Quality Control Patents (Class 702/84)
  • Patent number: 8880374
    Abstract: Provided is a charged particle beam device wherein a secondary signal generated from an alignment pattern having known coordinate values in a sample coordinate system is detected, and a positional deviation quantity between the coordinate system of a sample (10) and the coordinate system of a stage (21) is calculated so as to generate coordinate correction data. At the time of observing a sample image, the secondary signal generated from the alignment pattern is detected at least once so as to perform realignment, and the coordinate correction data is updated. Thus, the charged particle beam device performs long-time inspection at a high observation magnification by accurately correcting the sample coordinate information obtained by temperature change, while suppressing device cost increase and throughput deterioration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 18, 2009
    Date of Patent: November 4, 2014
    Assignee: Hitachi High-Technologies Corporation
    Inventor: Masaki Mizuochi
  • Publication number: 20140316732
    Abstract: A quality control (QC) system collects data associated with biological/environmental diagnostic test devices, users and consumables, and identifies corresponding parameters. The system determines when the data are outside the parameters, and then generates corresponding QC improvement data. A database receives and stores the QC improvement data for use in improved QC procedures. A related method and computer readable medium are also disclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 19, 2012
    Publication date: October 23, 2014
    Applicant: FIO CORPORATION
    Inventor: François Dupoteau
  • Patent number: 8855968
    Abstract: A method for evaluating the operation of a continuous process plant uses operational data. The operational data includes data points representing the quantity of a substance processed by the continuous process plant during a plurality of time periods. The quantity of substance processed during these time periods is compared to a goal value. A reliability score is calculated. A banked opportunity score is calculated. An equivalent lost stream days score is calculated. The average quantity processed during periods that equaled or exceeded the goal is calculated. The average quantity processed during periods that were below the goal is calculated. The components of the equipment or machinery of the continuous process plant are classified and correlated to the quantity of lost opportunity. The scores are reported. The scores are also compared to historical data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 7, 2014
    Inventor: Timothy Lynn Gillis
  • Patent number: 8849438
    Abstract: A factory control server stores module configuration data for modules. The modules include processes for producing a final product and have corresponding module requirements. The factory control server analyzes in real-time actual product output data that is generated by a final product tester after a factory produces at least one final product to determine whether the actual product output data meets an expected product output. The factory control server analyzes actual module data in real-time to determine a new module requirement to cause new actual product output data for a subsequent final product to meet the expected product output in response to a determination that the actual product output data does not meet the expected product output. The factory control server notifies a module controller in real-time of the new module requirement. The module controller changes parameters in real-time to manufacture the subsequent final product.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 17, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 30, 2014
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Suketu Arun Parikh, Alexander T. Schwarm, Sanjiv Mittal, Charles Gay
  • Publication number: 20140288864
    Abstract: A non-transitory computer readable storage medium storing a program that causes a computer to execute a process, the process includes: acquiring animation data for displaying steps of assembling a product on a display with an animation; detecting change in a viewpoint of an animation from the acquired animation data; and calculating an estimate of an assembly time of the product based on the detected change in the viewpoint of the animation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 29, 2014
    Publication date: September 25, 2014
    Applicant: FUJITSU LIMITED
    Inventor: Ryusuke YOSHIMURA
  • Publication number: 20140236516
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method for determining a critical dimension variation of a photolithographic mask which comprises (a) using layout data of the photolithographic mask to determine at least two sub-areas of the photolithographic mask, each sub-area comprising a group of features, (b) measuring a distribution of a transmission of each sub-area, (c) determining a deviation of the transmission from a mean transmission value for each sub-area, (d) determining a constant specific for each sub-area, and (e) determining the critical dimension variation of the photolithographic mask by combining for each sub-area the deviation of the transmission and the sub-area specific constant.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 20, 2012
    Publication date: August 21, 2014
    Applicant: CARL ZEISS SMS LTD.
