Abstract: A system and method of allocating a job submission for a computational task to a set of distributed server farms each having at least one processing entity comprising; receiving a workload request from at least one processing entity for submission to at least one of the set of distributed server farms; using at least one or more conditions associated with the computational task for accepting or rejecting at least one of the server farms to which the job submission is to be allocated; determining a server farm that can optimize the one or more conditions; and dispatching the job submission to the server farm which optimizes the at least one of the one or more conditions associated with the computational task and used for selecting the at least one of the server farms.

Abstract: Approximating cycle times within a material flow network is disclosed. One embodiment includes assigning an approximate cycle time for completion of a part number PN within the material flow network by using a model that rounds the approximate cycle time to a nearest aggregate time period and adjusting the assigned approximate cycle time based on a mathematical function representing an aggregate accuracy of an aggregation of cycle times throughout the material flow network.

Abstract: A method and computer program product for scheduling product lots through operations of a manufacturing line. The method including: selecting a set of sequential operations required to manufacture the lots; partitioning the product lots into designated lots and non-designated lots; and generating a release schedule for each of the non-designated lots into one or more operations of the set of sequential operations; generating a release schedule for each of the designated lots into each operation of set of sequential operations such that for each designated lot a total amount of time measured from completion of a first operation of the set of sequential operations through start of a last operation of the set of sequential operations does not exceed a target amount of time for the designated lots.

Abstract: A method, system, and program storage device for implementing the method of controlling a manufacturing system, wherein the method comprises providing a plurality of workpieces to be processed on a processing tool, the plurality of workpieces located at processing stations prior to the processing tool, determining auxiliary equipment allocation needs for the processing tool based on characteristics associated with the plurality of workpieces prior to the workpieces arriving at the processing tool, and sending auxiliary equipment to the processing tool based on the allocation needs prior to the workpieces arriving at the processing tool. According to an embodiment of the invention, the processing tool comprises a photolithographic system, the auxiliary equipment comprises a reticle, and the plurality of workpieces comprise semiconductor substrates.

Abstract: A system and method of allocating a job submission for a computational task to a set of distributed server farms each having at least one processing entity comprising; receiving a workload request from at least one processing entity for submission to at least one of the set of distributed server farms; using at least one or more conditions associated with the computational task for accepting or rejecting at least one of the server farms to which the job submission is to be allocated; determining a server farm that can optimize the one or more conditions; and dispatching the job submission to the server farm which optimizes the at least one of the one or more conditions associated with the computational task and used for selecting the at least one of the server farms.

Abstract: Approximating cycle times within a material flow network is disclosed. One embodiment includes assigning an approximate cycle time for completion of a part number PN within the material flow network by using a model that rounds the approximate cycle time to a nearest aggregate time period and adjusting the assigned approximate cycle time based on a mathematical function representing an aggregate accuracy of an aggregation of cycle times throughout the material flow network.

Abstract: A method and computer program product for scheduling product lots through operations of a manufacturing line. The method including: selecting a set of sequential operations required to manufacture the lots; partitioning the product lots into designated lots and non-designated lots; and generating a release schedule for each of the non-designated lots into one or more operations of the set of sequential operations; generating a release schedule for each of the designated lots into each operation of set of sequential operations such that for each designated lot a total amount of time measured from completion of a first operation of the set of sequential operations through start of a last operation of the set of sequential operations does not exceed a target amount of time for the designated lots.

Abstract: A method and computer program product for scheduling product lots through operations of a manufacturing line. The method including: selecting a sequential subset of a set of sequential operations required to manufacture the lots; partitioning the product lots into designated lots and non-designated lots; and generating a release schedule for each of the non-designated lots into one or more operations of the sequential subset of the set of sequential operations; generating a release schedule for each of the designated lots into each operation of the sequential subset of the set of sequential operations such that for each designated lot a total amount of time measured from completion of a first operation of the sequential subset of the set of sequential operations through start of a last operation of the sequential subset of the set of sequential operations does not exceed a target amount of time for the designated lots.

Abstract: The invention disclosed here is a method for achieving simultaneous consideration of multiple independent dates associated with a single demand. The method iterates through the demands to match the demands with the supply quantities respecting demand priorities which vary over time and demand quantities which may perish over time. One embodiment of the invention allocates demand to supply through an iterative process beginning with earlier demand requirement dates and concluding with later demands which may preempt supply from earlier demands depending upon their relative priorities. An additional embodiment transforms the demands to create multiple demand records, each having an associated priority, such that a single original demand record is transformed into a plurality of related demand records, each having an associated priority. The component supply quantities are accumulated into period ending inventories.

