Abstract:
A method of tracking transports in a production process including processing a first transport in a first system, developing changes for the first transport, and updating the first system with the changes developed for the first transport. The method also includes processing a second transport in a second system, developing changes for the second transport, and updating the second system with the changes developed for the second transport. The method further includes moving the changes developed for the second transport to the first system, sequencing the changes developed for the first transport and the changes developed for the second transport in the first system, and processing a third transport in the first system. The third transport includes all of the changes developed for the first transport and all of the changes developed for the second transport.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    This invention relates to the art of manufacturing and, more particularly, to a system and method for tracking transports in a production process. 
       DESCRIPTION OF BACKGROUND 
       [0002]    Many manufacturing processes include multiple, separate development systems that feed into a single test system. The test system, in turn, is linked to a production line. Each development system is responsible for generating lots or transports for production. Often times, problems are discovered with a transport at the test system and/or in the production line. When a problem is discovered, engineers determine from which development system the transport originated. At this point, changes are made to the development system to correct the problem for future transports. Changes/updates are routinely made to each development system in order to ensure product quality and reliability. 
         [0003]    In order to ensure product quality and reliability in each transport, when a change is made to one development system, corresponding changes are made to the remaining development systems. In many cases, the changes/updates are manually input into each development system. Manually inputting changes is both time consuming and prone to human error and thus inefficient. In other cases, the changes are moved/uploaded to each development system via a computer. Unfortunately, when moving/uploading changes from one development system to another, existing changes are overwritten. In this case, a transport originating at one development system may or may not contain the same changes/updates found in a transport originating at another development system. Non-uniformity among transports increases costs associated with testing and quality assurance as well increases a risk of long term of product reliability. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0004]    The shortcomings of the prior art are overcome and additional advantages are provided through the provision of a method of tracking transports in a production process including processing a first transport in a first system, developing changes for the first transport, and updating the first system with the changes developed for the first transport. The method also includes processing a second transport in a second system, developing changes for the second transport, and updating the second system with the changes developed for the second transport. The method further includes moving the changes developed for the second transport to the first system, sequencing the changes developed for the first transport and the changes developed for the second transport in the first system, and processing a third transport in the first system. The third transport includes all of the changes developed for the first transport and all of the changes developed for the second transport. 
         [0005]    System and computer program products corresponding to the above-summarized methods are also described and claimed herein. 
         [0006]    Additional features and advantages are realized through the techniques of exemplary embodiments of the present invention. Other embodiments and aspects of the invention are described in detail herein and are considered a part of the claimed invention. For a better understanding of the invention with advantages and features thereof, refer to the description and to the drawings. 
       TECHNICAL EFFECTS 
       [0007]    As a result of the summarized invention, technically we have achieved a solution which enables real time tracking of transport changes in a production process. Changes developed for each transport are moved to various development systems, merged with existing changes and sequenced so that each subsequent transport passing through each development system includes all changes developed for each transport throughout the production process. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0008]    The subject matter which is regarded as the invention is particularly pointed out and distinctly claimed in the claims at the conclusion of the specification. The foregoing and other objects, features, and advantages of the invention are apparent from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which: 
           [0009]      FIG. 1  is a block diagram illustrating a production process including a system for tracking transports in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0010]      FIG. 2  is a flow diagram illustrating a method of tracking transports in accordance with exemplary embodiments of the present invention; and 
           [0011]      FIG. 3  is a schematic block diagram of a general-purpose computer suitable for practicing the present invention exemplary embodiments. 
       
    
    
       [0012]    The detailed description explains the exemplary embodiments of the invention, together with advantages and features thereof, by way of example with reference to the drawings. 
       DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0013]    With initial reference to  FIG. 1 , a production process operated in accordance with exemplary embodiments of the present invention is generally indicated at  2 . In the exemplary embodiment shown, production process  2  is employed in the manufacture of semiconductors. However, it should be understood, that the present invention exemplary embodiments can be employed in a wide array of production processes. In any event, at the outset of production process  2 , a transport  4 , e.g., a semiconductor component or the like, originates at a development system  6 . Transport  4  passes from development system  6  to a test system  8 . At test system  8 , transport  4  is checked for quality, reliability, functionality or is sampled for conformance to a predetermine standard. If the set guideline(s) for quality and performance is met, transport  4  is passed toward a production system  10  to be mass produced. Often times however, test system  8  reveals problems or weaknesses in transport  4  that require correction before being passed into production. In this case, any necessary changes are input to development system  6 . In this manner subsequent transports passing from development system  6 , such as transport  12  contain changes/upgrades not present in transport  4 . 
         [0014]    While transport  4  is being developed, tested and updated, another transport  14  is originating from another development system  18 . In a manner similar to that described above, transport  14  first passes to test system  8 . Test system  8  checks transport  14  for quality, reliability, functionality and/or conformance to a set standard. In a manner also similar to that described above, transport  14  often times will require changes/updates prior to passing to production system  10 . Any necessary changes/updates are imported to development system  18 . At this point additional transports, such as transport  24  pass from development system  18  with upgrades not present in transport  14 . 
         [0015]    In order to avoid creating a vintage, e.g., transports leaving development system  6  with changes/updates that differ from transports leaving development system  18  and vice-versa, production process  10  includes a transport tracking system  28 . As will be discussed more fully below, transport tracking system  28  ensures that changes/updates made to development system  6  are shared with development system  18 , and changes made to development system  18  are shared with development system  6 . In addition, transport tracking system  28  ensures that transports leaving each development system  6 ,  18  include all necessary changes/updates. 
         [0016]    Reference will now be made to  FIG. 2  in describing a method  30  of tracking transports through production process  10 . Initially, a transport originates from development system  1  as indicated in block  38 . As discussed above, the transport passes to test system  8  where a need for any changes/updates is determined as indicated in block  40 . If necessary, changes/updates are developed and development system  6  is updated to reflect the new changes/updates as indicated in block  42 . At this point, any changes made in development system  6  are moved/uploaded to all other development systems associated with production process  10  as indicated in block  44 . In the exemplary embodiment shown, all changes made to development system  6  are moved/uploaded to development system  18 . In addition to moving/uploading changes, transport tracking system  28  looks to see of changes are available to be received from other development systems as indicated in block  46 . 
         [0017]    If there are no changes indicated from other development systems, and all changes needed in development system  6  are current, transports begin to move to test system  8  as indicated in block  48  and on to production system  10  as indicated in block  50 . If, on the other hand, changes have been made to other, associated, development systems, the changes are received at development system  6  as indicated at block  54 . Once all changes are received, the changes are sequenced as indicated in block  56 . More specifically, each change made at each development system is provided with a time stamp and a date stamp. Transport tracking system  28  utilizes the time and date stamps to sequence or order the changes at each development system. In this manner, transport tracking system  28  ensures that each development system is current with all necessary changes and, when new changes are uploaded, existing changes are not overwritten by the new changes. Thus, transports passing through each development system will include all necessary changes. In this manner, the chance of developing a particular vintage is eliminated. In any event, once the changes are sequenced, transport tracking system  28  verifies that all necessary changes have been made as indicated in block  58  before passing new transports to test system  8  as indicated in block  48  and on toward production process  10  in block  50 . 
         [0018]    In addition to developing transports in development system  6 , other transports are originating from development system  18  as indicated in block  78 . As discussed above, the other transports pass to test system  8  where a need for any changes/updates is determined as indicated in block  80 . If changes are required, the changes/updates are developed and development system  18  is updated to reflect the new changes/updates as indicated in block  82 . At this point, any changes made in development system  18  are moved/uploaded to all other development systems associated with production process  10  as indicated in block  84 . In the exemplary embodiment shown, all changes made to development system  18  are moved/uploaded to development system  6 . In addition to moving/uploading changes, transport tracking system  28  looks to see of changes are available to be received from other development systems as indicated in block  86 . 