    Inventor: Rainer Pforr
  • Publication number: 20140236515
    Abstract: Cloud-based integrated yield/equipment data processing system for collecting and analyzing integrated tool-related data (cause data) and material-related data (effect data) pertaining to at least one material processing tool and at least one material is disclosed. In an embodiment, the tool-related data is correlated with the material-related data and the correlated tool-related data and material-related data is employed by logic to perform, using a cloud computing approach, at least one of root-cause analysis, prediction model building and tool control/optimization.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 18, 2013
    Publication date: August 21, 2014
    Inventors: Tom Thuy Ho, Weidong Wang
  • Patent number: 8805630
    Abstract: A method for use in semiconductor fabrication is provided that includes providing manufacturing data of a semiconductor process, providing a plurality of functional transformations, optimizing each of the functional transformations based on the manufacturing data, selecting one of the functional transformations that has a least deviation with respect to the manufacturing data, predicting performance of the semiconductor process using the selected transformation function, and controlling a fabrication tool based on the predicted performance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 25, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 12, 2014
    Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd.
    Inventor: Chun-Hsien Lin
  • Patent number: 8805566
    Abstract: A method testing the quality of products applied to a system is provided. Each product includes a unique identification number. The system includes a data storage device and test devices. The data storage device includes a first table recording identification numbers, test types, and test results, each test device stores a second table records the identification numbers and the test types. The method includes: obtaining the identification number; obtaining the test type; determining whether a test type previous to the test type exists; and generating first information to prompt the operator to return the to-be-tested product to the workstation of previous test type when the test result corresponding to the existed previous test type does not exist or the test result corresponding to the existed previous test type is a first value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 3, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 12, 2014
    Assignees: Fu Tai Hua Industry (Shenzhen) Co., Ltd., Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Shih-Fang Wong, Xin Lu, Fei Wang, Peng Tang, Jia-Hong Yang, Hui-Feng Liu
  • Patent number: 8781775
    Abstract: A lithographic apparatus includes a stage to hold an object, the stage being moveable relative to a reference structure in a motion range; a magnet structure to provide a spatially varying magnetic field in at least a part of the motion range, the magnet structure being moveable relative to the reference structure and the stage; a first position measurement system to provide a first measurement signal corresponding to a position of the stage and/or the object in a measurement direction relative to the reference structure; a second position measurement system to provide a second measurement signal corresponding to a position of the stage relative to the magnet structure; and a data processor to correct the first measurement signal with a value dependent on the second measurement signal to provide a corrected first measurement signal representative of the position of the stage and/or the object relative to the reference structure in the measurement direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 15, 2014
    Assignee: ASML Netherlands B.V.
    Inventors: Hans Butler, Emiel Jozef Melanie Eussen, Willem Herman Gertruda Anna Koenen, Engelbertus Antonius Fransiscus Van Der Pasch, Harmen Klaas Van Der Schoot, Marc Wilhelmus Maria Van Der Wijst, Marcus Martinus Petrus Adrianus Vermeulen, Cornelius Adrianus Lambertus De Hoon
  • Patent number: 8762089
    Abstract: Disclosed is a test method an apparatus in which an area for test and an area for analysis are specified based on the design information of the display device having a non-rectangular display area. To carry out testing, parasitic capacitances are found using the design information, and operations for weighting are performed on test data or threshold values based on which a decision on pass/fail is to be made.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 8, 2009
    Date of Patent: June 24, 2014
    Assignee: NLT Technologies, Ltd.
    Inventor: Kenichi Takatori
  • Publication number: 20140172340
    Abstract: The application discloses a debugging method for pre-alignment applicable to an electronic device and the method includes: obtaining a preset voltage value which is an average voltage value of a first voltage value corresponding to a thin wafer placed on a table of the electronic device and a second voltage value corresponding to a thick wafer placed on the table of the electronic device; detecting and acquiring a first operation, and correcting a third voltage value of the electronic device according to the preset voltage value in response to the first operation so that a voltage difference between the third voltage value and the preset voltage value lies in a preset voltage range; detecting location of a flatten edge of the thick wafer on the table of the electronic device to obtain first location information, and detecting location of a flatten edge of the thin wafer on the table of the electronic device to obtain second location information; and detecting and acquiring a second operation, and correcting t
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 27, 2013
    Publication date: June 19, 2014
    Applicant: PEKING UNIVERSITY FOUNDER GROUP CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Ruiteng YIN
  • Publication number: 20140142881
    Abstract: A system and method to test and certify equipment for regulatory compliance. The system and method are particularly directed to testing, certification and approval of gaming equipment, including electronic gaming machines such as slot and video games as well as gaming systems such as player tracking, slot accounting, and progressive systems. The method and system are implemented between a gaming laboratory and a manufacturer and provide efficiencies to increase the speed and reduce the costs of approving tested equipment.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 18, 2013
    Publication date: May 22, 2014
    Applicant: BMM INTERNATIONAL, INC.
