Counter and timer constraints

A control system for a semiconductor processing facility comprising:

• a memory comprising computer readable instructions;
• and
• a processor, coupled to the memory, to receive the computer readable instructions, and to cause the control system to:
• provide a first task by a scheduling system executed on a computing device, to a dispatcher executed on the computing device, the first task comprising providing a semiconductor wafer to a first semiconductor equipment station and processing the semiconductor wafer on the first semiconductor equipment station to produce a first semiconductor product, a variable comprising a start time, and a domain comprising a range of allowed values of the variable;
• receive, by the scheduling system of the computing device, lot status data and equipment status data from a manufacturing execution system (MES);
• create a counter constraint for a second task, by the scheduling system of the computing device, the counter constraint comprising a counter having an initial value set to track a completion of the second task, that the first semiconductor equipment station correctly produced the first semiconductor product based on the received lot status data, wherein testing is performed at a second semiconductor equipment station and the counter constraint evaluates when to electively utilize the first semiconductor equipment station for manufacturing the semiconductor products;
• create an update, by the scheduling system of the computing device, to change the initial value of the counter from a first value to a second value when the first task is completed and an update time indicating when an action to update the counter takes place has a value less than a threshold in relation to a first restriction for the first task, and applying the first restriction for the first task and pausing resumption of semiconductor manufacturing at the first semiconductor equipment station, the first restriction comprising a limitation imposed on the counter;
• trigger a scheduling action, by the scheduling system of the computing device, to execute the first task in the first semiconductor equipment station based on the counter constraint to process the semiconductor wafer on the first semiconductor equipment station at the start time;
• execute the first restriction, by the scheduling system of the computing device, to trigger a pause in processing on the first semiconductor equipment station based on the initial value of the counter, such that the value of the counter is compared to the threshold at the start time of the first task and the value of the counter is greater than or equals the threshold of the first restriction;
• monitor, by a counter updator executed by the scheduling system of the computing device, events on the first semiconductor equipment station and the second semiconductor equipment station to determine when the value of the counter is updated to the second value;
• and
• trigger resumption of the first task, by the scheduling system of the computing device, once the second value of the counter is reached by receiving completion of the testing, the resumption of the first task comprising resuming semiconductor manufacturing and processing a second semiconductor wafer on the first semiconductor equipment station based on the second value of the counter.

A non-transitory computer readable storage medium including instructions that, when executed by a processing system, cause the processing system to perform a method for manufacturing of semiconductor products, the method comprising:

• providing a first task by a scheduling system executed on a computing device, to a dispatcher executed on the computing device, the first task comprising providing a semiconductor wafer to a first semiconductor equipment station and processing the semiconductor wafer on the first semiconductor equipment station to produce a first semiconductor product, a variable comprising a start time, and a domain comprising a range of allowed values of the variable;
• receiving, by the scheduling system of the computing device, lot status data and equipment status data from a manufacturing execution system (MES);
• creating a counter constraint for a second task, by the scheduling system of the computing device, the counter constraint comprising a counter having an initial value set to track a completion of the second task, that the first semiconductor equipment station correctly produced the first semiconductor product based on the received lot status data, wherein testing is performed at a second semiconductor equipment station and the counter constraint evaluates when to electively utilize the first semiconductor equipment station for manufacturing the semiconductor products;
• creating an update, by the scheduling system of the computing device, to change the initial value of the counter from a first value to a second value when the first task is completed and an update time indicating when an action to update the counter takes place has a value less than a threshold in relation to a first restriction for the first task, and applying the first restriction for the first task and pausing resumption of semiconductor manufacturing at the first semiconductor equipment station, the first restriction comprising a limitation imposed on the counter;
• triggering a scheduling action, by the scheduling system of the computing device, to execute the first task in the first semiconductor equipment station based on the counter constraint to process the semiconductor wafer on the first semiconductor equipment station at the start time;
• executing the first restriction, by the scheduling system of the computing device, to trigger a pause in processing on the first semiconductor equipment station based on the initial value of the counter, such that the value of the counter is compared to the threshold at the start time of the first task and the value of the counter is greater than or equals the threshold of the first restriction;
• monitoring, by a counter updator executed by the scheduling system of the computing device, events on the first semiconductor equipment station and the second semiconductor equipment station to determine when the value of the counter is updated to the second value;
• and
• triggering resumption of the first task, by the scheduling system of the computing device, once the second value of the counter is reached by receiving completion of the testing, the resumption of the first task comprising resuming semiconductor manufacturing and processing a second semiconductor wafer on the first semiconductor equipment station based on the second value of the counter.