         [0019]    If there are no changes indicated from other development systems, and all changes needed in development system  18  are current, transports begin to move to test system  8  as indicated in block  48  and on toward production system  10  as indicated in block  50 . If, on the other hand, changes have been made to other, associated, development systems, the changes are received at development system  18  as indicated at block  90 . Once all changes are received, the changes are sequenced as indicated in block  92 . In a manner similar to that described above, each change made at each development system is provided with a time stamp and a date stamp. Transport tracking system  28  utilizes the time and date stamps to sequence, or order, the changes at each development system. In this manner, transport tracking system  28  ensures that each development system is current with all necessary changes and that, when any new changes are uploaded, existing changes are not overwritten by the new changes. Thus, transports passing through each development system will include all necessary changes. In this manner, the chance of developing a particular vintage in the transports is eliminated. In any event, once the changes are sequenced, transport tracking system  28  verifies that all necessary changes have been made as indicated in block  94  before passing new transports to test system  8  as indicated in block  48  and on to production process  10  in block  50 . 
         [0020]    At this point it should be appreciated that exemplary embodiments of the present invention ensure that all transports passing from each development system of a production process include the most current changes/updates. By providing time and date stamps for each change/update, and sequencing then updates in each development system, the transport tracking system prevents the creation of a vintage in the production process thereby producing development, production and cost efficiencies. In accordance with one exemplary aspect of the invention, the method of establishing an automated lot grade system for lots in semiconductor device manufacturing process scans each system in a given landscape to sequence changes to a particular transport for a target system. The term “landscape” is used to describe all development, test and production systems for a particular transport. In this manner, the method of establishing an automated lot grade system monitors each system while being independent from the landscape. That is, the method is configured to monitor/analyze the landscape from a remote system or is integrated into one of the systems of the landscape and configured to monitor/analyze each system of the landscape. 
         [0021]    Generally, the method of establishing an automated lot grade system for lots in semiconductor device manufacturing process described herein is practiced with a general-purpose computer and the method may be coded as a set of instructions on removable or hard media for use by the general-purpose computer.  FIG. 3  is a schematic block diagram of a general-purpose computer suitable for practicing the present invention embodiments. In  FIG. 3 , computer system  400  has at least one microprocessor or central processing unit (CPU)  405 . CPU  405  is interconnected via a system bus  410  to a random access memory (RAM)  415 , a read-only memory (ROM)  420 , an input/output (I/O) adapter  425  for a connecting a removable data and/or program storage device  430  and a mass data and/or program storage device  435 , a user interface adapter  440  for connecting a keyboard  445  and a mouse  450 , a port adapter  455  for connecting a data port  460  and a display adapter  465  for connecting a display device  4 . 
         [0022]    ROM  420  contains the basic operating system for computer system  400 . The operating system may alternatively reside in RAM  415  or elsewhere as is known in the art. Examples of removable data and/or program storage device  430  include magnetic media such as floppy drives and tape drives and optical media such as CD ROM drives. Examples of mass data and/or program storage device  435  include hard disk drives and non-volatile memory such as flash memory. In addition to keyboard  445  and mouse  450 , other user input devices such as trackballs, writing tablets, pressure pads, microphones, light pens and position-sensing screen displays may be connected to user interface  440 . Examples of display devices include cathode-ray tubes (CRT) and liquid crystal displays (LCD). 
         [0023]    A computer program with an appropriate application interface may be created by one of skill in the art and stored on the system or a data and/or program storage device to simplify the practicing of this invention. In operation, information for or the computer program created to run the present invention is loaded on the appropriate removable data and/or program storage device  430 , fed through data port  460  or typed in using keyboard  445 . 
         [0024]    The flow diagrams depicted herein are just examples. There may be many variations to the diagrams or the steps (or operations) described therein without departing from the spirit of the invention. For instance, the steps may be performed in a differing order, or steps may be added, deleted or modified. All of these variations are considered a part of the claimed invention. 
         [0025]    While the preferred embodiment to the invention has been described, it will be understood that those skilled in the art, both now and in the future, may make various improvements and enhancements which fall within the scope of the claims which follow. These claims should be construed to maintain the proper protection for the invention first described.