Abstract: An apparatus for controlling the progress of product processing comprises: processing state control means for controlling the states of processing for a plurality of products in a plurality of apparatus composing a production line; processing progress sensing means for sensing the progress of processing for a first product of the plurality of products based on the states of processing for the plurality of products; processing schedule extracting means for extracting a processing schedule for the first product from predetermined processing schedules for the plurality of products; and processing priority changing means for changing, based on the result of a comparison between the progress of processing for the first product and the processing schedule for the first product, a processing priority for a second product of the plurality of products which is related to the first product.

Abstract: The present invention provides an integrated design and manufacturing system (100). The system (100) includes a specification step (102), a sequence of events step (104), a model step (106), a graphics step (108), a method sheets step (110), a configuration control step (112), and a parts list step (114). Through the use of libraries of standards, or defaults, as well as the use of an integrated product team, the system (100) establishes the product and process definition for a new part. A product-specific series of documentation is developed and includes the following: Specification, Model, Parts List, Graphics, Sequence of Events (SOE), Work Instructions (Method Sheets), and Configuration Control. Upon completion of all of these, the design of both the product and the process is compatible and complete and is released into production. Since production will be working directly from the Method Sheets, an end-item-requirements document is not necessary.

Abstract: A method and a design system for designing or constructing new parts of a design unit, in the context of a design-space environment made of already existing parts of the design unit, includes at least one CAx system and at least one central data base, which are interconnected by a data circuit. To permit new parts to be designed or constructed in a simplified, cost-effective, and timesaving manner, a design space for the design of the part is defined in the CAx system by a user and copied to the central data base. In the central data base, all of the already existing parts of the same design unit are ascertained, which, or whose design spaces, come in contact with the defined design space. The ascertained parts are copied completely, or in detail form, as a design-space environment, to the CAx system and represented in the correct position relative to the defined design space for designing the part.

Abstract: A method, system and computer-readable medium for efficiently rendering changed portions of a document stored in a texture image file that is mapped to a generated three-dimensional model. The system includes a display device, a memory for storing texture image files, and a processor coupled to the display device and the memory. The processor includes a document component for determining the portions in a document that will change based on the input event, determining the locations of the determined portions that will change based on the input event, rendering the determined portions in the document that will change based on the input event, and storing the rendered portions within a texture image file.

Abstract: An interactive computer configuration system is an aid for a sales person or a customer to make it easy to grasp and configure a huge configuration problem. The user interacts with the computer system and makes many choices successively, and a configuration engine checks each choice for validity. The configuration engine comprises a configuration model defining mutual predefined relations between the selectable elements and comprises programs for validating a set of choices against said configuration model. The invention relates to the situation where a requested choice made by the user corresponds to an invalid configuration instance. According to the invention, the user is allowed to insist on this choice and an alternative investigation system according to the invention will present to the user a number of relevant proposals for undoing choices made previously so that a valid configuration instance can be obtained.

Abstract: In a process information management system for effectively managing process information, the system comprises an application information file 26 for storing application information relating at least each main part for each kind of product, wherein, by selecting the application information which is stored in the application information file 26, the application information is added as information classification information for designating the selected application information.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for producing schedules for a wafer in a multichamber semiconductor wafer processing tool comprising the steps of providing a trace defining a series of chambers that are visited by a wafer as the wafer is processed by the tool; initializing a sequence generator with a value of a variable defining initial wafer positioning within the tool; generating all successor variables for the initial variable value to produce a series of values of the variable that represent a partial schedule; backtracking through the series of variables to produce further partial schedules; and stopping the backtracking when all possible variable combinations are produced that represent all possible valid schedules for the trace. All the possible schedules are analyzed to determine a schedule that produces the highest throughput of all the schedules.

Abstract: An N-dimensional material planning method for evaluating supplier material policy includes steps for storing supplier characterization data in a N-dimensional data space, and evaluating the supplier characterization data using predetermined rules to thereby generate at least one of a current policy assessment and a recommended policy goal. Moreover, the method includes a further step for analyzing the predetermined rules upon which the at least one of the current policy assessment and the recommended policy goal are based. According to an aspect of the present invention, the evaluating step uses predetermined rules including binary rules and weighting rules to generate the at least one of the current policy assessment and the recommended policy goal, where the binary rules have precedence over the weighting rules. A computer system and a storage medium for carrying out and storing computer readable instructions, respectively, pertaining to the N-dimensional material planning method are also described.

