Patents by Inventor James E Willis

James E Willis 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).

  • Publication number: 20240095060
    Abstract: Systems and methods are taught for providing customers of a cloud computing service to control when updates affect the services provided to the customers. Because multiple customers share the cloud's infrastructure, each customer may have conflicting preferences for when an update and associated downtime occurs. Preventing and resolving conflicts between the preferences of multiple customers while providing them with input for scheduling a planned update may reduce the inconvenience posed by updates. Additionally, the schedule for the update may be transmitted to customers so that they can prepare for the downtime of services associated with the update.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 28, 2023
    Publication date: March 21, 2024
    Applicant: Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC
    Inventors: Jiaxing ZHANG, Thomas MOSCIBRODA, Haoran WANG, Jurgen Aubrey WILLIS, Yang CHEN, Ying YAN, James E. JOHNSON, Ajay MANI
  • Patent number: 7763404
    Abstract: The present invention provides methods and system for improving the accuracy of measurements made using optical metrology. The present invention relates to methods and systems for changing the optical properties of tunable resists that can be used in the production of electronic devices such as integrated circuits. Further, the invention provides methods and systems for using a modifiable resist layer that provides a first set of optical properties before exposure and a second set of optical properties after exposure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2006
    Date of Patent: July 27, 2010
    Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventors: James E. Willis, Manuel Perez, Asao Yamashita
  • Patent number: 7555395
    Abstract: The present invention provides methods and system for improving the accuracy of measurements made using optical metrology. The present invention relates to methods and systems for changing the optical properties of tunable resists that can be used in the production of electronic devices such as integrated circuits. Further, the invention provides methods and systems for using a modifiable resist layer that provides a first set of optical properties before exposure and a second set of optical properties after exposure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2006
    Date of Patent: June 30, 2009
    Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventors: James E. Willis, James E. Klekotka
  • Patent number: 7477960
    Abstract: A method for implementing FDC in an APC system including receiving an FDC model from memory; providing the FDC model to a process model calculation engine; computing a vector of predicted dependent process parameters using the process model calculation engine; receiving a process recipe comprising a set of recipe parameters, providing the process recipe to a process module; executing the process recipe to produce a vector of measured dependent process parameters; calculating a difference between the vector of predicted dependent process parameters and the vector of measured dependent process parameters; comparing the difference to a threshold value; and declaring a fault condition when the difference is greater than the threshold value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 16, 2005
    Date of Patent: January 13, 2009
    Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventors: James E. Willis, Merritt Funk, Kevin Lally, Kevin Pinto, Masayuki Tomoyasu, Raymond Peterson, Radha Sundararajan
  • Patent number: 7437199
    Abstract: A method of using an APC system to perform a data pre-population function is described in which the APC system is coupled to a processing element. The APC system comprises an APC computer including operational software, a database coupled to the APC computer, and a GUI, and the processing element comprises at least one of a tool, a processing module, and a sensor. When the APC system operates, the APC system collects data from the processing element and stores the collected data in the database. When an APC malfunction occurs, a data recovery (data pre-population) can be performed. When some of the historical data is missing, a data recovery (data pre-population) can be performed. When an APC system is coupled to a new tool having some historical data, a data recovery (data pre-population) can be performed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 27, 2004
    Date of Patent: October 14, 2008
    Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventors: James E Willis, Satoshi Harada, Edward C Hume, III, James E Klekotka
  • Publication number: 20080074677
    Abstract: The present invention provides methods and system for improving the accuracy of measurements made using optical metrology. The present invention relates to methods and systems for changing the optical properties of tunable resists that can be used in the production of electronic devices such as integrated circuits. Further, the invention provides methods and systems for using a modifiable resist layer that provides a first set of optical properties before exposure and a second set of optical properties after exposure.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 26, 2006
    Publication date: March 27, 2008
    Applicant: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED
    Inventors: James E. Willis, James E. Klekotka
  • Publication number: 20080076045
    Abstract: The present invention provides methods and system for improving the accuracy of measurements made using optical metrology. The present invention relates to methods and systems for changing the optical properties of tunable resists that can be used in the production of electronic devices such as integrated circuits. Further, the invention provides methods and systems for using a modifiable resist layer that provides a first set of optical properties before exposure and a second set of optical properties after exposure.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 26, 2006
    Publication date: March 27, 2008
    Applicant: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED
    Inventors: James E. Willis, Manuel Perez, Asao Yamashita
  • Publication number: 20080077352
    Abstract: The present invention provides methods and system for improving the accuracy of measurements made using optical metrology. The present invention relates to methods and systems for changing the optical properties of tunable resists that can be used in the production of electronic devices such as integrated circuits. Further, the invention provides methods and systems for using a modifiable resist layer that provides a first set of optical properties before exposure and a second set of optical properties after exposure.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 26, 2006
    Publication date: March 27, 2008
    Applicant: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED
    Inventors: James E. Willis, James E. Klekotka
  • Publication number: 20080076046
    Abstract: The present invention provides methods and system for improving the accuracy of measurements made using optical metrology. The present invention relates to methods and systems for changing the optical properties of tunable resists that can be used in the production of electronic devices such as integrated circuits. Further, the invention provides methods and systems for using a modifiable resist layer that provides a first set of optical properties before exposure and a second set of optical properties after exposure.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 26, 2006
