A generic service management system is disclosed. The generic service
management system comprises a registration scheme; a search-and-execution
scheme; and a detection-and-replacement scheme, used for detecting and
replacing the invalid service provider, such as a semiconductor equipment
manager. The present invention provides a GEV (Generic Evaluator) having
the capabilities of error-detecting and data backup, and further combines
Jini infrastructure and the programming technology of design by contract.
The GEV archives the credit values of all the service providers for
letting a client (such as a factory manager) to select a service provider
having a higher credit value. The GEV periodically backups the execution
status and parameters of service providers, so that, in case a service
provider has errors, its backup information of execution status and
parameters can be assigned to another service provider for continuously
executing the unfinished job, thereby enhancing the reliability of
distributed object-oriented systems. The present invention can detect
abnormal behaviors, such as system crash, errors in transmitting
information and degradation of performance, etc., and is suitable for use
in production systems that are connected by networks, such as
semiconductor manufacturing systems, optical telecommunication production
systems, etc.