    Inventor: Martin Storm
  • Patent number: 8731325
    Abstract: An apparatus, method and an image quality guide document are disclosed. The method includes, for at least one image in a set of images undergoing image enhancement, identifying image quality-related features for the image based on enhancements being applied to the image, identifying image content-related features based on content of the image, determining a content-based degradation of the image based on the identified image quality-related features and image content-related features, and generating a thumbnail of the image. The method further includes generating an image quality guide document for the set of images in which at least one of the thumbnails is associated with a respective text description that is based on the determined content-based degradation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 19, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 20, 2014
    Assignee: Xerox Corporation
    Inventor: Luca Marchesotti
  • Patent number: 8725446
    Abstract: Method for measuring the shape of a workpiece includes a measuring sensor used to find measured values that represent the shape of a workpiece. The shape of the workpiece is determined by an iterative method using the measured values. The shape of the workpiece is determined during machining. The determining of the shape during machining is particularly suited for determining the shape during grinding. The shape determined may be the shape of a pin, especially a crankpin for a crankshaft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 8, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 13, 2014
    Assignee: HOMMEL-ETAMIC GmbH
    Inventor: Heinz Wegmann
  • Publication number: 20140127836
    Abstract: A system and method of compensating for local focus errors in a semiconductor process. The method includes providing a reticle and applying, at a first portion of the reticle, a step height based on an estimated local focus error for a first portion of a wafer corresponding to the first portion of the reticle. A multilayer coating is formed over the reticle and an absorber layer is formed over the multilayer coating. A photoresist is formed over the absorber layer. The photoresist is patterned, an etch is performed of the absorber layer and residual photoresist is removed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 8, 2012
    Publication date: May 8, 2014
    Applicant: TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Chia-Hao HSU, Pei-Cheng Hsu, Chia-Ching Huang, Chih-Ming Chen, Chia-Chen Chen
  • Patent number: 8707573
    Abstract: A device, system, and method for generating low clearance slidably mated parts. In an exemplary embodiment, the system includes a measurement device having a non-contact micrometer capable of coincidentally indicating opposing edge data, rotational and linear air bearing slides, and a holding device. The non-contact micrometer allows for measurement of a plurality of parameters of a first part including the diameter and the difference between an edge of the first part and a reference point. The coincidental measurements are used to determine the size and geometric errors associated with the first part after suitable error elimination. In an exemplary system, a processing machine may be instructed by the measurement device to remove material from a second part so that the first part and the second part when mated together have a very low clearance tolerance level, e.g., as little as 0.00005 inches or less.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 17, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 29, 2014
    Assignee: Sonnax Industries, Inc.
    Inventors: William M. DeRoche, Garry J. Emge
  • Patent number: 8712712
    Abstract: A method of establishing statistically valid assay means and ranges for quality control materials, used to qualify medical testing machines, utilizes tests on a new lot of quality control material to establish an assay mean, and uses data from a database of historical test results to establish an assay range. The system may estimate the variability of test results from prior lot data, and then compute the limits of the assay range such that a new test on a new lot of the quality control material will be expected to fall within the range with a specified probability. Because historical data is used to estimate the test variability, the number of new tests required to specify a statistically valid mean and range may be dramatically reduced, as compared with establishing the mean and range based only on tests of the new lot of material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 29, 2014
    Assignee: Bio-Rad Laboratories, Inc.
