Performance Monitoring Patents (Class 700/108)
  • Patent number: 9710541
    Abstract: Examples disclosed herein relate to conversion of an object for a hardware device into health control information. Examples include acquiring, from an object-oriented database, an object for a hardware device including an operational parameter value determined by the hardware device. Examples further include converting the object into health control information useable by a health controller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 18, 2017
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventors: Andrew L. Witizius, Robert Lee Crane
  • Patent number: 9704118
    Abstract: Disclosed are a system, computer readable medium and method for predicting key performance indicators. The method includes receiving one or more data pairs, the one or more data pairs indicating a performance parameter and reason indicator associated with the performance parameter, deriving a formulaic relationship, utilizing a regression formula, between the reason indicator and the performance parameter, predicting at least one key performance indicator (KPI), utilizing a regression formula, for each of the one or more data pairs, associating a cost with each of the one or more data pairs, and varying a parameter based on the KPI and the associated cost.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 11, 2017
    Assignee: SAP SE
    Inventors: Jemin Tanna, Jiten Kumar Mohnani
  • Patent number: 9684747
    Abstract: One or more systems and techniques for modeling are provided. An original device model, such as a SPICE model, is used as a basis for fabricating a semiconductor arrangement, such as an integrated circuit arrangement, upon a semiconductor wafer. Fabrication process variations cause measured e-parameters and measured size e-parameters of the semiconductor arrangement to vary from original design parameters of the original device model. Accordingly, a partial set of e-parameters and a partial set of size e-parameters are measured from the semiconductor arrangement, and are expanded into a full set of e-parameters and a full set of size e-parameters using e-parameter derivation and size-centric derivation. The original device model is retargeted using the full set of e-parameters and the full set of size e-parameters to create a new device model that more accurately represents the real-world or fabricated semiconductor arrangement.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 3, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 20, 2017
    Assignee: TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING COMPANY LIMITED
    Inventors: Mu-Jen Huang, Zhi Zhong Hu, Zong-liang Cao, Feng Zhu
  • Patent number: 9651941
    Abstract: An industrial automation component may be configured to receive an input that corresponds to at least one of a plurality of hierarchical levels associated with an industrial automation system. The industrial automation component may also receive data from a first set of industrial automation components associated with the at least one of the plurality of hierarchical levels. After receiving the data, the industrial automation component may send one or more commands to the first set of industrial automation components, wherein the commands are configured to control one or more operations of at least one of the first set of industrial automation components.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 1, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 16, 2017
    Assignee: Rockwell Automation Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Michael Kalan, William Sinner, Charles M. Rischar, Haithem Mansouri, Subbian Govindaraj, Juergen Weinhofer, Andrew R. Stump, Daniel S. DeYoung, Frank Kulaszewicz, Edward A. Hill, Keith Staninger, Matheus Bulho
  • Patent number: 9639645
    Abstract: Disclosed are methods for improving integrated circuit (IC) chip reliability. IC chips are manufactured and sorted into groups corresponding to process windows within a process distribution for the design. Group fail rates are set for each group based on failure mechanism fail rates, which are set for multiple failure mechanisms. An overall fail rate is determined for the full process distribution based on the group fail rates. First contribution amounts of the groups to the overall fail rate and second contribution amounts of the failure mechanisms to the group fail rate of each group are determined. Based on an analysis of the contribution amounts, at least one specific failure mechanism is selected and targeted for improvement (i.e., changes directed to the specific failure mechanism(s) are proposed and implemented). Optionally, proposed change(s) are only implemented if they will be sufficient to meet a reliability requirement and/or will not be cost-prohibitive.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 18, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2017
    Assignee: GLOBALFOUNDRIES INC.
    Inventors: Jeanne P. Bickford, Nazmul Habib, Baozhen Li, Tad J. Wilder
  • Patent number: 9626487
    Abstract: Methods and systems for a security-activated production device include but are not limited to obtaining access to an object data file configured to produce one or more objects on the production device; verifying an authorization code associated with the object data file; and controlling operation of the production device to enable or prevent production of the one or more objects pursuant to the authorization code in accordance with one or more predetermined conditions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2017
    Assignee: Invention Science Fund I, LLC
    Inventors: Edward K. Y. Jung, Royce A. Levien, Robert W. Lord, Mark A. Malamud, John D. Rinaldo, Jr., Clarence T. Tegreene, Lowell L. Wood, Jr.