    Publication date: March 27, 2008
    Applicant: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED
    Inventors: James E. Willis, James E. Klekotka
  • Publication number: 20080077362
    Abstract: The present invention provides methods and system for improving the accuracy of measurements made using optical metrology. The present invention relates to methods and systems for changing the optical properties of tunable resists that can be used in the production of electronic devices such as integrated circuits. Further, the invention provides methods and systems for using a modifiable resist layer that provides a first set of optical properties before exposure and a second set of optical properties after exposure.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 26, 2006
    Publication date: March 27, 2008
    Applicant: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED
    Inventors: James E. Willis, James E. Klekotka
  • Publication number: 20080074678
    Abstract: The present invention provides methods and system for improving the accuracy of measurements made using optical metrology. The present invention relates to methods and systems for changing the optical properties of tunable resists that can be used in the production of electronic devices such as integrated circuits. Further, the invention provides methods and systems for using a modifiable resist layer that provides a first set of optical properties before exposure and a second set of optical properties after exposure.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 26, 2006
    Publication date: March 27, 2008
    Applicant: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED
    Inventors: James E. Willis, James E. Klekotka
  • Patent number: 7300730
    Abstract: The present invention provides methods and system for improving the accuracy of measurements made using optical metrology. The present invention relates to methods and systems for changing the optical properties of tunable resists that can be used in the production of electronic devices such as integrated circuits. Further, the invention provides methods and systems for using a modifiable resist layer that provides a first set of optical properties before exposure and a second set of optical properties after exposure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2006
    Date of Patent: November 27, 2007
    Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventors: James E. Willis, James E. Klekotka
  • Patent number: 7213478
    Abstract: A method of automatically configuring an Advanced Process Control (APC) system for a semiconductor manufacturing environment in which an auto-configuration script is generated for executing an auto-configuration program. The auto-configuration script activates default values for input to the auto-configuration program. The auto-configuration script is executed to generate an enabled parameter file output from the auto-configuration program. The enabled parameter file identifies parameters for statistical process control (SPC) chart generation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 12, 2004
    Date of Patent: May 8, 2007
    Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventors: Satoshi Harada, Edward C. Hume, III, James E Willis, Kevin Andrew Chamness, Hieu A Lam, Hongyu Yue, David Fatke
  • Publication number: 20040243256
    Abstract: A method of using an APC system to perform a data pre-population function is described in which the APC system is coupled to a processing element. The APC system comprises an APC computer including operational software, a database coupled to the APC computer, and a GUI, and the processing element comprises at least one of a tool, a processing module, and a sensor. When the APC system operates, the APC system collects data from the processing element and stores the collected data in the database. When an APC malfunction occurs, a data recovery (data pre-population) can be performed. When some of the historical data is missing, a data recovery (data pre-population) can be performed. When an APC system is coupled to a new tool having some historical data, a data recovery (data pre-population) can be performed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 27, 2004
    Publication date: December 2, 2004
    Applicant: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventors: James E. Willis, Satoshi Harada, Edward C. Hume, James E. Klekotka
  • Patent number: 5743838
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for an exercising device. The exercising device includes an elongated flexible body having a first extremity and a second extremity disposed to either side of a central portion and an elongated elastic member. The elongated elastic member includes a first end and a second end. The first and second ends are (i) adapted to accommodate a human limb and (ii) adapted to removably couple to the central portion of the elongated flexible body. A plurality of ring structures are disposed along an axis extending between the first extremity and the second extremity of the elongated flexible body, a first clip is disposed at the first end of the elongated elastic member and a second clip is disposed at the second end of the elongated elastic member. The first and second clips are adapted to couple the first and the second ends of the elongated elastic member to ones of the plurality of ring structures.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 1996
    Date of Patent: April 28, 1998
    Inventor: James E. Willis
  • Patent number: 5663997
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for determining the composition of glass, and for sorting glass according to composition. Glass of unknown composition is irradiated and an x-ray fluorescence spectrum is detected from the glass. The detected x-ray fluorescence spectrum is then compared with a plurality of fluorescence spectra corresponding to glasses of known composition. The glass of unknown composition is then determined to correspond in composition to the glass of known composition having an x-ray fluorescence spectrum most closely matching the spectrum detected from the glass of unknown composition. The glass may then be sorted according to determined composition. In operation, a substantially continuous stream of glass pieces is irradiated and detected while the stream is moving. Once the composition of a piece of glass in the stream is determined, it is diverted into an appropriate container of like compositioned glass.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 27, 1995
    Date of Patent: September 2, 1997
    Assignees: Asoma Instruments, Inc., Dunkirk International Glass and Ceramics Corporation
    Inventors: James E. Willis, Andrew L. Heilveil, Robert Dejaiffe
  • Patent number: 5047001
    Abstract: A unique method for constructing a bag for use as a pillow and a receptacle having a first side of a moisture-proof material and an opposite second side having a moisture-proof panel and a soft panel. In one configuration whth the first side as the outer side, the bag serves as a receptacle for camping items such as a sleeping bag. In the reverse position with the second side as the outer side, the bag may be filled with soft clothing items and used as a pillow with the moisture-resistant panel of the second side engaging the ground and the softer panel adapted to receive the head of the user.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 1990
    Date of Patent: September 10, 1991
    Inventor: James E. Willis