Patents by Inventor Edward P Higgins

Edward P Higgins has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Manufacturing management using tool operating data
    Patent number: 8634949
    Abstract: A solution for managing a manufacturing environment using operating data for each of a plurality of tools in the manufacturing environment. The operating data can include actual resource consumption data and/or actual exhaust generation data for a tool while the tool implements at least a portion of a recipe to manufacture one of a plurality of types of products manufactured in the manufacturing environment. Operation of the manufacturing environment can be configured to optimize one or more aspects of resource consumption and/or exhaust generation during the manufacture of desired quantities of the plurality of types of products within a desired time frame using the operating data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 20, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 21, 2014
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Brian C. Barker, Edward P. Higgins, Richard L. Kleinhenz, Gary R. Moore, Mark L. Reath, Justin W. Wong, Horst Zisgen
  • Manufacturing Management Using Tool Operating Data
    Publication number: 20110288668
    Abstract: A solution for managing a manufacturing environment using operating data for each of a plurality of tools in the manufacturing environment. The operating data can include actual resource consumption data and/or actual exhaust generation data for a tool while the tool implements at least a portion of a recipe to manufacture one of a plurality of types of products manufactured in the manufacturing environment. Operation of the manufacturing environment can be configured to optimize one or more aspects of resource consumption and/or exhaust generation during the manufacture of desired quantities of the plurality of types of products within a desired time frame using the operating data.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 20, 2010
    Publication date: November 24, 2011
    Applicant: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Brian C. Barker, Edward P. Higgins, Richard L. Kleinhenz, Gary R. Moore, Mark L. Reath, Justin W. Wong, Horst Zisgen
  • In situ monitoring of wafer charge distribution in plasma processing
    Patent number: 7864502
    Abstract: A processing system and method. The processing system includes a processing tool, an electrostatic chuck (ESC) arranged within the processing tool, and a system that at least one of detects at least one of an ESC bias spike and an ESC current spike of the ESC and determines when an ESC bias voltage is zero or exceeds a threshold value. The method includes at least one of detecting at least one of an ESC bias spike and an ESC current spike of the ESC, and determining when an ESC bias voltage is zero or exceeds a threshold value. The system and method can be used in real time ESC and plasma processing diagnostics to minimize yield loss and wafer scrap.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 15, 2007
    Date of Patent: January 4, 2011
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Kevin M Boyd, James A Gallo, Edward P Higgins, Mark L Reath, Barbara L Shiffler, Justin Wong
  • IN SITU MONITORING OF WAFER CHARGE DISTRIBUTION IN PLASMA PROCESSING
    Publication number: 20080285202
    Abstract: A processing system and method. The processing system includes a processing tool, an electrostatic chuck (ESC) arranged within the processing tool, and a system that at least one of detects at least one of an ESC bias spike and an ESC current spike of the ESC and determines when an ESC bias voltage is zero or exceeds a threshold value. The method includes at least one of detecting at least one of an ESC bias spike and an ESC current spike of the ESC, and determining when an ESC bias voltage is zero or exceeds a threshold value. The system and method can be used in real time ESC and plasma processing diagnostics to minimize yield loss and wafer scrap.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 15, 2007
    Publication date: November 20, 2008
    Applicant: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: KEVIN M. BOYD, JAMES A. GALLO, EDWARD P. HIGGINS, MARK L. REATH, BARBARA L. SHIFFLER, JUSTIN WONG