  • Patent number: 9626160
    Abstract: To provide a sequence-program-component creation program that causes a computer to perform a searching step of searching an overall circuit of a sequence program for a common logic part and extracting a logic pattern that appears in common in a circuit pattern arranged in the common logic part as a common circuit pattern, a component-candidate displaying step of displaying an extracted common circuit pattern as a candidate for a program component, a component registration setting step of registering a common circuit pattern selected by a user from candidates for the program component, and a replacing step of replacing the common logic part of the sequence program with the program component.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2017
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventors: Takayuki Yamaoka, Kenichi Sakamoto
  • Patent number: 9602896
    Abstract: A method of communicating a gauge measurement may include receiving from a gauge a measurement signal representative of a measurement output by the gauge. The method may further include producing a communication signal including the received measurement. The method may further include wirelessly transmitting the communication signal according to a wireless network protocol. In some examples, a wireless metrology assembly may comprise an input/output controller operatively coupled to a first wireless network controller. The input/output controller may be configured to receive from a gauge a measurement signal representative of a measurement output by the gauge. The input/output controller may be configured to receive the measurement signal from the gauge when the wireless metrology assembly is operatively coupled to the gauge, and to produce a communication signal including the received measurement.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2017
    Assignee: The Boeing Company
    Inventors: Jonathan B. Vance, Ken Nguyen, Andrew J. Martignoni, III, Eric E. Deck
  • Patent number: 9584179
    Abstract: One embodiment of the present invention sets forth a technique for transmitting data in a frequency hopping spread spectrum (FHSS) wireless communication system. A multi-channel receiver is configured to receive data from one or more channels simultaneously. The multi-channel receiver enables efficient implementation of a transmission protocol in which multiple candidate nodes within a wireless mesh network are polled for availability to receive a packet of data. The packet of data is transmitted to one or more available nodes based on prevailing link conditions, thereby increasing the likelihood of successful delivery. Data flooding may be selectively implemented to further increase the likelihood of successful delivery.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 23, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2017
    Assignee: SILVER SPRING NETWORKS, INC.
    Inventor: George H. Flammer, III
  • Patent number: 9563867
    Abstract: A system for allocating resources includes a plurality of first machines at a work area and a plurality of second machines at a remote location. A controller stores a material movement goal for a production time period, and determine a total capacity at the work area based upon a capacity of the first machines and the production time period. The total capacity at the work area is compared to the desired material movement goal and upon the total capacity at the work area exceeding the desired material movement goal, operational instructions are generated for and communicated to selected ones of the first machines. Upon the total capacity at the work area being less than the desired material movement goal an alert command is generated and some of the second machines may be moved to the work area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 13, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 7, 2017
    Assignee: Caterpillar Inc.
    Inventors: Sanat A. Talmaki, Jason Smallenberger
  • Patent number: 9547695
    Abstract: Among other things, one or more techniques and/or systems are provided for developing a timeline chronicling events pertaining to an industrial asset. Data is received from a plurality of assets, processed (e.g., to reduce duplicative and/or redundant data), and organized chronologically for presentation in a timeline. The data is further grouped and/or prioritized to display some portions of the data more prominently relative to other portions of the data in the timeline (e.g., which may be hidden). Grouping rules and/or prioritization rules for grouping and/or prioritizing the data may be a function of user interaction with the timeline and/or a function of a machine learning algorithm which may be configured to identify patterns in how users interact with the timeline based upon, among other things, a role the user plays relative to the industrial asset and/or an operating state of the industrial asset.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2017
    Assignee: ABB Research Ltd.
