Abstract: A method and apparatus for scheduling appointments in a manufacturing process flow are disclosed. The method and apparatus include a number of aspects including appointments in which processing windows float within commitment windows; appointments in which the processing windows include consumption and processing intervals and in which the processing windows can overlap with the processing interval of other appointments; the use of different kinds of calendars including different types of appointments maintained in a variety of states; a calendaring system in which appointments are constrained by the implicit constraints not represented by booked appointments as well as the explicit constraints represented by booked appointments; calendar manipulation techniques used in managing the calendars; and corresponding appointments maintained over multiple calendars in a synchronized manner.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for use in an automated manufacturing environment are disclosed. The method includes autonomously scheduling a consumer manufacturing domain entity for the consumption of services provided by a plurality of provider manufacturing domain entities in an automated process flow; and constraining the autonomous scheduling to lessen queue time violations in the process flow. The apparatus includes a program storage medium encoded with instructions that, when executed by a computing device, performs such a method; a computing apparatus programmed to perform such a method, and an automated process flow implementing such a method.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for scheduling ahead in a process flow for a manufacturing domain entity are disclosed. The method includes detecting an occurrence of a triggering event defined for a current process operation on the manufacturing domain entity; and scheduling the target process operation upon expiration of a timed offset from the detection of the triggering event responsive to the detection thereof, the timed offset being defined for the target process operation scheduling. In various aspects, the apparatus includes a program storage medium encoded with instructions that, when executed by a computing device, perform such a method and a computer programmed to perform such a method. In still other aspects, the apparatus includes a process flow implementing such a method.

Abstract: The invention is a technique by which a manufacturing process flow determines when to begin processing a batch of lots. The invention includes a method for determining whether to begin processing a batch in one aspect and a manufacturing process flow in a second aspect. The method comprises: ascertaining a respective time at which each of a plurality of additional lots will be received into the batch, the batch including a plurality of present lots; assessing a cost for a machine, each additional lot, and each present lot for each respective time at which each additional lot will be received should the machine begin processing the batch at the respective time; and determining the respective time at which the total cost borne by the machine, each additional lot, and each present lot will be at a minimum.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for scheduling in an automated manufacturing environment, comprising are disclosed. The method includes detecting an occurrence of a predetermined event in a process flow; notifying a software scheduling agent of the occurrence; and reactively scheduling an action from the software scheduling agent responsive to the detection of the predetermined event. The apparatus is automated manufacturing environment including a process flow and a computing system. The computing system further includes a plurality of software scheduling agents residing thereon, the software scheduling agents being capable of reactively scheduling appointments for activities in the process flow responsive to a plurality of predetermined events.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for scheduling in an automated manufacturing environment, comprising are disclosed. The method includes detecting an occurrence of a predetermined event in a process flow; notifying a software scheduling agent of the occurrence; and reactively scheduling an action from the software scheduling agent responsive to the detection of the predetermined event. The apparatus is automated manufacturing environment including a process flow and a computing system. The computing system further includes a plurality of software scheduling agents residing thereon, the software scheduling agents being capable of reactively scheduling appointments for activities in the process flow responsive to a plurality of predetermined events.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for scheduling in an automated manufacturing environment, comprising are disclosed. The method includes detecting an occurrence of a predetermined event in a process flow; notifying a software scheduling agent of the occurrence; and reactively scheduling an action from the software scheduling agent responsive to the detection of the predetermined event. The apparatus is automated manufacturing environment including a process flow and a computing system. The computing system further includes a plurality of software scheduling agents residing thereon, the software scheduling agents being capable of reactively scheduling appointments for activities in the process flow responsive to a plurality of predetermined events.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for scheduling in an automated manufacturing environment, comprising are disclosed. The method includes detecting an occurrence of a predetermined event in a process flow; notifying a software scheduling agent of the occurrence; and reactively scheduling an action from the software scheduling agent responsive to the detection of the predetermined event. The apparatus is automated manufacturing environment including a process flow and a computing system. The computing system further includes a plurality of software scheduling agents residing thereon, the software scheduling agents being capable of reactively scheduling appointments for activities in the process flow responsive to a plurality of predetermined events.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for implementing an automated processing environment employing specialized, autonomous, active software agents are disclosed. The software agents are specialized by the type of entity they represent and the function they perform in the process flow. The apparatus includes a process flow comprising a plurality of manufacturing domain entities and a plurality of such software agents for scheduling a first subset of the manufacturing domain entities for consuming the process resources provided by a second subset of the manufacturing domain entities. The method includes instantiating such software agents and then permitting them to operate as programmed.