Flow control in a semiconductor fabrication facility

A semiconductor fabrication facility, comprising:

• multiple storage locations each having a condition level;
• multiple wafer lots each having a priority level;
• and
• a computer-implemented system for managing the flow of wafer lots in the fabrication facility, the system being configured to determine a first storage location for a wafer lot, determine, before moving the wafer lot to the first storage location, whether the first storage location is available based on a condition level of the first storage location and a priority level of the wafer lot, and move the wafer lot to the first storage location if the first storage location is available and moving the wafer lot to an alternate storage location if the first storage location is unavailable.

A process for controlling the flow of wafer lots within a semiconductor fabrication facility having multiple storage locations, comprising:

• receiving a request to move a wafer lot to a first storage location;
• determining, before moving the wafer lot to the first storage location, an availability condition of the first storage location based on a condition level of the first storage location and a priority level of the wafer lot;
• and
• responding to the request in accordance with the availability condition the first storage location.

A flow controller for controlling the flow of wafer lots within a semiconductor fabrication facility having multiple storage locations, comprising:

• means for receiving a request to move a wafer lot to a first storage location;
• means for determining, before moving the wafer lot to the first storage location, whether the first storage location is available based on a condition level of the first storage location and a priority level of the wafer lot;
• and
• means for responding to the request in accordance with the availability condition the first storage location.