Abstract: An apparatus and method are provided for integrating an intelligent manufacturing system with an expert sheet metal planning and bending system. The intelligent manufacturing system manages and distributes part design and manufacturing information throughout the locations of a production facility. The expert planning system includes a plurality of expert modules for proposing a bending plan, including bend sequence and tooling selections, and robot motion planning and repositioning. Through the various features and aspects of the present invention, an operator can selectively modify and adapt these integrated systems for particular bend applications, including robot-based and human assisted bending operations.

Abstract: Method of simultaneously carrying out manufacturing and product engineering integrated with knowledge networking.

Abstract: In a process procedure verifying system for the manufacturing of a semiconductor device, a process procedure inputted through an input and display device and stored in a temporary memory, is verified by using a knowledge data prepared on the basis of data stored in a product information memory and an equipment information memory. Thus, the process procedure can be verified with no intervention of experience and perception of a human being, and without concentrating a load to a limited equipment, with the result that production efficiency and reliability can be elevated.

Abstract: A dynamic mate inferencing system permits display and manipulation of a computer model, including features of allowing a user to select a feature of the model, determining a characteristic geometry of the feature, dynamically previewing the mating of the feature to a component of the model, allowing the user to alternate between different mating scenarios, and permitting the user to mate the feature to the component in the previewed geometry.

Abstract: An animal feedlot management system for uniformly delivering assigned feed rations to feedbunks associated with animal pens in a feedlot, in which discretion and direct control over the various suboperations of the feed ration assignment and delivery process are distributed among the individual operators in the system while the feedlot manager is capable of indirectly monitoring the performance of the various suboperations through use of a satellite based global positioning system.

Abstract: A computer system for analyzing and automatically modifying existing process system models that includes (i) an Initial Data stage that prompts the user to enter qualitative and quantitative objectives in designing or re-designing a Process System, (ii) a Component Model stage that displays an image of the sequence of components produced or added during the process and that allows the user to edit or complete the Component Model display that includes components, which are produced during the process, operations that produce them, and functions, each consisting of an element or tool that causes an action and an element or tool that receives the action, (iii) a Process (Functional) Analysis stage that includes functional and interaction relationships of the functions and operations designating each function as harmful or useful, and ranking each useful function according to the value of its contribution to the respective operation, and performing a value link analysis of each function including the level of the

Abstract: A method for moving metal sheets of a working area by an antropomorphous robot comprises a) taking of preselected fixed input data that identify the geometry in the space of components of a working island; b) taking, comprising from a machine tool, preselected variable input data comprising dimensions and shape of a preselected metal sheet to be handled and a sequence of working preselected metal sheets; c) processing the fixed and variable input data on a processing unit in order to generate automatically output data that identify a preselected trajectory of the metal sheet to be handled and d) transfer the output data to a control unit of the robot in order to drive said robot to move the metal sheet along the preselected trajectory so as to handle said metal sheets selected by type.

Abstract: A method and system for controlling a dynamic nonlinear plant. An input signal controls the plant and an output signal represents a state of the plant in response to the received input signal. A memory stores input and output signals corresponding to m consecutive past states of the plant. A computer neural network predicts a set of future output states representative of the output signal corresponding to the next n consecutive future states of the plant in response to a set of trial control inputs. The trial control inputs represent the input signal corresponding to the next n consecutive future states of the plant. The neural network predicts the future output states based on the past input and output signals and the future trial control inputs. A processor generates the trial control inputs and determines a performance index, indicative of plant performance over time in response to the trial control inputs, as a function of the future output states.

Abstract: A system combines an open control interface workstation, e.g., a properly configured personal computer, with a networked computer numerical control. The personal computer and CNC are preferably linked to a local area network such as an Ethernet network. The open control interface is configured to utilize Windows DDE, or other protocol, to accomplish process-to-process communications with other DDE-compliant Windows applications. Additionally, the open control interface is designed to allow DDE-compliant Windows applications to communicate with one or more networked computer numerical controls while minimizing data flow over the network.

