in a database management system) using the residual machine capacity, considering a stage j, let the set S be the collection of stages competing for machine group Mj, ##EQU9## Otherwise the number of machines allocated to stage j in a day is ##EQU10## Targetj=TGT.sub.HPL +TGT.sub.LPL where TGT HPL : Target for high priority lots TGT LPL : Target for low priority lots.

Claim 7

A method in accordance with claim 3 including the steps as follows: iterating the TG&MA -- PR method comprising: Step 1. Prioritize Lots High Priority Lot: priority "1" in database management system Low Priority Lot: priority "2", "3", "4", "5" in database management system, Step 2. Calculate Upper -- Bound Target by technology, stage and priority, Step 3. Apply TG&MA -- PR to high priority lots, Step 4. Apply TG&MA -- PR to low priority lots using residual machine capacity, Step 5. Apply SOPEA -- PR to Compute Stages of penetration Flow-In, and Step 6. Iterate from step 2 to step 5.

Claim 8

A method in accordance with claim 3 including the steps as follows: applying UB-Target to high priority lots (having a higher priority of "1" in database management system), applying UB-Target to low priority lots (having lesser priorities of "2", "3", "4", "5" in a database management system) using the residual machine capacity, considering a stage j, let the set S be the collection of stages competing for machine group Mj, ##EQU11## otherwise the number of machines allocated to stage j in a day is ##EQU12## Targetj =TGT.sub.HPL +TGT.sub.LPL where TGT HPL : Target for high priority lots TGT LPL : Target for low priority lots, given the stages of penetration of each stage in the line, identify the up-stream stages whose Work in Process (WIP) may flow into each stage j within the day; then sum up WIPs of stage j and its upstream stages as an estimate of the WIP penetration limit for the stage which the daily target of stage j should not exceed; so, all targets (Target j; j=1 . . . J) are then modified; and w j : WIP level for type-i at stage j; Cj: machine capacity i terms of number of machines allocated to process type-i wafers at stage j during a day; τj: processing time (in hours) for type-i at stage j; t jk: time, needed for all the wafers for type i at stage j to be completed at stage k, k>j, and executing SOPEA.

Claim 9

A method in accordance with claim 5 including the steps of limiting stages of penetration as determined by said computer, as follows: given the stages of penetration of each stage in the line, identify the up-stream stages whose Work in Process (WIP) may flow into each stage j within the day; then sum up WIPs of stage j and its upstream stages as an estimate of the WIP penetration limit for the stage which the daily target of stage j should not exceed; so, all targets (Target j; j=1 . . . J) are then modified; and w j : WIP level for type-i at stage j; Cj: machine capacity in terms of number of machines allocated to process type-i wafers at stage j during a day; τj: processing time (in hours) for type-i at stage j; t jk: time, needed for all the wafers for type i at stage j to be completed at stage k, k>j.

Claim 10

A method in accordance with claim 5 including the steps as follows: iterating the TG&MA -- PR method comprising: Step 1. Prioritize Lots High Priority Lot: priority "1" in database management system Low Priority Lot: priority "2", "3", "4", "5" in database management system, Step 2. Calculate Upper -- Bound Target by technology, stage and priority, Step 3. Apply TG&MA -- PR to high priority lots, Step 4. Apply TG&MA -- PR to low priority lots using residual machine capacity, Step 5. Apply SOPEA -- PR to Compute Stages of penetration Flow-In, and Step 6. Iterate from step 2 to step 5.

Claim 11

A method in accordance with claim 8 including the steps as follows: iterating the TG&MA -- PR method comprising: Step 1. Prioritize Lots High Priority Lot: priority "1" in database management system Low Priority Lot: priority "2", "3", "4", "5" in database management system, Step 2. Calculate Upper -- Bound Target by technology, stage and priority, Step 3. Apply TG&MA -- PR to high priority lots, Step 4. Apply TG&MA -- PR to low priority lots using residual machine capacity, Step 5. Apply SOPEA -- PR to Compute Stages of penetration Flow-In, and Step 6. Iterate from step 2 to step 5.

