Yield patrolling system

A method for the monitoring of production yield of a manufacturing line comprising the steps of:

• measuring yield determining parameters of a product fabricated on said manufacturing line at completion of process steps executed within said manufacturing line;
• retaining within a test database said measured yield determining parameters;
• calculating from said measured yield determining parameters, production yield statistics indicating an amount of said product being fabricated on said manufacturing line;
• providing a yield warning alert indication that said manufacturing line is not fabricating product with a sufficient yield;
• and
• providing a compilation of said production yield statistics for each process step, wherein calculating production yield statistics executes the steps of:
• determining if a grouping of said yield determining parameters have a normal statistical distribution;
• if said grouping of the yield determining parameters have a normal statistical distribution, determining a mean and variance for said grouping of the yield determining parameters:
• and
• if said grouping of yield-determining parameters do not have a normal distribution determining a median for said grouping of the yield determining parameters.

An apparatus for the monitoring of production yield of a manufacturing line comprising:

• means for measuring yield determining parameters of a product fabricated on said manufacturing line at completion of process steps executed within said manufacturing line;
• means for retaining within a test database said measured yield determining parameters;
• means for calculating from said measured yield determining parameters, production yield statistics indicating an amount of said product being fabricated on said manufacturing line;
• means for providing a yield warning alert indication that said manufacturing line is not fabricating product with a sufficient yield;
• and
• means for providing a compilation of said production yield statistics for each process step, wherein the means for calculating production yield statistics comprises:
• the means for calculating production yield statistics comprises:
• means for determining if a grouping of said yield determining parameters have a normal statistical distribution;
• means for determining a mean and variance for said grouping of the yield determining parameters, if said grouping of the yield determining parameters have a normal statistical distribution;
• and
• means for determining a median for said grouping of the yield determining parameters, if said grouping of yield-determining parameters do not have a normal distribution.

A computing system in communication with a manufacturing line for the monitoring of production yield of said manufacturing line comprising:

• at least one data collection device in communication with a product measurement and test device, said product measurement and test device measuring yield determining parameters of product fabricated on said manufacturing line at completion of process steps executed within said manufacturing line;
• a test database in communication with each of said data collection devices to receive and retain said measured yield determining parameters;
• a statistical calculator in communication with said test database to receive said measured yield determining parameters and calculating from said measured yield determining parameters production yield statistics indicating an amount of said product being fabricated on said manufacturing line;
• a yield warning device in communication with said statistical calculator to receive said production yield statistics and to provide a yield warning alert indication that said manufacturing line is not fabricating product with a sufficient yield;
• and
• a yield information interface in communication with said statistical calculator to provide a compilation of said production yield statistics for each process step, wherein the statistical calculator executes the steps of:
• determining if a grouping of said yield determining parameters have a normal statistical distribution:
• if said grouping of the yield determining parameters have a normal statistical distribution, determining a mean and variance for said grouping of the yield detemmining parameters;
• and
• if said grouping of yield-determining parameters do not have a normal distribution determining a median for said grouping of the yield determining parameters.

A medium for retaining a computer program which, when executed on a computing system, executes a process for the monitoring of production yield of a manufacturing line said process comprising the steps of:

• measuring yield determining parameters of a product fabricated on said manufacturing line at completion of process steps executed within said manufacturing line;
• retaining within a test database said measured yield determining parameters;
• calculating from said measured yield determining parameters, production yield statistics indicating an amount of said product being fabricated on said manufacturing line;
• providing a yield warning alert indication that said manufacturing line is not fabricating product with a sufficient yield;
• and
• providing a compilation of said production yield statistics for each process step, wherein calculating production yield statistics includes the steps of:
• determining if a grouping of said yield determining parameters have a normal statistical distribution;
• if said grouping of the yield determining parameters have a normal statistical distribution, determining a mean and variance for said grouping of the yield determining parameters;
• and
• if said grouping of yield-determining parameters do not have a normal distribution determining a median for said grouping of the yield determining parameters.