Abstract: Systems, methods, and computer program products synchronize product fabrication schedules with supplier schedules. A fabrication schedule is obtained from a fabricator data processing system, and supplier schedules are obtained from respective supplier data processing systems. Restrictive links are established between the fabrication schedule and the supplier schedules. Each restrictive link defines the supplier that will perform a work stage, and can also define the starting and ending times for both fabrication and supplier schedules. Activities in a critical path schedule having an actual ending time that is later than a projected ending time are identified. Float time is assigned to projected starting times of downstream activities not on the critical path such that actual starting times of the downstream activities are identical to projected starting times.

Abstract: GPAE is a dynamic and generic object-oriented process automation engine that provides workflow management (WFM) services in a heterogeneous distributed computing environment. This invention decouples process definitions, run-time process management, and process execution agents. The system consists of three major parts: (a) a build time part used to capture and store process definitions, and to request the enactment of a process; (b) a run time part used to schedule, execute, and monitor the requested process; (c) a CORBA bus to plug-in software applications needed to execute processes, and to allow interactions among the system components. This GPAE invention, based on CORBA, and event-driven and constraint propagation models, provides near optimal scheduling and resource allocation schemes. This invention is generic, scalable, flexible, and enables the process automation in a distributed heterogeneous platform environment, while sharing global resources and services efficiently.

Abstract: A system combines multiple man-machine interfaces with multiple computer numerical controls over a network. Typically, each man-machine interface comprises a personal computer with a Windows-based operating system utilizing a standard process-to-process communication protocol, such as Dynamic Data Exchange (DDE). This type of system allows a wide variety of M-to-N topologies in CNC environments. Further, the use of standard personal computer operating systems and common process-to-process communication protocols permits the networking of other types of devices and the use of other third party applications.

Abstract: A method for avoiding scratching of wafer backs being held by a vacuum to a fetch arm of a stepper machine for insertion into a cassette holder includes releasing the vacuum in the suction head of the fetch are before the wafer enters the cassette holder. The release of vacuum reduces frictional force between the wafer back and the suction head when the wafer accidentally hits the side of the cassette holder. Therefore, the vacuum release method avoids scratching of wafer backs by the suction head of the fetch arm. The invention requires a separate vacuum release controller to release the vacuum in the suction head for a prescribed delaying period after the fetch arm starts moving toward the cassette holder.

Abstract: This invention pertains to the embedding of a information storage device within, or attached to, the carriers used to transport work in progress from step to step in the semiconductor manufacturing process. The carrier can be a tray having sites for several semiconductor dies, tubes for carrying several dies together, lead frames, wafer cassettes or individual die sockets. The information storage device can be formed integrally with the carrier or formed separately and attached or secured to the carrier.

Abstract: An editor apparatus for programming industrial controllers in relay ladder language, the apparatus used to provide RLL logic to control a machine axis. The apparatus includes a display for creating an axis behavior profile that represents input devices, output devices, actuators, and required movements. The apparatus gleans information from the profile and, based on the information, creates modules that include logic required to provide a program section for controlling the axis. A compiler then compiles the modules to provide an RLL program section to control the axis.

Abstract: A method for designing and performing a process, the method including: (a) generating a definition of the process, the generating step including: (i) defining an output of the process; and (ii) defining a plurality of activities forming at least one sequence of activities which lead to the output, including defining complete information which includes, for each of the plurality of activities: input information, including a source thereof, and output information, including a destination thereof; and (b) carrying out the process at least partly in accordance with the definition of the process.Apparatus for designing the process is also disclosed.

Abstract: Apparatus and method for real-time control of an analytical or diagnostic instrument, including a host computer including an operating system and at least one driver or application program for controlling the operation of the analytical or diagnostic instrument, an expert system containing a knowledge base of various states of the analytical or diagnostic instrument, relationships between data generated by the instrument and the states of the instrument, and actions to be taken in response to the existence of a certain state based on received data from the instrument, an interface between the operating system and the expert system for retrieving the data generated by the instrument through interaction with the operating system, providing the data to the expert system, and providing instructions for the driver or the application program to the operating system based on a response of the expert system to the data.