Claim 12

A data processing system including a data base computer system and a resource allocation computer for control of resource allocation in a manufacturing plant with a manufacturing line comprising a plurality of stages with manufacturing machines, the resource allocation computer including data storage means, the system includes as follows: means for deriving data from the data storage means and computing the targets for each of the stages stage; means for obtaining machine capacity data from the data storage means and employing the machine capacity data for allocating machine capacity proportionally and adjusting targets; means for adding limits to stages of penetration and adjusting targets; means for determining residual capacity and allocating the residual capacity of the manufacturing machines; and means for checking the convergence of targets and machine allocation until convergence is achieved, means for determining the push target, means for determining the pull target, means for determining the upper bound target, means for determining the capacity constraint and machine allocation, limiting the stages of penetration, iterating the Target Generation and Machine Allocation and PRiority (TG&MA PR), and executing the Stages Of PEnetrAtion (SOPEA) method.

Claim 13

A data processing system including a data base computer system and a resource allocation computer for control of resource allocation in a manufacturing plant with a manufacturing line comprising a plurality of stages with manufacturing machines, the resource allocation computer including data storage means, the system includes as follows: means for deriving data from the data storage means and computing the targets for each of the stages stage; means for obtaining machine capacity data from the data storage means and employing the machine capacity data for allocating machine capacity proportionally and adjusting targets; means for adding limits to stages of penetration and adjusting targets; means for determining residual capacity and allocating the residual capacity of the manufacturing machines; and means for checking the convergence of targets and machine allocation until convergence is achieved, means for determining the push target, means for determining the pull target, means for determining the upper bound target, means for determining the capacity constraint and machine allocation, limiting the stages of penetration, iterating the Target Generation and Machine Allocation and PRiority (TG&MA PR), and executing the Stages Of PEnetrAtion (SOPEA) method.

Claim 14

A system in accordance with claim 11 including the steps of as follows: means for determining the push target, wherein said push target is determined by computer using the equation as follows: Push-Target.sub.j =max(0, wip.sub.j +flow.sub.-- in.sub.j -std.sub.-- wip.sub.j); for j=1, . . . J (1) where: flow -- in 1 =r o (wafer release) and flow -- in j+1 =Target j (n-1); for j=1, . . . J-1 and the superscript index (n-1) refers to the previous iteration, and means for determining the pull target, wherein said pull target is determined by computer using the equation as follows: Pull-Target.sub.j =max(0, flow.sub.-- out.sub.j+i +std.sub.-- wip.sub.j+1 -wip.sub.j+i) for j=J-1, . . . 1 where: flow -- out j =d j (demand for output wafers for the day), and flow -- out j =Target j (n-1); for j=J, . . . 2 and the superscript index (n-1) refers to the previous iteration.

Claim 15

A system in accordance with claim 12 including means for determining the upper bound target by computer using the equation as follows: UB.sub.-- target.sub.j =max (Pull-Target.sub.j, Push-Target.sub.j).

Claim 16

A system in accordance with claim 12 including means for iterating TG&M -- PR comprising: Step 1. Prioritize Lots High Priority Lot: priority "1" in database management system Low Priority Lot: priority "2", "3", "4", "5" in database management system, Step 2. Calculate Upper -- Bound Target by technology, stage and priority, Step 3. Apply TG&MA -- PR to high priority lots, Step 4. Apply TG&MA -- PR to low priority lots using residual machine capacity, Step 5. Apply SOPEA -- PR to Compute Stages of penetration Flow-In, and Step 6. Iterate from step 2 to step 5.