    Inventors: Lakshmi Samyukta Kuchipudi, Curtis Alan Parvin, John Christopher Yundt-Pacheco
  • Patent number: 8713490
    Abstract: A mechanism is provided for mitigating aging of a set of components in the data processing system. A modeled age of a component in the set of components is identified. A desired aging requirement for the component is identified and a determination is made as to whether the modeled age of the component is greater than the desired age of the component. Responsive to the modeled age of the component being greater than the desired age of the component, a policy is implemented to mitigate the aging of the component.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 29, 2014
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Malcolm S. Allen-Ware, Ronald J. Bolam, Alan J. Drake, Charles R. Lefurgy, Barry P. Linder, Steven W. Mittl, Karthick Rajamani
  • Publication number: 20140114597
    Abstract: Systems and methods for improving results of wafer higher order shape (HOS) characterization and wafer classification are disclosed. The systems and methods in accordance with the present disclosure are based on localized shapes. A wafer map is partitioned into a plurality of measurement sites to improve the completeness of wafer shape representation. Various site based HOS metric values may be calculated for wafer characterization and/or classification purposes, and may also be utilized as control input for a downstream application. In addition, polar grid partitioning schemes are provided. Such polar grid partitioning schemes may be utilized to partition a wafer surface into measurement sites having uniform site areas while providing good wafer edge region coverage.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 19, 2012
    Publication date: April 24, 2014
    Applicant: KLA-TENCOR CORPORATION
    Inventor: KLA-Tencor Corporation
  • Patent number: 8682466
    Abstract: A method to enable wafer result prediction includes collecting manufacturing data from various semiconductor manufacturing tools and metrology tools; choosing key parameters using an autokey method based on the manufacturing data; building a virtual metrology based on the key parameters; and predicting wafer results using the virtual metrology.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 5, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 25, 2014
    Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Francis Ko, Chih-Wei Lai, Kewei Zuo, Henry Lo, Jean Wang, Ping-Hsu Chen, Chun-Hsien Lim, Chen-Hua Yu
  • Patent number: 8670949
    Abstract: The invention specifically discloses a type of real-time monitoring, feedback, identification and consistent labeling system for quality information of condom and glove products. The system includes a collection module, a processing output module connected to the collection module, an application module connected to the processing output module, and also a query module. This system allows users (consumers) to obtain real-time collected product production data or pre-entered, encryption code or pre-entered information data from each product and to compare these data with pre-entered product performance indexes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 2, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 11, 2014
    Inventors: Victor W. J. Chan, Rulin Chen
  • Publication number: 20140067303
    Abstract: A method of iteratively screening a sample of electrolytic capacitors having a predetermined rated voltage is provided. The method can include measuring a first leakage current of a first set of capacitors, calculating a first mean leakage current therefrom, and removing capacitors from the first set having a first leakage current equal to or above a first predetermined value, thereby forming a second set of capacitors. The second set can be subjected to a burn in heat treatment where a test voltage can be applied, then a second leakage current of the second set of capacitors can be measured and a second mean leakage current can be calculated. Capacitors having a second leakage current equal to or above a second predetermined value can be removed from the second set, forming a third set of capacitors. Because of such iterative screening, the capacitors in the third set have low failure rates.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 14, 2013
    Publication date: March 6, 2014
    Applicant: AVX Corporation
    Inventors: William A. Millman, Marc V. Beaulieu, Michael I. Miller, Mark W. Leinonen
  • Patent number: 8655623
    Abstract: Disclosed are system and method embodiments for determining the root-causes of a performance objective violation, such as an end-to-end service level objection (SLO) violation, in a large-scale system with multi-tiered applications. This determination is made using a hybrid of component-level snapshots of the state of the system during a period in which an abnormal event occurred (i.e., black box mapping) and of known events and their causes (i.e., white-box mapping). Specifically, in response to a query about a violation (e.g., why did the response time for application a1 increase from r1 to r2), a processor will access and correlate the black-box and white-box mappings to determine a short-list of probable causes for the violation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 13, 2007
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2014
    Assignees: International Business Machines Corporation, National Security Agency
    Inventors: Linda M. Duyanovich, Kristal T. Pollack, Elizabeth S. Richards, Sandeep M. Uttamchandani
  • Patent number: 8655470
    Abstract: A computer implemented method for evaluating quality control data of a product manufactured by a partially automated manufacturing process. In the method, a database is generated which includes design specifications for the product. Manufacturing data generated from inspection of the product at each stage of the partially automated process is then received. The manufacturing data is then compared with the design specifications to determine whether the manufacturing data meets the design specifications. In one embodiment, the product is an induction coil used in electric motors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 7, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2014
    Assignee: Siemens Industry, Inc.
