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:
May. 06, 2008
Filed:
Jan. 10, 2007
Richard P. Volant, New Fairfield, CT (US);
Bradley P. Jones, Pleasant Valley, NY (US);
Sameer T. Shikalgar, Wappingers Falls, NY (US);
Michael J. Toner, Hopewell Junction, NY (US);
Yutong Wu, Hopewell Junction, NY (US);
Richard P. Volant, New Fairfield, CT (US);
Bradley P. Jones, Pleasant Valley, NY (US);
Sameer T. Shikalgar, Wappingers Falls, NY (US);
Michael J. Toner, Hopewell Junction, NY (US);
Yutong Wu, Hopewell Junction, NY (US);
International Business Machines Corporation, Armonk, NY (US);
Abstract
Methods, systems, and computer program products for managing movement of work-in-process materials between processing units in an automated manufacturing environment are provided. A system includes a host system in communication with a work-in-process (WIP) material lot. The system also includes an application executing on the host. The application implements a method that includes tracking a position of the WIP material lot, receiving a list of the processing units designated to be inoperative during a down time, and receiving a start time and a duration of the down time. The method also includes determining a maximum dwell time for each of the designated processing units and scheduling movement of the WIP material lot during an interim between a current time and the start time of the down time based on current position of the work-in-process material lot, the current time, the start time and duration of the down time, and the maximum dwell time.