    Inventors: Shakeel Mahamood Mahate, Karen J. Smiley, Paul F. Wood
  • Patent number: 9537844
    Abstract: The invention relates to an operating unit (1) for a production plant (2). The operating unit (1) comprises an authorization receiving module (71) so as to receive authorization identifications (61, 62, 63, 64) which are sent out by operating modules (51, 52, 53, 54) of the operating unit (1), an authorization storage module (72) so as to store in an authorization data storage (8) authorization data including allocations of user identifications (31, 32, 33, 34, 41, 42) to the received authorization identifications (61, 62, 63, 64), and an authorization checking module (73) so as to receive at least one authorization identification (61, 62, 63, 64) from the operating modules (51, 52, 53, 54) and to determine at least one user identification (31, 32, 33, 34, 41, 42), and to unlock an operating module (51, 52, 53, 54) if in the authorization data storage (8) an allocation of the at least one user identification (31, 32, 33, 34, 41, 42) to the at least one authorization identification (61, 62, 63, 64) is stored.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 19, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 3, 2017
    Assignee: FERAG AG
    Inventor: Michael Schüepp
  • Patent number: 9535244
    Abstract: A method is provided for emulating the imaging of a scanner mask pattern to expose wafers via a mask inspection microscope, in which the mask was corrected by introducing scattering centers. The method includes determining a correlation between the first values of at least one characteristic of aerial images of the mask pattern as produced by a mask inspection microscope and the second values of the at least one characteristic of aerial images of the mask pattern as produced by a scanner, recording a first aerial image of the mask pattern with the mask inspection microscope, determining the first values of the at least one characteristic from the first aerial image, and determining the second values of the at least one characteristic of the first aerial image, using the correlation. A mask inspection microscope is also provided for emulating the imaging of a mask pattern of a scanner to expose wafers, in which the mask was corrected by introducing scattering centers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 12, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 3, 2017
    Assignee: Carl Zeiss SMT GmbH
    Inventors: Holger Seitz, Thomas Thaler, Ulrich Matejka, Thomas Rademacher
  • Patent number: 9518839
    Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for monitoring parameters within a system. A plurality of sensors each monitor at least one parameter associated with the system. A controller is configured to receive a signal representing the monitored at least one parameter from each of the plurality of sensors and adjust a function of the system based on the received signal. Respective discrete wavelet transform components are associated with each of the plurality of sensors. Each of the discrete wavelet transform components is configured to provide a set of discrete wavelet transform coefficients, representing a content of the signal for its associated sensor, to a discrete wavelet transform monitoring component.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 26, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 13, 2016
    Assignee: Northrop Grumman Systems Corporation
    Inventor: Aaron A. D. Fansler
  • Patent number: 9507341
    Abstract: A supply chain management system for controlling component processes includes a computer device that is adapted to: detect a plurality of component processes; create a relative value of each one of the plurality of component processes; prioritize each one of the plurality of component processes according to sibling relationships; and control a flow of the plurality of component processes in a manufacturing line based on the prioritizing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 19, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2016
    Assignee: GLOBALFOUNDRIES INC.
    Inventors: Manuel Parente, Kenneth D. Rocheleau, Satyadeep Vajjala
  • Patent number: 9489650
    Abstract: A process management system uses a radio frequency identification (RFID) detection system in the form of, for example, a phased array antenna based RFID detection system to track and manage material storage and flow in a manufacturing process or plant. The process management system operates in conjunction with the various machines that implement manufacturing stages or steps of the manufacturing process to assure that the correct materials and processing procedures are used at or on the various production machines of the process to produce a particular product as defined by a job number or job order. The process management system is thereby able to increase the efficiencies of the plant and to increase the quality of the plant production by reducing or eliminating waste, manufacturing errors and shipping errors in the production facility.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 24, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 8, 2016
    Assignee: A-1 Packaging Solutions, Inc.
    Inventors: Kenneth F. Schoening, William J. Greaves
  • Patent number: 9471891
    Abstract: A system and method for automatic quality control is provided. A database is maintained storing quality control rules for producing a product, the quality control rules determined via a first computing device associated with a first entity controlling production of the product, the database maintained by a second computing device associated with a second entity for maintaining quality control of the product, the product produced by a plurality of production lines respectively associated with third entities. Quality control data is received at the second computing device from data collection devices at the plurality of production lines, each of the data collection devices enabled to collect the quality control data for the product. At the second computing device, the quality control data is compared with the quality control rules; at least one quality control event is triggered when the quality control data fails at least one of the quality control rules.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 20, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2016
    Assignee: Nulogy Corporation
    Inventors: Kevin Nelson Wong, Sean Sebastian Kirby, Emily Auban Stover, Jason Dean Tham
  • Patent number: 9465713
    Abstract: An object of the present invention is to improve prediction accuracy for a performance value of a monitoring target system even if the performance value is substantially different for each of patterns of use. A monitoring data analyzing apparatus includes a regression-model recalculating section 14 configured to combine regression models, which are generated for each of a plurality of groups into which log data including monitoring data in a monitoring target system set as a target of performance management is classified, using the log data belonging to the groups corresponding to the regression models and test target log data, which is the log data set as a target of a performance test, to recalculate the regression models.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 11, 2016
    Assignee: NEC CORPORATION
    Inventor: Toshio Tonouchi
  • Patent number: 9458835
