Method and apparatus for automated fab control

Abstract

A method, apparatus, and a system for prioritizing processing of a workpiece is provided. At least one workpiece is processed. A tag associated with the workpiece is provided. The tag includes process priority data for determining an order relating to processing the workpiece.

1 . A method, comprising:
 providing at least one workpiece;   providing a physical tag associated with said at least one workpiece, said tag being associated with process priority data for determining an order relating to processing said at least one workpiece;   assigning, using a first controller, a value to said at least one workpiece based upon at least one factor external to a manufacturing fab, wherein the at least one factor external to a manufacturing fab comprises at least one of a cost of operation factor or a time of process completion factor;   generating, using the first controller, an indication of a process priority on said physical tag, the indication of the process priority being based on the value assigned to said at least one workpiece; and   assigning a priority to process said at least one workpiece based upon at least the indication on said physical tag using a second controller, said second controller for controlling at least one processing tool, wherein assigning the process priority comprises determining a processing route.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein providing said at least one workpiece further comprises providing a semiconductor wafer. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein providing said tag associated with said workpiece further comprises assigning a value to said workpiece based upon at least one business factor. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein assigning a value to said workpiece based upon said business factor further comprises assigning a value to said workpiece based upon at least one of a price potential of said workpiece, a marketing basis for entering a new market, and expanding an existing market. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein assigning a value to said workpiece based upon said business factor further comprises providing a currency value associated with said workpiece. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 3 , further comprising using said business factor with at least one internal factor to determine said process priority, said internal factor relating to a parameter relating to a fab. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein using said business factor with at least one internal factor further comprises using said business factor with at least one of a tool availability parameter, a tool condition parameter, a potential yield parameter, a cycle time parameter, a process risk parameter, and a process volume parameter. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 providing at least batch of workpieces; and   providing a tag associated with said batch of workpieces.   
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising providing a process priority to said workpiece over a second workpiece. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising processing said workpiece based upon said order relating to processing said workpiece. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein further comprising processing a subsequent workpiece. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein providing a tag further comprises providing a tag comprising data relating to prioritizing an operation of a processing tool. 
     
     
         13 .- 33 . (canceled) 
     
     
         34 . An apparatus, comprising:
 a controller to assign a value to at least one workpiece based upon a first factor external to a manufacturing environment, said controller to generate a value for a physical tag indicative of a process priority for processing said at least one workpiece, said tag being associated with said at least one workpiece, wherein the factor external to a manufacturing environment comprises at least one of a cost of operation factor or a time of process completion factor.   
     
     
         35 . The apparatus of  claim 34 , wherein said first factor value is based upon at least one of a price potential of said workpiece, a marketing basis for entering a new market, and expanding an existing market. 
     
     
         36 . The apparatus of  claim 34 , wherein said process priority is based upon said first factor and a second factor, said second factor comprising at least one of a tool availability parameter, a tool condition parameter, a potential yield parameter, a cycle time parameter, a process risk parameter, and a process volume parameter. 
     
     
         37 . The apparatus of  claim 34 , wherein said at least one workpiece is a batch of workpieces. 
     
     
         38 . The apparatus of  claim 34 , wherein said at least one workpiece is a semiconductor wafer. 
     
     
         39 . An apparatus, comprising:
 at least one semiconductor wafer comprising a physical tag indicative of a process priority for processing said at least one semiconductor wafer, said process priority being based upon a first factor external to a manufacturing environment, said physical tag comprising process priority indication generated by a first controller and assigned to the physical tag by a second controller, wherein the fist factor external to a manufacturing environment comprises at least one of a cost of operation factor or a time of process completion factor.   
     
     
         40 . The apparatus of  claim 39 , wherein said first factor is also based upon at least one of a price potential of said workpiece, a marketing basis for entering a new market, and expanding an existing market. 
     
     
         41 . The apparatus of  claim 39 , wherein said process priority is based upon said first factor and a second factor, said second factor comprising at least one of a tool availability parameter, a tool condition parameter, a potential yield parameter, a cycle time parameter, a process risk parameter, and a process volume parameter. 
     
     
         42 . A non-transitory, computer readable program storage device encoded with instructions that, when executed by a computer, performs a method, comprising:
 providing at least one workpiece; and   
       providing a physical tag associated with said at least one workpiece, said tag being associated with process priority data for determining an order and a routing path relating to processing said at least one workpiece, said process priority data comprising a priority indication generated by a first controller and assigned to the physical tag by a second controller, wherein the process priority is based at least upon a factor external to a manufacturing fab, said external factor comprising at least one of a cost of operation factor or a time of process completion factor. 
     
     
         43 . The computer readable program storage device encoded with instructions that, when executed by a computer, performs method of  claim 42 , wherein providing said tag associated with said workpiece further comprises assigning a value to said workpiece based upon at least one business factor. 
     
     
         44 . The computer readable program storage device encoded with instructions that, when executed by a computer, performs method of  claim 43 , wherein assigning a value to said workpiece based upon said business factor further comprises assigning a value to said workpiece based upon at least one of a price potential of said workpiece, a marketing basis for entering a new market, and expanding an existing market. 
     
     
         45 . The computer readable program storage device encoded with instructions that, when executed by a computer, performs method of  claim 44 , wherein assigning a value to said workpiece based upon said business factor further comprises providing a currency value associated with said workpiece. 
     
     
         46 . The computer readable program storage device encoded with instructions that, when executed by a computer, performs method of  claim 43 , further comprising using said business factor with at least one internal factor to determine said process priority, said internal factor relating to a parameter relating to a fab. 
     
     
         47 . The computer readable program storage device encoded with instructions that, when executed by a computer, performs method of  claim 46 , wherein using said business factor with at least one internal factor further comprises using said business factor with at least one of a tool availability parameter, a tool condition parameter, a potential yield parameter, a cycle time parameter, a process risk parameter, and a process volume parameter. 
     
     
         48 . The computer readable program storage device encoded with instructions that, when executed by a computer, performs method of  claim 42 , further comprising:
 providing at least batch of workpieces; and   providing a tag associated with said batch of workpieces.   
     
     
         49 . The computer readable program storage device encoded with instructions that, when executed by a computer, performs method of  claim 42 , further comprising providing a process priority to said workpiece over a second workpiece.