Abstract: A method, system, and program storage device for implementing the method of controlling a manufacturing system, wherein the method comprises providing a plurality of workpieces to be processed on a processing tool, the plurality of workpieces located at processing stations prior to the processing tool, determining auxiliary equipment allocation needs for the processing tool based on characteristics associated with the plurality of workpieces prior to the workpieces arriving at the processing tool, and sending auxiliary equipment to the processing tool based on the allocation needs prior to the workpieces arriving at the processing tool. According to an embodiment of the invention, the processing tool comprises a photolithographic system, the auxiliary equipment comprises a reticle, and the plurality of workpieces comprise semiconductor substrates.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method, system, and computer program product for improved flow of development lots in a manufacturing facility. A method in accordance to one embodiment of the present invention comprises: establishing at least one target for processing of a set of development lots in the manufacturing facility; monitoring a progress of the set of development lots in the manufacturing facility; comparing the progress of the set of development lots against the at least one target; establishing at least one suggested action for the set of development lots if the progress of the set of development lots deviates from the at least one target; and deciding which development lots in the set of development lots to assign to at least one tool in the manufacturing facility, wherein the at least one suggested action is incorporated into the assignment decision.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method, system, and computer program product for controlling the flow of material in a manufacturing facility using an extended zone of control. A method in accordance to an embodiment of the present invention comprises establishing an extended zone of control including a high impact tool set and at least one other tool set, analyzing projected job arrivals at the high impact tool set, and adjusting a flow of material between the high impact tool set and the at least one other tool set based on the analysis of projected job arrivals at the high impact tool set.

Abstract: A method, system, and program storage device for implementing the method of controlling a manufacturing system, wherein the method comprises providing a plurality of workpieces to be processed on a processing tool, the plurality of workpieces located at processing stations prior to the processing tool, determining auxiliary equipment allocation needs for the processing tool based on characteristics associated with the plurality of workpieces prior to the workpieces arriving at the processing tool, and sending auxiliary equipment to the processing tool based on the allocation needs prior to the workpieces arriving at the processing tool. According to an embodiment of the invention, the processing tool comprises a photolithographic system, the auxiliary equipment comprises a reticle, and the plurality of workpieces comprise semiconductor substrates.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method, system, and computer program product for improved flow of development lots in a manufacturing facility. A method in accordance to one embodiment of the present invention comprises: establishing at least one target for processing of a set of development lots in the manufacturing facility; monitoring a progress of the set of development lots in the manufacturing facility; comparing the progress of the set of development lots against the at least one target; establishing at least one suggested action for the set of development lots if the progress of the set of development lots deviates from the at least one target; and deciding which development lots in the set of development lots to assign to at least one tool in the manufacturing facility, wherein the at least one suggested action is incorporated into the assignment decision.

Abstract: A method and computer program product for scheduling product lots through operations of a manufacturing line. The method including: selecting a sequential subset of a set of sequential operations required to manufacture the lots; partitioning the product lots into designated lots and non-designated lots; and generating a release schedule for each of the non-designated lots into one or more operations of the sequential subset of the set of sequential operations; generating a release schedule for each of the designated lots into each operation of the sequential subset of the set of sequential operations such that for each designated lot a total amount of time measured from completion of a first operation of the sequential subset of the set of sequential operations through start of a last operation of the sequential subset of the set of sequential operations does not exceed a target amount of time for the designated lots.

Abstract: The invention disclosed here is a method for isolating improvement opportunities based upon linear programming output. In particular, the invention allows the user to select variables and automatically connects those variables to their indirect variables and equations.

Abstract: A method, system, and program storage device for implementing the method of controlling a manufacturing system, wherein the method comprises providing a plurality of workpieces to be processed on a processing tool, the plurality of workpieces located at processing stations prior to the processing tool, determining auxiliary equipment allocation needs for the processing tool based on characteristics associated with the plurality of workpieces prior to the workpieces arriving at the processing tool, and sending auxiliary equipment to the processing tool based on the allocation needs prior to the workpieces arriving at the processing tool. According to an embodiment of the invention, the processing tool comprises a photolithographic system, the auxiliary equipment comprises a reticle, and the plurality of workpieces comprise semiconductor substrates.