    Abstract: A condition monitoring system that diagnoses an abnormality of an apparatus provided in a wind turbine includes a monitoring apparatus including a sensor provided for the apparatus, a monitoring-side control apparatus that sets a threshold value to be used by the monitoring apparatus for diagnosing the abnormality of the apparatus, and diagnoses the abnormality of the apparatus based on the threshold value, and a monitoring terminal that monitors a condition of the apparatus. The condition monitoring system can correctly diagnose an abnormality of the apparatus provided in the wind turbine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 19, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 4, 2016
    Assignee: NTN Corporation
    Inventors: Hiroshi Ikeda, Takashi Haseba, Akitoshi Takeuchi
  • Patent number: 9336484
    Abstract: An efficient method and system for real-time or offline analysis of multivariate sensor data for use in anomaly detection, fault detection, and system health monitoring is provided. Models automatically derived from training data, typically nominal system data acquired from sensors in normally operating conditions or from detailed simulations, are used to identify unusual, out of family data samples (outliers) that indicate possible system failure or degradation. Outliers are determined through analyzing a degree of deviation of current system behavior from the models formed from the nominal system data. The deviation of current system behavior is presented as an easy to interpret numerical score along with a measure of the relative contribution of each system parameter to any off-nominal deviation. The techniques described herein may also be used to “clean” the training data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 13, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 10, 2016
    Assignee: The United States of America as Represented by the Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)
    Inventor: David J. Iverson
  • Patent number: 9323886
    Abstract: A performance predicting apparatus includes an approximate model storage unit configured to store approximate models each of which is associated with one of categories, and which are used to calculate functional performance based on feature values, a feature value extracting unit configured to extract the feature values from shape data representing a shape of an object, a selection unit configured to select one of the approximate models to be used from the approximate models stored in the approximate model storage unit depending on the feature values extracted by the feature value extracting unit, and a performance calculating unit configured to calculate functional performance based on the feature values extracted by the feature value extracting unit using the approximate model selected by the selection unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 26, 2016
    Assignee: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Takahiro Fukushige, Yusuke Uda, Tokitomo Ariyoshi, Yuki Okuma, Tatsuya Okabe
  • Patent number: 9301460
    Abstract: An irrigation control module is described that adjusts a watering schedule for a connected irrigation controller based on weather data provided by a local weather station. The irrigation control module can add additional weather-based irrigation schedule adjustments to an irrigation controller that may otherwise lack the hardware (e.g., wireless transmitter, sufficient memory) and software (e.g., evapotranspiration algorithms) to store and interpret weather data from a weather station.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 5, 2016
    Assignee: The Toro Company
    Inventor: Thomas H. Runge
  • Patent number: 9292808
    Abstract: Particular embodiments generally relate to providing risk management. In one embodiment, a first risk is linked to an account group assertion in a data structure. A second risk is linked to a control objective in the data structure. Access to the first risk is granted through the account group's assertion. Access to the second risk is granted through the control objective. Risk management is then performed using the accessed first risk and second risk.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 8, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2016
    Assignee: SAP SE
    Inventors: Haiyang Yu, Ying Zeng, Chihhe Chiu, Richard Choi, Agnes DiMayuga, Cheng Hu, Martin Orsag, Xing Zhao, Donghua Zhou
  • Patent number: 9255877
    Abstract: Methods and systems for evaluating the capability of a measurement system to track measurement parameters through a given process window are presented herein. Performance evaluations include random perturbations, systematic perturbations, or both to effectively characterize the impact of model errors, metrology system imperfections, and calibration errors, among others. In some examples, metrology target parameters are predetermined as part of a Design of Experiments (DOE). Estimated values of the metrology target parameters are compared to the known DOE parameter values to determine the tracking capability of the particular measurement. In some examples, the measurement model is parameterized by principal components to reduce the number of degrees of freedom of the measurement model. In addition, exemplary methods and systems for optimizing the measurement capability of semiconductor metrology systems for metrology applications subject to process variations are presented.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 15, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 9, 2016
    Assignee: KLA-Tencor Corporation
    Inventors: Andrei Veldman, Andrei V. Shchegrov, Gregory Brady, Thaddeus Gerard Dziura, Stilian Ivanov Pandev, Alexander Kuznetsov
  • Patent number: 9256221
    Abstract: An information processing apparatus for processing information on semiconductor treatment apparatus includes an abnormality information display device which displays information on an abnormality in semiconductor treatment apparatus, a countermeasure information receiving device which receives countermeasure information on countermeasure, a countermeasure information storing device which stores the countermeasure information matched with abnormality identification information, an output device which outputs the countermeasure and abnormality identification information via communication device to outside, a countermeasure item display device which displays countermeasure item candidates, a countermeasure item storing device which stores countermeasure item selected from the candidates matched with the abnormality identification information, a countermeasure item transmitting device which transmits the countermeasure item and abnormality identification information via the communication device to outside, a coun
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 9, 2016
    Assignee: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED
    Inventors: Shinichiro Araki, Katsuhiko Matsuda, Kiminori Okada, Taichi Ito, Susumu Nakajima, Nobuhiro Horiuchi
  • Patent number: 9219385
    Abstract: Disclosed are a method and device for cooperatively sending and receiving power wirelessly. Wireless power charging coverage at the level of data signal transmission can be ensured by establishing one or more modes for transmitting, to a specific terminal, a power transmission signal from any of a plurality of nodes which is (are) not engaged in data transmission, and by matching the phase synchronization of the power transmission signal between the one or more nodes and then transmitting, to the specific terminal, a power transmission signal of which the phase synchronization has been matched by means of the one or more modes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 24, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 22, 2015
    Assignee: LG ELECTRONICS INC.
