How are Semiconductor components registered?

Question

The LM324 is an operational amplifier, it is made by various manufacturers such as Motorola, National Semiconductor, Fairchild, etc... But who named it the LM324? How are semiconductors registered so that all manufacturers build the same component to spec?

The same question could go for tubes as well. A 35Z5-GT is a 1/2 wave rectifier, and it doesn't matter if it was made by CBS or RCA. So who sets the standards on these part numbers?

Answer 1

Short answer, the manufacturer who first commercializes the design  names it. He defines the spec, and changes it over time as needed. Others with similar parts tend to use same or similar numbers, to keep it simpler for users. Some numbers are repeated for different chips by different manufacturers.  Were there a standard, it would be by JEDEC or EIAJ.

I expect tube numbering was the same way, since even less standardized in the early days. Before my time, tho, so I'm not sure.

I think LM324 was originally National Semiconductor.

Military part numbering has always been different. See http://www.lansdale.com/part_standardiza...

For comments on Japanese part numbering,

http://www.bdent.com/howto_id.jsp

For transistors:

http://www.mitedu.freeserve.co.uk/Prac/d...

JEDEC:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/JEDEC

EIAJ:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/EIAJ

IEEE/IEC are standarizing functional symbols, perhaps looking at part numbers as well, but I doubt it.