Claim 17

A system in accordance with claim 13 including means for determining capacity constraint and machine allocation by computer, as follows: means for applying UB-Target to high priority lots (having a higher priority of "1" in database management system), means for applying UB-Target to low priority lots (having lesser priorities of "2", "3", "4", "5" in a database management system) using the residual machine capacity, considering a stage j, let the set S be the collection of stages competing for machine group Mj, ##EQU13## otherwise the number of machines allocated to stage j in a day is ##EQU14## Targetj=TGT.sub.HPL +TGT.sub.LPL where TGT HPL : Target for high priority lots TGT LPL :Target for low priority lots.

Claim 18

A system in accordance with claim 13 including means for iterating the TG&MA -- PR performing the steps comprising: Step 1. Prioritize Lots High Priority Lot: priority "1" in database management system Low Priority Lot: priority "2", "3", "4", "5" in database management system, Step 2. Calculate Upper -- Bound Target by technology, stage and priority, Step 3. Apply TG&MA -- PR to high priority lots, Step 4. Apply TG&MA -- PR to low priority lots using residual machine capacity, Step 5. Apply SOPEA -- PR to Compute Stages of penetration Flow-In, and Step 6. Iterate from step 2 to step 5.

Claim 19

A system in accordance with claim 13 including the steps as follows: means for applying UB-Target to high priority lots (having a higher priority of "1" in database management system), means for applying UB-Target to low priority lots (having lesser priorities of "2", "3", "4", "5" in a database management system) using the residual machine capacity, considering a stage j, let the set S be the collection of stages competing for machine group Mj, ##EQU15## otherwise the number of machines allocated to stage j in a day is ##EQU16## Targetj=TGT.sub.HPL +TGT.sub.LPL where TGT HPL : Target for high priority lots TGT LPL : Target for low priority lots, given the stages of penetration of each stage in the line, identify the up-stream stages whose Work in Process (WIP) may flow into each stage j within the day; then sum up WIPs of stage j and its upstream stages as an estimate of the WIP penetration limit for the stage which the daily target of stage j should not exceed; so, all targets (Target j; j=1 . . . J) are then modified; and w j : WIP level for type-i at stage j; Cj: machine capacity in terms of number of machines allocated to process type-i wafers at stage j during a day. τj: processing time (in hours) for type-i at stage j; t jk: time, needed for all the wafers for type i at stage j to be completed at stage k, k>j, and executing SOPEA.

Claim 20

A method in accordance with claim 17 including the steps as follows: iterating the TG&MA -- PR method comprising: Step 1. Prioritize Lots High Priority Lot: priority "1" in database management system Low Priority Lot: priority "2", "3", "4", "5" in database management system, Step 2. Calculate Upper -- Bound Target by technology, stage and priority, Step 3. Apply TG&MA -- PR to high priority lots, Step 4. Apply TG&MA -- PR to low priority lots using residual machine capacity, Step 5. Apply SOPEA -- PR to Compute Stages of penetration Flow-In, and Step 6. Iterate from step 2 to step 5.

Claim 21

A system in accordance with claim 15 including means for limiting stages of penetration as determined by said computer, as follows: given the stages of penetration of each stage in the line, means for identifying the up-stream stages whose Work in Process (WIP) may flow into each stage j within the day; means for summing up WIPs of stage j and its up-stream stages as an estimate of the WIP penetration limit for the stage which the daily target of stage j should not exceed; so, all targets (Target j; j=1 . . . J) are then modified; and w j : WIP level for type-i at stage j; Cj: machine capacity in terms of number of machines allocated to process type-i wafers at stagej during a day; τj: processing time (in hours) for type-i at stage j; t jk: time, needed for all the wafers for type i at stage j to be completed at stage k, k>j.

Claim 22

A system in accordance with claim 15 including means for iterating the TG&MA -- PR method comprising: Step 1. Prioritize Lots High Priority Lot: priority "1" in database management system Low Priority Lot: priority "2", "3", "4", "5" in database management system, Step 2. Calculate Upper -- Bound Target by technology, stage and priority, Step 3. Apply TG&MA -- PR to high priority lots, Step 4. Apply TG&MA -- PR to low priority lots using residual machine capacity, Step 5. Apply SOPEA -- PR to Compute Stages of penetration Flow-In, and Step 6. Iterate from step 2 to step 5.