    Inventors: Nicholas G. Lang, Sumit Singhal
  • Patent number: 8656448
    Abstract: Methods, apparatus, products are disclosed for providing policy-based application services to an application running on a computing system. The computing system includes at least one compute node. The compute node includes an application and a plurality of application services of a service type. Providing policy-based application services to an application running on a computing system includes establishing, on the compute node, a service policy specifying one of the application services of the service type for use by the application, establishing a performance ruleset, the performance ruleset specifying rules for analyzing the performance of the computing system, measuring performance of the computing system, and adjusting the service policy in dependence upon the performance ruleset and the measured performance. Providing policy-based application services to an application running on a computing system may also include accessing, by the application, the specified application service.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 26, 2006
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2014
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Charles J. Archer, Michael A. Blocksome, Joseph D. Ratterman, Albert Sidelnik, Brian E. Smith
  • Publication number: 20140039822
    Abstract: The present invention is related to the in-line determination of thickness, optical properties and quality of thin films and multilayer structures of organic (conductors, semiconductors and insulators), hybrid (organic/inorganic) and inorganic (e.g. metals, oxides) materials in real-time by the use of Spectroscopic Ellipsometry—SE, during their printing and/or treating by roll-to-roll and sheet-to-sheet processes. SE unit is located on a stage with the possibility of movement in the lateral direction in relation to the movement of e.g. the roll, taking measurements in the spectral range of Vis-fUV from 1.5-6.5 eV.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 21, 2011
    Publication date: February 6, 2014
    Applicant: Aristotle University of Thessaloniki- Research Committee
    Inventor: Stergios Logothetidis
  • Patent number: 8645183
    Abstract: The present invention relates to an environmental load assessment system, which is capable of efficiently and simply assessing an environmental load of a building in all stages (e.g., a planning stage, a design stage, a construction stage, and a use stage after construction) in doing executing a business by subdividing an assessment process, such as simple assessment in the design stage, detailed assessment in the start stage, and site assessment in the construction stage according to the progress of a construction project.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 18, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 4, 2014
    Assignees: Industry—University Cooperation Foundation Hanyang University Erica Campus, Lotte Engineering & Construction Co. Ltd.
    Inventors: Sung Woo Shin, Han Seung Lee, Sung Ho Tae, Dae Won Kim, Young Jun Park, Jung Soo Byun, Jang Ho An, Joo Ho Lee, Jun Seo Lee
  • Patent number: 8645092
    Abstract: Disclosed herein are a system and method useful for providing quality control services in connection with a project for initiation of a process plant having field devices disposed at respective field sites in the process plant. Quality control data is generated at the field sites with a portable computer in response to quality control task information provided via a user interface of the portable computer. The quality control data is transmitted to a host computer having a database with project history information, and stored in the database through integration of the quality control data with the project history information. The quality control data may be generated via check lists downloaded from the host computer to the portable computer, where the check lists specify tasks customized for the respective field site. Recordation of the quality control data via the check lists may include entering deficiency information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 22, 2004
    Date of Patent: February 4, 2014
    Assignee: Fisher-Rosemount Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Anthony J. Manning, Chuck Martyna
  • Patent number: 8630819
    Abstract: A method for generating an electronic quality record of a manufacturing operation that may involve generating inputs from a plurality of information sources located within a manufacturing environment. The plurality of information sources may provide information pertaining to at least a tool being used, an individual using the tool, and an operation that the tool is being used by the individual to perform. A locating system may be used that is in communication with the plurality of information sources to monitor a location and an operation of the tool. A processor may be in communication with the locating system to receive the generated inputs and to generate an electronic record upon completion of the operation that the tool is being used by the individual to perform. The electronic record may identify that the operation has been performed by the individual using the tool in accordance with a predefined standard.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 18, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 14, 2014
    Assignee: The Boeing Company
    Inventors: Kent L. English, Bryan G. Dods, Christopher K. Zuver, Thomas E. Shepherd, Douglas D. Trimble, Carl J. Hanks
  • Publication number: 20130346007
    Abstract: The measured values of a property of a yarn along its longitudinal direction are detected for the characterization of a yarn moved along its longitudinal direction. The values of a parameter of the yarn are determined from the measured values. An event field is provided, whose abscissa indicates an extension of parameter values in the longitudinal direction and whose ordinate indicates a deviation of the parameter from a set point value. Densities of events in the event field are determined from the values of the parameter and its extension in the longitudinal direction. A test material body is calculated in the event field as an area, which is delimited by the abscissa on the one hand, by the ordinate on the other hand, and further by a line which substantially follows a constant event density. The area is specified numerically. At least one value of the numerical specification is output as a characteristic of the yarn.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 14, 2012
