Electronic commerce method for semiconductor products, electronic commerce thereof, production system, production method, production equipment design system, production equipment design method, and production equipment manufacturing method

Abstract

An electronic commerce for semiconductor products comprises a network, a client terminal, a connection server, a virtual production line, and a real production line. The real production line actually manufactures semiconductor products. The virtual production line provides a computer with substantially the same functions as the real production line and computes an optimal lot progress. The connection server connects the virtual production line to the client terminal via the network. When a condition is entered from the client terminal, the connection server transfers this condition to the virtual production line. Simulation is performed realtime for determining whether a product flows in the virtual production line under the transferred condition. The connection server transfers a simulation result to the client terminal. Based on the simulation result, a electronic commerce is conducted.

1 - 6 . (Canceled)  
     
     
         7 . An electronic commerce system, comprising: 
 a virtual production line providing a computer with substantially the same functions as for a real production line actually manufacturing products;    first transferring means configured to transfer various information about said real production line to said virtual production line;    computing means configured to compute an optimal lot progress on said virtual production line based on said transferred information;    second transferring means configured to transfer work instruction data based on a result of said computation to said real production line; and    a connection server configured to connect said virtual production line to a client terminal via a network, wherein:    conditions input from said client terminal are transferred to said virtual production line via said connection server transfers; realtime simulation is performed to determine whether a product flows on a virtual production line under transferred conditions; a simulation result is transferred to said client terminal via said connection server; and a transaction is effectuated based on a simulation result.    
     
     
         8 . A production system, comprising: 
 a virtual production line providing a computer with substantially the same functions as for a real production line actually manufacturing products;    receiver configured to receive various information about said real production line by using said virtual production line;    computing means configured to compute an optimal lot progress on said virtual production line based on said received information; and    transferring means configured to transfer work instruction data based on a result of said computation to said real production line.    
     
     
         9 . The production system according to  claim 8 , wherein: 
 said system realtime and repeatedly receives various information in said virtual production line, computes an optimal lot progress in said virtual production line, and transfers work instruction data from said virtual production line to said real production line.    
     
     
         10 . The production system according to  claim 8 , wherein: 
 information transferred from said real production line to said virtual production line includes at least one of an order volume for each production, lot progress situation, apparatus situation, worker situation, and product test result.    
     
     
         11 . The production system according to  claim 8 , wherein: 
 said computing means configured to compute an optimal lot progress finds a plurality of lot progress estimate results for each condition of progressing said lot and extracts at least one of said plurality of progress estimate results.    
     
     
         12 . The production system according to  claim 11 , wherein: 
 said computing means configured to compute an optimal lot progress is provided with means for displaying said plurality of lot progress estimate results found and selecting at least one computation result.    
     
     
         13 . The production system according to  claim 11 , wherein: 
 said computing means configured to compute an optimal lot progress extracts one or more of said plurality of lot progress estimate results based on user-input extraction condition.    
     
     
         14 . The production system according to  claim 8 , wherein: 
 said computing means configured to compute an optimal lot progress computes a solution for providing the shortest manufacturing period and the maximum production volume.    
     
     
         15 . The production system according to  claim 8 , wherein: 
 said computing means configured to compute an optimal lot progress finds a solution according to which a product with a higher priority provides a shorter manufacturing period based on priorities assigned to ordered products.    
     
     
         16 . The production system according to  claim 8 , wherein: 
 said receiver receives a test result of a product manufactured in said real production line to said virtual production line and said computing means determines the next input schedule by referencing an order volume for the relevant product.    
     
     
         17 . The production system according to any one of  claims 8  to  16 , wherein: 
 said real production line is a semiconductor production line.    
     
     
         18 . The production system according to  claim 8 , further comprising: 
 second computing means configured to compute at least one time dependency of electric power and power usage based on said received information, wherein:    said computing means configured to compute an optimal lot progress is based on the time dependency obtained by said second computing means configured to compute the time dependency and compute a lot progress based on a condition not exceeding at least one of an electric power value and a power usage value specified for the production line.    
     
     
         19 . The production system according to  claim 18 , wherein: 
 said power usage includes at least one of deionized water, cooling water, semiconductor material gas, semiconductor manufacturing gas, semiconductor manufacturing liquid, and semiconductor manufacturing solid.    
     
     
         20 . A manufacturing method of using a virtual production line provided with substantially the same functions in a computer as for a real production line actually manufacturing products, performing simulation in a virtual production line, and enabling efficient operations in a real production line, said method comprising the steps of: 
 receiving various information about said real production line by means of said virtual production line;    computing an optimal lot progress in said virtual production line based on said received information; and    transferring work instruction data based on a result of said computation to said real production line.    
     
     
         21 . The manufacturing method according to  claim 20 , further comprising the step of: 
 starting production in said real production line based on said work instruction data.    
     
     
         22 . The manufacturing method according to  claim 20 , wherein: 
 said method realtime and repeatedly receives various information in said virtual production line from said real production line, computes an optimal lot progress in said virtual production line, and transfers work instruction data from said virtual production line to said real production line.    
     
     
         23 . The manufacturing method according to  claim 20 , wherein: 
 information received from said real production line to said virtual production line includes at least one of an order volume for each production, lot progress situation, apparatus situation, worker situation, and product test result.    
     
     
         24 . The manufacturing method according to  claim 20 , wherein: 
 said step of computing an optimal lot progress computes a solution for providing the shortest manufacturing period and the maximum production volume.    
     
     
         25 . The manufacturing method according to  claim 20 , wherein: 
 said step of computing an optimal lot progress computes a solution according to which a product with a higher priority provides a shorter manufacturing period based on priorities assigned to ordered products.    
     
     
         26 . The manufacturing method according to  claim 20 , wherein: 
 said receiving step receives a test result of a product manufactured in said real production line to said virtual production line and said computing step determines the next input schedule by referencing an order volume for the relevant product.    
     
     
         27 . The manufacturing method according to any one of  claims 20  to  26 , wherein: 
 said real production line is a semiconductor production line.    
     
     
         28 - 31 . (Canceled)