Claim 23

A system in accordance with claim 19 including the steps as follows: means for iterating the TG&MA -- PR performing the steps comprising: Step 1. Prioritize Lots High Priority Lot: priority "1" in database management system Low Priority Lot: priority "2", "3", "4", "5" in database management system, Step 2. Calculate Upper -- Bound Target by technology, stage and priority, Step 3. Apply TG&MA -- PR to high priority lots, Step 4. Apply TG&MA -- PR to low priority lots using residual machine capacity, Step 5. Apply SOPEA -- PR to Compute Stages of penetration Flow-In, and Step 6. Iterate from step 2 to step 5.

Claim 24

A computer implemented method for control of resource allocation on a manufacturing line comprising a plurality of stages of manufacturing machines, the method including the steps as follows: determining the targets for each of the stages; obtaining machine capacity data and employing the machine capacity data for allocating machine capacity proportionally and adjusting the targets; adding limits to stages of penetration and adjusting the targets; determining residual capacity and allocating the residual capacity of the manufacturing machines; checking the convergence of targets and machine allocation until convergence is achieved, determining the push target, determining the pull target, determining the upper bound target, determining the capacity constraint and machine allocation, limiting the stages of penetration, iterating the Target Generation and Machine Allocation and PRiority (TG&MA PR), and executing the Stages Of PEnetrAtion (SOPEA) method.

Claim 25

A computer implemented method for control of resource allocation on a manufacturing line comprising a plurality of stages of manufacturing machines, the method including the steps as follows: determining the targets for each of the stages; obtaining machine capacity data and employing the machine capacity data for allocating machine capacity proportionally and adjusting the targets; adding limits to stages of penetration and adjusting the targets; determining residual capacity and allocating the residual capacity of the manufacturing machines; checking the convergence of targets and machine allocation until convergence is achieved, determining the push target, determining the pull target, determining the upper bound target, determining the capacity constraint and machine allocation, limiting the stages of penetration, iterating the Target Generation and Machine Allocation and PRiority (TG&MA PR), and executing the Stages Of PEnetrAtion (SOPEA) method.

Claim 26

A method in accordance with claim 22 including the steps of as follows: determining the push target, wherein said push target is determined by computer using the equation as follows: Push-Target.sub.j =max(0, wip.sub.j +flow.sub.-- in.sub.j -std.sub.-- wip.sub.j); for j=1, . . . J (1) where: flow -- in 1 =r o (wafer release) and flow -- in j+1 =Target j (n-1); for j=1, . . . J-1 and the superscript index (n-1) refers to the previous iteration, and determining the pull target, wherein said pull target is determined by computer using the equation as follows: Pull-Target.sub.j =max(0, flow.sub.-- out.sub.j+i +std.sub.-- wip.sub.j+1 -wip.sub.j+i) for j=J-1, . . . 1 where: flow -- out j =d j (demand for output wafers for the day), and flow -- out j =Target j (n-1); for j=J, . . . 2 and the superscript index (n-1) refers to the previous iteration.

Claim 27

A method in accordance with claim 23 including determining the upper bound target by computer using the equation as follows: UB.sub.-- target.sub.j =max (Pull-Target.sub.j, Push-Target.sub.j). 25.

Claim 28

A method in accordance with claim 24 including the steps of determining capacity constraint and machine allocation by computer, as follows: applying UB-Target to high priority lots (having a higher priority of "1" in database management system), applying UB-Target to low priority lots (having lesser priorities of "2", "3", "4", "5" in a database management system) using the residual machine capacity, considering a stage j, let the set S be the collection of stages competing for machine group Mj, ##EQU17## Otherwise the number of machines allocated to stage j in a day is ##EQU18## Targetj=TGT.sub.HPL +TGT.sub.LPL where TGT HLP : Target for high priority lots TGT LPL : Target for low priority lots.