    Publication date: December 26, 2013
    Inventors: Peter Schmid, Beat Keller, Stefan Gehrig, Rafael Storz, Flavio Carraro
  • Patent number: 8594821
    Abstract: A system, a method and a computer program product for identifying incompatible manufacturing tools. The system receives measurements of products that were subject to a manufacturing process involving a plurality of manufacturing tools. The measurements pertain to a performance characteristic of each product. The system evaluates whether each manufacturing tool implemented in a sequential manufacturing process individually performs normally based on the received measurements. In response to evaluating each manufacturing tool implemented in said manufacturing process individually performs normally, the system evaluates whether a first combination of the manufacturing tools together in sequential manufacturing process perform normally based on the received measurements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 18, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 26, 2013
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Robert J. Baseman, Fateh A. Tipu, Sholom M. Weiss
  • Patent number: 8594963
    Abstract: A method of predicting product yield may include determining defect characteristics for a product based at least in part on inspection data associated with critical layers of the product, determining yield loss for each of the critical layers, and estimating product yield based on the determined yield loss of the critical layers. A corresponding apparatus is also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 1, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 26, 2013
    Assignee: Macronix International Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hsiang-Chou Liao, Che-Lun Hung, Tuung Luoh, Ling-Wuu Yang, Ta-Hone Yang, Kuang-Chao Chen
  • Patent number: 8571696
    Abstract: Example methods and apparatus to predict process quality in a process control system are disclosed. A disclosed example method includes receiving process control information relating to a process at a first time including a first value associated with a first measured variable and a second value associated with a second measured variable, determining if a variation based on the received process control information associated with the process exceeds a threshold, if the variation exceeds the threshold, calculating a first contribution value based on a contribution of the first measured variable to the variation and a second contribution value based on a contribution of the second measured variable to the variation, determining at least one corrective action based on the first contribution value, the second contribution value, the first value, or the second value, and calculating a predicted process quality based on the at least one corrective action at a time after the first time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 11, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 29, 2013
    Assignee: Fisher-Rosemount Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Terrence Lynn Blevins, Wilhelm K. Wojsznis, Mark Nixon, Paul Richard Muston, Christopher Worek, Randolf Reiss
  • Patent number: 8565491
    Abstract: An apparatus for evaluating the quality of an input image is disclosed. The apparatus may include a composition pattern selection unit configured to select a composition pattern based on an attribute of the input image. The apparatus may also include a composition evaluation unit configured to evaluate the input image based on the composition pattern and the attribute. Additionally, the apparatus may include an evaluation result output unit configured to output to a display the input image and an indication of a result of the evaluation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 22, 2013
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Yusuke Nakamura, Shinichiro Gomi
  • Patent number: 8560269
    Abstract: Method for emitting measuring values on a display (27) for a display device. According to the method, the measuring values that are recorded by a measuring device (24) on at least one test object (11) are forwarded to a signal processing device; a measuring value is detected at each measuring point (14-21) on the test object (11), or a plurality of measuring values are detected at each measuring point (14-21) on the test object (11); the average value is determined at each measuring point (14-21), from the number of detected measuring values; the average values of the respective measuring points (14-21) on at least one test object (11) are sorted according to the rank thereof in an evaluation device including an electronic calculator; and the average values are represented on the display (27) together with an upper and a lower boundary line.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2005
    Date of Patent: October 15, 2013
    Assignee: Immobiliengesellschaft Helmut Fischer GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventor: Helmut Fischer
  • Patent number: 8555487
    Abstract: Provided are an imaging device production system, an imaging device inspection system, and an imaging device inspection method. The imaging device production system includes a assembling process for assembling each components constituting an imaging device, an inspection process in which the imaging device assembled in he assembling process is continuously transferred without being stopped except for emergency when two inspection tasks adjacent to and different from each other are performed, and a packaging for packaging the imaging device which passes through the inspection tasks to confirm quality of the imaging device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 12, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 15, 2013
    Assignee: LG Electronics Inc.
