Granted Patent B2

US 8,892,248 · App. 13/914,397 · Granted Nov 18, 2014

Abstract

Claims (57)

1. A substrate processing system comprising:

a housing comprising a first housing module configured to hold an isolated atmosphere therein and closable openings configured for communicably connecting the first housing module to a second housing module having a substrate holding station and a substrate holding station reference point associated therewith;

a transport apparatus partly within the first housing module and configured to transport a substrate;

at least one target;

at least one transmitter configured to transmit an identification signal to the at least one target; and

a controller operably connected to the transport apparatus, the at least one target and the at least one transmitter, the controller being configured to receive data signals, based on the identification signal, from one of the at least one target and the at least one transmitter and effect transfer of the substrate with the transport apparatus from the first housing module to the substrate holding station of the second housing module through the closeable opening, based on the data signals.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the controller is further configured to:

determine a location of the at least one target relative to the at least one transmitter based on the identification signal, the identification signal uniquely identifying each of the at least one transmitter; and

determine a position of the transport apparatus from the identification signals transmitted by the at least one transmitter to at least one target.

3. The system of claim 1 , wherein, the transport apparatus is controlled based on a relationship between the substrate holding station reference point and a position of the transport apparatus.

4. The system of claim 3 , wherein:

the controller is further configured to,

determine a position of a leveling plane of the transport apparatus;

determine a deviation between the position of a reference plane associated with the substrate processing system and the position of the leveling plane; and

effect an adjustment of the leveling plane if the deviation exceeds a predetermined limit.

5. The system of claim 3 , further comprising:

a common reference feature of the substrate processing system;

the controller is further configured to,

determine the position of the transport apparatus relative to the common reference feature;

determine amounts of adjustment for the transport apparatus; and

effect an adjustment of the position of the transport apparatus so that the position of the transport apparatus is within a predetermined distance relative to the common reference feature.

6. The system of claim 1 , wherein the at least one target is affixed to the transport apparatus and the at least one transmitter is connected to the housing.

7. The system of claim 6 , wherein:

the controller is further configured to,

command movements of the transport apparatus depending on a relative position between the at least one target and the substrate holding station reference point so that the position of the at least one target is within a predetermined distance of the substrate holding station reference point;

wherein when the at least one target is within the predetermined distance, the controller is configured to assign a location of the transport apparatus to the substrate holding station reference point for pick and place operations.

8. The system of claim 6 , further comprising:

a station module connected to the housing, the station module having a second processing device reference point;

wherein,

the transport apparatus is a robotic manipulator;

the operational characteristic is a transport apparatus reference point, where the transport apparatus reference point is located on an end effector of the robotic manipulator; and

wherein during a pick or place operation the controller is further configured to,

effect movement of the transport apparatus so the at least one target is moved to a location of second substrate holding station reference point reference point;

determine a difference between a location of the at least one target and the second substrate holding station reference point; and

if the difference exceeds a predetermined distance, effect a corrective movement of the transport apparatus so the location of the at least one target is within the predetermined distance.

9. The system of claim 6 , wherein the at least one transmitter is located in the second housing module.

10. The system of claim 1 , wherein the at least one transmitter is affixed to the transport apparatus and the at least one target is connected to the housing.

11. The system of claim 10 , wherein the at least one target is located in one or more of the first housing module and the second housing module.

12. A substrate processing system comprising:

a housing comprising a first housing module configured to hold an isolated atmosphere therein and closable openings configured for communicably connecting the first housing module to a second housing module;

a transport apparatus partly within the first housing module and configured to transport a substrate between the first and second housing modules;

at least one target distinct from the substrate;

at least one transmitter configured to detect the at least one target; and

a controller operably connected to the transport apparatus and the at least one transmitter, the controller being configured to receive detection signals from at least the at least one transmitter and to effect transfer of the substrate with the transport apparatus from the first housing module to a substrate holding station of the second housing module through the closeable opening, based on the detection signals, where the detection signals include a position of the at least one target detected by the at least one transmitter.

13. The substrate processing system of claim 12 , wherein the at least one transmitter is affixed to the transport apparatus and the at least one target is connected to the housing.

14. The substrate processing system of claim 12 , wherein the transport apparatus includes a transport apparatus reference point and the substrate holding station includes a substrate holding station reference point, the transport apparatus being controlled by the controller based on a relationship between the substrate holding station reference point and the transport apparatus reference point.

15. The substrate processing apparatus of claim 12 , wherein the controller is operably connected to the at least one target and configured to receive the detection signals from the at least one target.

16. The substrate processing system of claim 12 , wherein the at least one target is affixed to the transport apparatus and the at least one transmitter is connected to the housing.

17. The substrate processing system of claim 16 , wherein the at least one transmitter is located in the second housing module.

18. The substrate processing system of claim 12 , wherein the at least one target is located in one or more of the first housing module and the second housing module.

19. A substrate processing system comprising:

a housing comprising a first housing module configured to hold an isolated atmosphere therein and closable openings configured for communicably connecting the first housing module to a second housing module having a substrate holding station;

a transport apparatus partly within the first housing module and configured to transport a substrate;

at least one target affixed to one of the transport apparatus and the housing;

at least one transmitter connected to another one of the transport apparatus and the housing, the at least one transmitter being configured to transmit an identification signal to the at least one target; and

a controller operably connected to the transport apparatus, and the at least one transmitter, the controller being configured to receive data signals, based on the identification signal, from at least the at least one transmitter and effect transfer of the substrate with the transport apparatus from the first housing module to the substrate holding station of the second housing module through the closeable opening, based on the data signals.

20. The substrate processing apparatus of claim 19 , wherein the controller is operably connected to the at least one target and configured to receive the data signals from the at least one target.

Assignments (9)