    Inventors: Byoung Hoon Kim, Jun Ho Jo
  • Patent number: 9171254
    Abstract: A method is disclosed for operating a programmable logic controller which executes program(s) based on cycles having a predetermined cycle time in a predefined memory. An automated reasoning method based on an ontology and a description logic is implemented in the programmable logic controller. To enable this, at least the concepts and roles of the ontology are encoded using index numbers and the axioms of the ontology are encoded using tuples of integral index numbers. The automated reasoning method is interrupted before the end of a cycle and subsequently resumed at the current status of program execution. This allows for the cyclic programming paradigm of a programmable logic controller. The method can be used for any types of programmable logic controller, e.g., controllers of devices belonging to an automation system or energy generation devices. In such scenarios the automated reasoning method may be used for diagnosing the corresponding devices.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 6, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 27, 2015
    Assignee: SIEMENS AKTIENGESELLSCHAFT
    Inventors: Falco Riccardo Cescolini, Stephan Grimm, Michael Watzke
  • Patent number: 9141914
    Abstract: Probable anomalies associated with at least one data metric may be detected across a series of windows of time series data by comparison of data to a threshold. An estimated probability of anomalies for each of the windows of time series data may be determined based on the detected probable anomalies and the threshold. The windows of time series data may be ranked based on the estimated probabilities. Probable anomalies associated with highest ranked windows of time series data may be output to a user.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 22, 2015
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventors: Krishnamurthy Viswanathan, Choudur Lakshminarayan, Wade J. Satterfield, Vanish Talwar, Chengwei Wang
  • Patent number: 9122273
    Abstract: The invention is related to a system and a method to determine whether a target equipment deviates from a normal state. If it is determined that the target equipment to be diagnosed deviates from the normal state, the degree of deviation of each parameter from the normal state as the reference is calculated as an abnormal contribution ratio. A failure cause is estimated from a similarity ratio between the calculated abnormal contribution ratio and the abnormal contribution ratio of each of the failure causes collected in the past and including failure phenomena and failure parts.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 26, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 1, 2015
    Assignee: HITACHI, LTD.