Claim 29

A method in accordance with claim 24 including the steps as follows: iterating the TG&MA -- PR method comprising: Step 1. Prioritize Lots High Priority Lot: priority "1" in database management system Low Priority Lot: priority "2", "3", "4", "5" in database management system, Step 2. Calculate Upper -- Bound Target by technology, stage and priority, Step 3. Apply TG&MA -- PR to high priority lots, Step 4. Apply TG&MA -- PR to low priority lots using residual machine capacity, Step 5. Apply SOPEA -- PR to Compute Stages of penetration Flow-In, and Step 6. Iterate from step 2 to step 5.

Claim 30

A method in accordance with claim 25 including the steps of limiting stages of penetration as determined by said computer, as follows: given the stages of penetration of each stage in the line, identify the up-stream stages whose Work in Process (WIP) may flow into each stage j within the day; then sum up WIPs of stage j and its upstream stages as an estimate of the WIP penetration limit for the stage which the daily target of stage j should not exceed; so, all targets (Target j; j=1 . . . J) are then modified; and w j : WIP level for type-i at stage j; Cj: machine capacity in terms of number of machines allocated to process type-i wafers at stage j during a day. τj: processing time (in hours) for type-i at stage j; t jk: time, needed for all the wafers for type i at stage j to be completed at stage k, k>j.

Claim 31

A method in accordance with claim 25 including the steps as follows: iterating the TG&MA -- PR method comprising: Step 1. Prioritize Lots High Priority Lot: priority "1" in database management system Low Priority Lot: priority "2", "3", "4", "5" in database management system, Step 2. Calculate Upper -- Bound Target by technology, stage and priority, Step 3. Apply TG&MA -- PR to high priority lots, Step 4. Apply TG&MA -- PR to low priority lots using residual machine capacity, Step 5. Apply SOPEA -- PR to Compute Stages of penetration Flow-In, and Step 6. Iterate from step 2 to step 5.

Claim 32

A method in accordance with claim 27 including the steps as follows: iterating the TG&MA -- PR method comprising: Step 1. Prioritize Lots High Priority Lot: priority "1" in database management system Low Priority Lot: priority "2", "3", "4", "5" in database management system, Step 2. Calculate Upper -- Bound Target by technology, stage and priority, Step 3. Apply TG&MA -- PR to high priority lots, Step 4. Apply TG&MA -- PR to low priority lots using residual machine capacity, Step 5. Apply SOPEA -- PR to Compute Stages of penetration Flow-In, and Step 6. Iterate from step 2 to step 5.

Claim 33

A method in accordance with claim 27 including the steps as follows: applying UB-Target to high priority lots (having a higher priority of "1" in database management system), applying UB-Target to low priority lots (having lesser priorities of "2", "3", "4", "5" in a database management system) using the residual machine capacity, considering a stage j, let the set S be the collection of stages competing for machine group Mj, ##EQU19## otherwise the number of machines allocated to stage j in a day is ##EQU20## Targetj=TGT.sub.HPL +TGT.sub.LPL where TGT HPL : Target for high priority lots TGT LPL : Target for low priority lots, given the stages of penetration of each stage in the line, identify the up-stream stages whose Work in Process (WIP) may flow into each stage j within the day; then sum up WIPs of stage j and its upstream stages as an estimate of the WIP penetration limit for the stage which the daily target of stage j should not exceed; so, all targets (Target j; j=1 . . . J) are then modified; and w j : WIP level for type-i at stage j; Cj: machine capacity in terms of number of machines allocated to process type-i wafers at stagej during a day; τj :processing time (in hours) for type-i at stage j; t jk: time, needed for all the wafers for type i at stage j to be completed at stage k, k>j, and executing SOPEA.