Patents by Inventor Kenneth Fordyce

Kenneth Fordyce 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: 20070168318
    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.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 31, 2007
    Publication date: July 19, 2007
    Inventors: Richard Burda, Alfred Degbotse, Brian Denton, Kenneth Fordyce, Sanjay Hegde, Robert Milne, Sameer Shikalgar, Guogang Zuo
  • Publication number: 20070100486
    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.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 31, 2005
    Publication date: May 3, 2007
    Applicant: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Richard Burda, Alfred Degbotse, Brian Denton, Kenneth Fordyce, Robert Milne
  • Publication number: 20070088449
    Abstract: Disclosed is a method of controlling a manufacturing system. The invention automatically monitors current levels of partially completed products waiting to be processed by a tool (or group of tools) and determines whether the current levels exceed a predetermined limit. If the current levels do exceed the predetermined limit, the invention performs an optimization process. However, if the current levels do not exceed the predetermined limit, the invention performs a dispatching process. In this dispatching process, the invention automatically projects future levels of partially completed products that will be supplied to the tool to identify a future work-in-process (WIP) bubble. The WIP bubble occurs when larger than normal amounts of partially completed products are supplied to the tool. The invention automatically adjusts the operating parameters of the tool based upon both the current levels and the future levels.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 5, 2006
    Publication date: April 19, 2007
    Inventors: Brian Denton, Kenneth Fordyce
  • Publication number: 20060271220
    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.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 24, 2005
    Publication date: November 30, 2006
    Applicant: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Richard Burda, Alfred Degbotse, Brian Denton, Kenneth Fordyce, Robert Milne, Elizabeth Williamson
  • Publication number: 20060259175
    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.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 11, 2005
    Publication date: November 16, 2006
    Applicant: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Richard Burda, Alfred Degbotse, Brian Denton, Kenneth Fordyce, Robert Milne
  • Publication number: 20060149404
    Abstract: Disclosed is a method of controlling a manufacturing system. The invention automatically monitors current levels of partially completed products waiting to be processed by a tool (or group of tools) and determines whether the current levels exceed a predetermined limit. If the current levels do exceed the predetermined limit, the invention performs an optimization process. However, if the current levels do not exceed the predetermined limit, the invention performs a dispatching process. In this dispatching process, the invention automatically projects future levels of partially completed products that will be supplied to the tool to identify a future work-in-process (WIP) bubble. The WIP bubble occurs when larger than normal amounts of partially completed products are supplied to the tool. The invention automatically adjusts the operating parameters of the tool based upon both the current levels and the future levels.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 5, 2005
    Publication date: July 6, 2006
    Applicant: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Brian Denton, Kenneth Fordyce, Robert Milne
  • Publication number: 20060052889
    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.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 20, 2004
    Publication date: March 9, 2006
    Applicant: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Richard Burda, Alfred Degbotse, Brian Denton, Kenneth Fordyce, Sanjay Hegde, Robert Milne, Sameer Shikalgar, Guogang Zuo