    Inventors: Hiroki Uchiyama, Shinya Yuda, Hideaki Suzuki, Kozo Nakamura
  • Patent number: 9116517
    Abstract: A method and a system control a manufacturing process. The method includes providing an MES system with a product definition model having at least one product-related entity. Define for one product-related entity a set of product-related entities referencing the one product-related entity and each other via a nested structure. Define for each product-related entity a set of product-related parameters to define the information that may be sent to the MES system. Within the product definition model, define an additional entity called parameter exchange definition for providing a tool for defining how data of product-related parameters of nested product-related entities and of the parent product related entity are to be exchanged among each other. At engineering time, build the given product definition of the given final material by inserting the entities. At run time, instantiating the entities into run-time production requests objects obtained by the given product definition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 12, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 25, 2015
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Elena Reggio, Alessandro Raviola
  • Patent number: 9110942
    Abstract: In order to accelerate the analysis of the structure of a data source of the manufacturing execution system a programmer interface for analyzing a data source of a manufacturing execution system includes a query browser having query building means for generating a query, an execute means configured to provide provides means for receiving data from the data source according to the query, and a data structure means configured to provide a structure of the received data based on the query.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 20, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 18, 2015
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventor: Claudio Carlucci
  • Patent number: 9110465
    Abstract: Methods for providing asymmetric control of process parameters are described. One such method includes receiving a data point for the process parameter relative to the wafer, selecting a first value for a process weighting factor when the data point is consistent with a first criteria, selecting a second value for the process weighting factor when the data point is consistent with a second criteria, where the second value is not equal to the first value, calculating an exponential weighted moving average of the process parameter based on the data point and the process weighting factor, updating the process parameter with the exponential weighted moving average, and using the updated process parameter to control the process and thereby treat the wafer. The methods can use one or more weighting factor switch limits to define different areas of risk associated with a target for the process parameter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 4, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 18, 2015
    Assignee: Western Digital (Fremont), LLC
    Inventors: Jian-Huei Feng, Ming Jiang, Clayton R. Newman, Yeak-Chong Wong
  • Patent number: 9059037
    Abstract: Methods and processes for establishing a rework threshold for layers applied after thermal processing during fabrication of semiconductor devices are provided. One method includes, for instance: obtaining a device after at least one laser annealing process is completed, the device including a substrate surface and at least one layer over the substrate surface; performing lithography on the at least one layer; positioning a first contact-to-gate layer over the at least one layer; checking alignment of electrical connections between the substrate surface and the first contact-to-gate layer; determining if an overlay error is present; and adjusting at least one subsequent fabrication process pursuant to the overlay error.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 16, 2015
    Assignee: GLOBALFOUNDRIES Inc.
    Inventors: Eugene Barash, Jiejie Xu
  • Patent number: 9043008
    Abstract: A method models a defect management routine. Both the modeling and a handling are executed within a manufacturing execution system. During an engineering phase: modeling the production process and creating a library of possible defect types which may occur; assigning the defect types to at least one defect group; creating a library of defect specifications; creating a library of defect type specification details; creating at least one runtime defect criteria that is used to link the defect type to a certain production volume; and creating a runtime defect measurement routine that monitors a corrective measure. During a runtime production phase evaluating the product produced; identifying the respective defect type out of the library of defect types; and using the identified defect type to determine a corrective measure, a runtime defect criteria identifying the resource causing the defect type, a production volume, and to run the respective runtime defect management routine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 26, 2015
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Andrea Boero, Ignazio Selvaggio
  • Patent number: 9037273
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a method of enabling an operator to make control or protection related decisions in a process control system, an operator terminal in a process control system as well as to a computer program product for such an operator terminal. The method includes the steps receiving (38) an operator selection of a control object in a view of control objects, selecting (40) a number of data points for a group of control objects including the operator selected control object according to a data point selection criterion, fetching (42) process data values associated with the data points and with different control aspects, and presenting (44) the process data values of on a display, where each data point receives one corresponding presentation axis on which data values of this data point are presented and data values of data points associated with the same control aspect are linked together with a line.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 19, 2015
    Assignee: ABB RESEARCH LTD.
    Inventor: Christine Mikkelsen
  • Patent number: 9037280
    Abstract: Computer-implemented methods for performing one or more defect-related functions are provided. One method for identifying noise in inspection data includes identifying events detected in a number of sets of inspection data that is less than a predetermined number as noise. One method for binning defects includes binning the defects into groups based on defect characteristics and the sets of the inspection data in which the defects were detected. One method for selecting defects for defect analysis includes binning defects into group(s) based on proximity of the defects to each other and spatial signatures formed by the group(s). A different method for selecting defects for defect analysis includes selecting defects having the greatest diversity of defect characteristic(s) for defect analysis. One method includes classifying defects on a specimen using inspection data generated for the specimen combined with defect review data generated for the specimen.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 6, 2005
    Date of Patent: May 19, 2015
    Assignee: KLA-Tencor Technologies Corp.