    Inventors: Myeong-Woo Kim, Jin-Sang Ah, Jae-Hyun Kim
  • Patent number: 8538714
    Abstract: In order to test the integrity of products in containers, several characteristics of the products are detected with physical measuring methods and a good-bad signal is produced on the basis of the measuring results, for which purpose several of the measuring results are placed in relation to each other, which can consist in the following: the deviations of the individual measuring results from a reference value, optionally after weighting and standardization are added up and the sum is compared to a threshold value. The measuring results can also form a multidimensional area in which one or several boundary surfaces separate the good value areas from the bad value areas.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 9, 2005
    Date of Patent: September 17, 2013
    Assignee: Heuft Systemtechnik GmbH
    Inventor: Bernhard Heuft
  • Patent number: 8515568
    Abstract: Disclosed are apparatus and methods for monitoring an operation parameter of a process tool, independently of a process system recipe, are provided. In one embodiment, the behavior of a process device as it transitions between different states is monitored for a single cycle of operation or over time to detect trends that indicate a potential failure of the process device. When a trend that indicates a potential failure is detected, an alarm is generated. In one implementation, the time for reaching a particular stage of operation may be repeatedly monitored over a plurality of device cycles. For example, the time to open a valve or door may be monitored. In another example, the time for reaching a stable phase of gas flow after a ramping stage has commenced is monitored. When the time for reaching a particular stage begins to decline by a predetermined amount, an alarm may be generated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 20, 2013
    Assignee: Novellus Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Jeffery William Achtnig, Russell Fleming, Jaideep Jain
  • Patent number: 8515569
    Abstract: The content of an operating instruction to each worker in a manufacturing process is controlled in the following way based on a manufacturing direction to the worker and on manufacturing achievement, work proficiency, and the like of the worker for the manufacturing direction. A deviation between a manufacturing direction and manufacturing achievement is calculated. Manufacturing direction parameters acting as factors of the calculated deviation are specified for each product to be manufactured. The above information is stored in a deviation factor database. For a new manufacturing direction, manufacturing direction parameters therein are checked against the deviation factor database to determine alarm information to be given to a worker on a manufacturing line, and the determined alarm information is outputted.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 26, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 20, 2013
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Shinichirou Hanawa, Hitomi Arai
  • Patent number: 8510067
    Abstract: An improved quality assurance system and method for point-of-care testing are disclosed. The present invention provides quality assurance for laboratory quality tests performed by a blood analysis system or the like at the point of patient care without the need for running liquid-based quality control materials on the analysis system. Quality assurance of a quantitative physiological sample test system is performed without using a quality control sample by monitoring the thermal and temporal stress of a component used with the test system. Alert information is generated that indicates that the component has failed quality assurance when the thermal and temporal stress exceeds a predetermined thermal-temporal stress threshold. Alternatively, the present invention provides quality assurance for laboratory quality tests performed by a blood analysis system or the like at the point of patient care by minimizing the need for running liquid-based quality control materials on the analysis system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 15, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 13, 2013
    Assignee: Abbott Point of Care Inc.
    Inventors: Michael P. Zelin, Eric Brouwer, Steven Breeze
  • Publication number: 20130204563
    Abstract: A printing inspection apparatus includes a measurement unit and a controller. The measurement unit is configured to measure solder that is printed on a substrate with a squeegee of a screen printing apparatus, the screen printing apparatus including a plurality of squeegees that slide on a screen in different slide directions to print solder on different substrates. The controller is configured to determine a slide direction of the squeegee that prints the solder based on measured data of the solder, the measured data being obtained by the measurement unit, and execute statistical processing of inspection data of the solder based on the measured data of the solder for each of the slide directions of the squeegees.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 25, 2013
    Publication date: August 8, 2013
    Applicant: Sony Corporation
    Inventor: Sony Corporation
  • Patent number: 8489352
    Abstract: Apparatuses and method capable of reliably tracking processes through which products have passed without calling for expensive setup are necessary in production and distribution processes of the products. A process management apparatus including a data transmission/reception unit to and from an RFID tag of an information recording medium and a data generation unit comprises a process data generation unit for representing a process, a process pass certificate data generation unit for generating process data pass certificate data and a transmission/reception unit for the process data with the information recording medium and the process pass certificate data can track the processes through which the object products have passed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 16, 2013
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Hiroyuki Higaki, Shinichirou Fukushima, Makoto Aikawa, Atsushi Honzawa, Yuuichi Kobayashi, Akira Kishida
  • Patent number: 8483860
    Abstract: The present application relates to a technique of calculating an environmental load amount of each product produced on a production line including types of processing apparatuses. Power consumption required for producing a product is obtained more accurately and in an earlier stage. Power consumption required for producing each product is obtained by using the power consumption for each product with respect to each apparatus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2009
