The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Aug. 22, 2000
Filed:
Dec. 12, 1997
Patrick J Ryan, Kyle, TX (US);
Michael R Conboy, Austin, TX (US);
Advanced Micro Devices, Inc., Sunnyvale, CA (US);
Abstract
A probabilistic dispatching method and arrangement for directing the movement of wafers in a manufacturing process. In a manufacturing process, some process steps may be performed by tools at alternate locations. Delivery of the material from one manufacturing process step to the next occurs via a rail for transporting the material and stockers for holding the material until the processing can commence. While awaiting processing, material may be moved from one stocker to a stocker at an alternate location and then removed for processing. A distribution of removal events is maintained for process steps having alternate locations, wherein a removal event refers to removal of material from a stocker for processing. When material is returned to a stocker for delivery to another stocker to await a subsequent processing step, the other stocker is identified as a function of the distribution of removal events for the subsequent processing step.