    Inventors: Mark Dishner, Chris W. Lee, Sharon McCauley, Patrick Huet, David Wang
  • Patent number: 9037279
    Abstract: A first embodiment is a method for semiconductor process control comprising clustering processing tools of a processing stage into a tool cluster based on processing data and forming a prediction model for processing a semiconductor wafer based on the tool cluster. A second embodiment is a method for semiconductor process control comprising providing cluster routes between first stage tool clusters and second stage tool clusters, assigning a comparative optimization ranking to each cluster route, and scheduling processing of wafers. The comparative optimization ranking identifies comparatively which cluster routes provide for high wafer processing uniformity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 7, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 19, 2015
    Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Francis Ko, Tzu-yu Wang, Kewei Zuo, Henry Lo, Jean Wang, Chih-Wei Lai
  • Patent number: 9026558
    Abstract: A connection to an item of equipment is detected. An equipment class of the item of equipment is determined. A selection of an attribute associated with the item of equipment is received. An attribute record corresponding to the equipment class of the item of equipment and the selected attribute is retrieved from a database, wherein the attribute record enables a retrieval of a value of the selected attribute from the item of equipment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2007
    Date of Patent: May 5, 2015
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventor: Mark Vandevert Dunkle
  • Patent number: 9024765
    Abstract: A method, system or computer usable program product for providing alerts of inefficiency of an environmental conditioning system including, responsive to a cycle initiation by the environmental conditioning system, measuring a difference between an intake temperature and an outlet temperature after a predetermined period of time, and responsive to the difference being below a minimum level, generating an alert.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 11, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 5, 2015
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventor: Mark J. Hoesl
  • Patent number: 9026241
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to semiconductor tool monitoring system having multiple sensors configured to concurrently and independently monitor processing conditions of a semiconductor manufacturing tool. In some embodiments, the disclosed tool monitoring system comprises a first sensor system configured to monitor one or more processing conditions of a semiconductor manufacturing tool and to generate a first monitoring response based thereupon. A redundant, second sensor system is configured to concurrently monitor the one or more processing conditions of the manufacturing tool and to generate a second monitoring response based thereupon. A comparison element is configured to compare the first and second monitoring responses, and if the responses deviate from one another (e.g., have a deviation greater than a threshold value) to generate a warning signal. By comparing the first and second monitoring responses, errors in the sensor systems can be detected in real time, thereby preventing yield loss.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 5, 2015
    Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Wen-Cheng Yang, Chung-En Kao, You-Hua Chou, Ming-Chih Tsai, Chen-Chia Chiang, Bo-Hung Lin, Chin-Hsiang Lin
  • Publication number: 20150112469
    Abstract: A method for retrieving process, operation or maintenance relevant data of a process plant by way of a field monitor, wherein multiple wireless field device networks are present in the process plant. Data from the field devices from different field device networks are gathered by way of the field monitor. Plant information from the field devices belonging to different field device networks are displayed on a display of the field monitor to a user regardless of the respective field device network they belong to.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 21, 2013
    Publication date: April 23, 2015
    Applicant: Endress + Hauser Process Solutions AG
    Inventors: Eugenio Ferreira Da Silva Neto, Jenish Gheewawla
  • Publication number: 20150105893
    Abstract: A system manages human machine interface (HMI) applications for industrial control and automation. Software instructions stored on a tangible, non-transitory media and executable by a processor receive data indicative of a manufacturing/process control system being monitored and display a user interface indicative of a status of the manufacturing/process control system being monitored wherein the status is based on the received data.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 5, 2014
    Publication date: April 16, 2015
    Applicant: Invensys Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Dave Tran, Steven Michael Weinrich, Raju Uthu Kumar, John Joseph Krajewski, III
  • Patent number: 9008815
    Abstract: An apparatus for monitoring data generated by a device adapted for use in a pharmaceutical manufacturing environment are described and disclosed herein. The method creates a historic record of the pharmaceutical manufacturing process and provides it to an end user or a plurality of end users. Consequently, the methods provide a means to track the frequency of hazards associated with said device and thereby perform quality control on an integrated level whereby a pharmaceutical manufacturer can ensure data and product integrity and minimize cost.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 20, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2015
    Assignee: SMP Logic Systems
    Inventor: Shane M. Popp
  • Patent number: 9008823
    Abstract: A cutter chatter monitoring method comprises the steps of capturing a cutting vibration acceleration signal; dividing the cutting vibration acceleration signal in each predetermined time period into a plurality of segments; determining whether the vibration acceleration signal of each segment is increased by a multiple greater than a threshold value; performing a Fast Fourier Transform of the cutting vibration acceleration signal in each predetermined time period; calculating a vibration frequency; determining whether the vibration frequency of the cutting vibration acceleration signal is a multiple of a cutter passing frequency; and increasing a main shaft rotating speed of a cutter to avoid cutter chatters if both aforementioned conditions are satisfied.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 25, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2015
