US Patent 9254545 Polishing apparatus, polishing pad, and polishing information management system

A polishing pad has structural parts embedded therein; sensors, a memory for storing detected information obtained by the sensors, and a communication unit driven by a power supply unit to communicate with outside in a non-contact manner. The polishing pad and a communication unit configured to communicate with the communication unit of the polishing pad in a non-contact manner constitute a polishing information management system. The polishing pad and a communication unit configured to transmit and receive the information to and from the communication unit of the polishing pad in a non-contact manner constitute a polishing apparatus.