US 7,539,553 B2
System and method for automated dispatch and transportation of work-in-process
Yao-Hsiung Chang, Hsinchu (Taiwan); Chien-Peng Ho, Fengshan (Taiwan); and Jau-Huang Chen, Taichung (Taiwan)
Assigned to Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co., Ltd., Hsin-Chu (Taiwan)
Filed on Jun. 30, 2003, as Appl. No. 10/610,269.
Prior Publication US 2004/0267641 A1, Dec. 30, 2004
Int. Cl. G06F 19/00 (2006.01)
U.S. Cl. 700—121  [709/205] 31 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A computer executed system of transporting work-in-process (WIP) by creating a plurality of transport commands, comprising:
a process database capable of storing a plurality of status records corresponding to the WIP, each status record comprising current location, current status and prior status;
status storage, including a status tree, the status tree comprising an interrupt category comprising a plurality of status types;
a filtering rule base to store a plurality of filtering rules, the filtering rule configured to select status records for dispatch; and
a dispatch control unit, configured to repeatedly input the status record for a period of time, select a plurality of candidate WIP units from the status records using the filtering rule together with the status records, determine the desired destination for the selected candidate WIP, and create a plurality of transport commands to control the transport of WIP.