    Assignee: Chung Yuan Christian University
    Inventors: Shih-Ming Wang, Chien-Da Ho
  • Patent number: 9008816
    Abstract: A build up edge monitoring method is provided for performing online real-time detection and suppression of abnormal build up edges of cutters occurred in a CNC manufacturing process. Signal variation analysis and fast Fourier transform are used for analyzing signals and establishing an algorithm of diagnosing build up edges to improve the efficiency and reliability of the cutting abnormality diagnostics. A vibration acceleration signal is captured and filtered to a frequency exceeding 1.1 times of a blade passing frequency, and an occurrence of accumulated chips is determined according to a sudden increase of the vibration acceleration and whether the main vibration frequency of the current vibration signal determined by a fast Fourier transform analysis matches with the frequency of the build up edge characteristic, and a shutdown instruction is issued to a CNC controller to shut down a cutting machine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 25, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2015
    Assignee: Chung Yuan Christian University
    Inventors: Shih-Ming Wang, Chien-Da Ho
  • Patent number: 9008985
    Abstract: The invention relates to a test method for examining an inspection device, which is associated with a functional unit of a master unit, comprising at least the following steps: producing a specified number of faulty and/or correct containers or test containers by means of the functional unit itself in that a control signal for producing a distinctive element is fed to the functional unit; leading the faulty containers or test containers past the inspection device, which detects the faulty containers or test containers and produces a signal to discharge the faulty containers or test containers, or indicates a value regarding the expected and the measured faulty and/or correct containers. The test method is automatically started or performed and is suitable, for example, for examining a label position checking device, the filling amount checking unit, and the closure seating checking unit in order to be able to determine the fault-free functioning thereof or optionally the faulty functioning thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 2, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2015
    Assignee: KHS GmbH
    Inventor: Manfred Pschichholz
  • Patent number: 9002493
    Abstract: A semiconductor processing apparatus includes a semiconductor processing station for a semiconductor wafer, and an endpoint detector associated with the semiconductor processing station. The endpoint detector includes a non-contact probe configured to probe the semiconductor wafer, an optical transmitter configured to transmit an optical signal to the non-contact probe, and an optical receiver configured to receive a reflected optical signal from the non-contact probe. The controller controls the semiconductor processing station based on the reflected optical signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 21, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 7, 2015
    Assignee: STMicroelectronics, Inc.
    Inventors: John H. Zhang, Cindy Goldberg
  • Patent number: 9000912
    Abstract: A monitoring apparatus includes a processor that executes a procedure, the procedure including outputting an alert when observation data satisfies a certain condition, the observation data being obtained at a certain time interval, suppressing the outputting of the alert in accordance with control, and performing control the suppressing until the certain time elapses since one of the outputting of the alert and the suppressing is performed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 15, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 7, 2015
    Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
    Inventors: Hirokazu Sato, Toshiyuki Ito, Yasuomi Iriyama, Yasumasa Oshiro, Tomohiro Nakamura, Tomonori Ota, Junya Hiramatsu, Yuta Inoue
  • Patent number: 8996449
    Abstract: A process control method that automatically and comprehensively manages the creation, storage and use of electronic records during the operation of a controlled process and for governing and documenting the users that operate the computer systems that are involved in the creation, storage and use of the electronic records. The method controls a process, such as a chemical process, by receiving measurement information relating to the process, applying rules to the received measurement information to determine a desired response, and sending control information to at least one device associated with the process, so as to modify the process. The method maintains the rules, measurements and control activity in transaction logs or audit trails related thereto in a secure database.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 9, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 31, 2015
    Assignee: Symbion Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Michael A. Power, Richard Kramer
  • Publication number: 20150088294
    Abstract: The present invention provides an environmental monitoring system and method for a liquid crystal manufacturing apparatus. The monitoring system comprises an environmental information acquiring equipment, a server, and the liquid crystal manufacturing apparatus. The environmental information acquiring equipment moves along a predetermined track inside the liquid crystal manufacturing apparatus. The environmental information acquiring equipment acquires inner environmental information of the liquid crystal manufacturing apparatus during its movement and transmits the environmental information to the server. The server generates a monitoring report and provides it to detecting personnel. The present invention can solve the problems of high cost, low efficiency, and unable to accurately measure inner environmental information of the liquid crystal manufacturing apparatus in conventional skills.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 7, 2012
    Publication date: March 26, 2015
    Inventors: Yunshao Jiang, Chun Hao Wu, Kun Hsien Lin, Yongqiang Wang, Zhiyou Shu, Minghu Qi, Xiande Li, Zhenhua Guo, Weibing Yang, Zenghong Chen