US 8,849,440 B2Granted

Manufacturing control based on a final design structure incorporating both layout and client-specific manufacturing information

AssigneeInternational Business Machines Corporation

InventorsCasey J. Grant, Kurt A. Tallman, Sabastian T. Ventrone

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Abstract

Disclosed are embodiments of an improved design method, the results of which are a final design structure for an integrated circuit that incorporates, not only layout information, but also client-specific manufacturing information (e.g., import/export information, service requests, processing directives, purchase order requirements, design rule information, etc.) in the same data format in hierarchical form. Also disclosed are embodiments of a manufacturing control method and system. In these embodiments, a final design structure, such as that described above, is received at tape-in. The information contained therein (particularly, the client-specific manufacturing information) is sorted by type and then forwarded to the appropriate tools within the manufacturing facility for processing. By providing the client-specific manufacturing information directly to each manufacturing facility in the final design structure in conjunction with the layout information, the embodiments eliminate the need for independent information gathering by each manufacturing facility.

Claims18

Dependent claims

A design method comprising:

generating, by a computer system, a design structure for an integrated circuit, said design structure comprising at least layout information for said integrated circuit and client-specific manufacturing information for said integrated circuit, said client-specific manufacturing information comprising client-specific service requests for services to be performed by a manufacturing facility during manufacturing of said integrated circuit, client-specific processing directives for processing to be performed by said manufacturing facility during said manufacturing of said integrated circuit and purchase order requirements for said integrated circuit;
storing, by said computer system on a machine-readable medium, said design structure for said integrated circuit in a data format that represents said layout information and said client-specific manufacturing information in hierarchical form with different types of said client-specific manufacturing information at different data format levels in said data format;
storing, by said computer system on said machine-readable medium, an index of said client-specific manufacturing information by type and data format level for subsequent sorting and use by said manufacturing facility, said index mapping said different types of said client-specific manufacturing information to said different data format levels of said data format;
releasing said machine-readable medium to said manufacturing facility;
accessing an updated final design structure created by said manufacturing facility based on feedback information received by said manufacturing facility during processing of said final design structure;
and
updating final design structures provided to other manufacturing facilities based on said updated final design structure created by said manufacturing facility.

4 more elements

A manufacturing control method comprising:

accessing, by a computer system from a machine-readable medium, a design structure for an integrated circuit,
said design structure comprising at least layout information for said integrated circuit and client-specific manufacturing information for said integrated circuit,
said client-specific manufacturing information comprising client-specific service requests for services to be performed by a manufacturing facility during manufacturing of said integrated circuit, client-specific processing directives for processing to be performed by said manufacturing facility during said manufacturing of said integrated circuit and purchase order requirements for said integrated circuit,
said design structure being stored on said machine-readable medium in a data format that represents said layout information and said client-specific manufacturing information in hierarchical form with different types of said client-specific manufacturing information at different data format levels in said data format, and
said machine-readable medium further storing an index of said client-specific manufacturing information by type and data format level, said index mapping said different types of said client-specific manufacturing information to said different data format levels of said data format;
sorting, by said computer system, said client-specific manufacturing information from said layout information in said design structure, said sorting being performed using said index;
selecting, based on said different types of said client-specific manufacturing information, at least one selected tool of said manufacturing facility requiring said client-specific manufacturing information;
and
forwarding, by said computer system, said client-specific manufacturing information to said at least one selected tool of said manufacturing facility for use during manufacturing of said integrated circuit to ensure that said services requests, said processing directives and said purchase order requirements are met.

6 more elements

A manufacturing control system comprising:

a non-transitory machine-readable medium storing a design structure for an integrated circuit,
said design structure comprising at least layout information for said integrated circuit and client-specific manufacturing information for said integrated circuit,
said client-specific manufacturing information comprising client-specific service requests for services to be performed by a manufacturing facility during manufacturing of said integrated circuit, client-specific processing directives for processing to be performed by said manufacturing facility during said manufacturing of said integrated circuit and purchase order requirements for said integrated circuit,
said design structure being stored on said machine-readable medium in a data format that represents said layout information and said client-specific manufacturing information in hierarchical form with different types of said client-specific manufacturing information at different data format levels in said data format, and
said machine-readable medium further storing an index of said client-specific manufacturing information by type and data format level, said index mapping said different types of said client-specific manufacturing information to said different data format levels of said data format;
and
at least one processor comprising:
a parsing tool accessing said design structure and sorting said client-specific manufacturing information from said layout information in said design structure using said index;
and
a logistics tool selecting, based on said different types of said client-specific manufacturing information, at least one selected tool of said manufacturing facility requiring said client-specific manufacturing information, said logistics tool further forwarding said client-specific manufacturing information to said at least one selected tool for use during manufacturing of said integrated circuit to ensure that said service request, said processing directives and said purchase order requirements are met.

7 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 13/485,862Filed 31 May 2012
Published: US 2013/0325156 A15 Dec 2013
Granted: 30 Sep 2014
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification5 codes

G05B 19/4097
Numerical control [NC], i.e. automatically operating machines, in particular machine tools, e.g. in a manufacturing environment, so as to…
G05B 2219/32031
Operator till task planning: use item and structure information
G05B 2219/32033
Operator till task planning: send article design, needed material, packaging and shipping info to manufacturer
G05B 2219/45031
Nc applications: manufacturing semiconductor wafers