    Date of Patent: July 9, 2013
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Tomohiko Akahori, Osamu Namikawa
  • Patent number: 8453088
    Abstract: Various embodiments related to identifying regions including physical defects in semiconductor devices are disclosed. For example, one embodiment includes receiving an electrical test mismatch reported for a scan chain; identifying a suspect logical region including a plurality of logic cones electrically connected with the scan chain; adjusting a scope of the suspect logical region by simulating data flow within the logic cones, generating simulated scan chain output based on the simulated data flow within the logic cones, and excluding at least one of the logic cones from the suspect logical region based on a comparison of the electrical test mismatch and the simulated scan chain output; after adjusting the scope of the suspect logical region, generating a candidate defect region, the candidate defect region being defined to include physical instantiations of logical cells and logical interconnections included in the suspect logical region; and displaying the candidate defect region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 1, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 28, 2013
    Assignee: Teseda Corporation
    Inventors: Armagan Akar, Ralph Sanchez
  • Patent number: 8452439
    Abstract: A method comprises computing respective regression models for each of a plurality of failure bins based on a plurality of failures identified during wafer electrical tests. Each regression model outputs a wafer yield measure as a function of a plurality of device performance variables. For each failure bin, sensitivity of the wafer yield measure to each of the plurality of device performance variables is determined, and the device performance variables are ranked with respect to sensitivity of the wafer yield measure. A subset of the device performance variables which have highest rankings and which have less than a threshold correlation with each other are selected. The wafer yield measures for each failure bin corresponding to one of the selected subset of device performance variables are combined, to provide a combined wafer yield measure. At least one new process parameter value is selected to effect a change in the one device performance variable, based on the combined wafer yield measure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 28, 2013
    Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Sunny Wu, Chun-Hsien Lin, Kun-Ming Chen, Dung-Yian Hsieh, Hui-Ru Lin, Jo Fei Wang, Jong-I Mou, I-Ching Chu
  • Publication number: 20130132015
    Abstract: An automatic testing method for controlling a manual test program to judge whether at least one tested object complies with a quality standard. The manual test program has a plurality of control items. The automatic testing method is executed by an electronic calculator. The automatic testing method includes steps of: (a) acquiring all control identification codes of all control items, and (b) successively performing the control items.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 1, 2012
    Publication date: May 23, 2013
    Applicant: PRIMAX ELECTRONICS LTD.
    Inventor: Pei-Ming Chang
  • Patent number: 8447564
    Abstract: A method and system for determining the overall performance of a power plant are provided. The system includes a plurality of components including a processor configured to generate a first reference model of the power plant and generate a first measured model of the power plant. The processor is further configured to determine the performance impact of the at least one of the plurality of components of the power plant on the overall thermal performance of the power plant, normalize the performance impact to design conditions, and output at least one of the normalized performance impact on overall plant performance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 24, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 21, 2013
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Michael Jay Gross, Jagadish Nanjappa
  • Patent number: 8438042
    Abstract: This invention provides an instrument for obtaining consent for a genetic test that comprises three or more integrated elements including an information element for conveying information to an individual concerning a genetic test, and instruction element for use by a practitioner in instructing individuals on the genetic test and use of the instrument, a collection element for collecting an individual's medical and family history, a assessment element for assessing the individual's retention and understanding of information concerning a genetic test, a certification element for certifying the individual's consent to said tests, as well as housekeeping elements useful for recording a medical record, labeling a sample, and billing. Also provided is a method for obtaining informed consent for a genetic test using an integrated instrument. The instruments and methods disclosed have utility in obtaining informed consent for genetic tests.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 25, 2002
    Date of Patent: May 7, 2013
    Assignee: National Biomedical Research Foundation
    Inventor: Fred David Ledley
  • Patent number: 8437870
    Abstract: System and method for implementing a VM APC platform are described. In one embodiment, the VM APC system comprises a process tool for processing a plurality of wafers, a metrology tool for measuring a sample wafer of the plurality of wafers and generating actual metrology data therefor, and a VM model for predicting metrology data for each of the plurality of wafers. The actual metrology data is received from the metrology tool and used to update the VM model. Key variables of the virtual metrology model are updated only in response to a determination that the VM model is inaccurate and parameters of the VM model are updated responsive to receipt of the actual metrology data for the sample wafer of the plurality of wafers. The system also includes an APC controller for receiving the predicted metrology data and the actual metrology data and controlling an operation of the process tool based on the received data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 5, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 7, 2013
    Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Po-Feng Tsai, Andy Tsen, Jin-Ning Sung