IP Library Granted Patent US 8,090,490
Granted Patent B2
US 8,090,490 · App. 12/390,674 · Granted Jan 3, 2012

Automatic recovery and transport system and execution method therefor

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 8,090,490
App. No.
12/390,674
Granted
Jan 3, 2012
Kind
B2
Abstract

An automatic recovery and transport system includes a manufacture execution system, a path planning system electrically connected with the manufacture execution system, a vehicle control system electrically connected with the path planning system, a plurality of vehicles electrically connected with the vehicle control system; and an alarm system electrically connected with the path planning system and the vehicle control system. The alarm system will command the path planning system to command the vehicle control system to drive the vehicle about to stop to enter the maintenance area immediately. Accordingly, the stability and the work efficiency of the whole system are improved. The present invention also provides a method for executing an automatic recovery and transport system.

Claims (18)

1. An automatic recovery and transport system built in a wafer factory which has a maintenance area and a plurality of wafer cassette storage areas, comprising:

a manufacture execution system;

a path planning system, electrically connected with the manufacture execution system;

a vehicle control system, electrically connected with the path planning system;

a plurality of vehicles, electrically connected with the vehicle control system, wherein each of the wafer cassette storage areas has a storage area detection device mounted therein, and each of the vehicles has a vehicle detection device mounted thereon, and the vehicle detection devices are used for detecting whether the storage area detection devices have faults; and

an alarm system, electrically connected with the path planning system and the vehicle control system for recording a number of abnormal state occurrences of each vehicle and setting a maximum bearing number, wherein when the number of abnormal state occurrences of one of the vehicles reaches the maximum bearing number, the alarm system commands the path planning system to command the vehicle control system to drive the vehicle of which the number of abnormal state occurrences reaches the maximum bearing number to enter the maintenance area.

2. The automatic recovery and transport system as claimed in claim 1 , further comprising a plurality of temporary platforms each of which has a platform detection device mounted thereon; and the vehicle detection devices used for detecting whether the platform detection devices have faults.

3. The automatic recovery and transport system as claimed in claim 1 , wherein each of the vehicles has a rechargeable battery mounted thereon.

4. A method for executing an automatic recovery and transport system which is built in a wafer factory having a maintenance area and a plurality of wafer cassette storage areas each of which has a storage area detection device mounted therein includes a vehicle control system and a plurality of vehicles, each of the vehicles has a vehicle detection device mounted thereon, comprising the steps of:

(a). recording a number of abnormal state occurrences of each vehicle by an alarm system, and when the vehicle detection devices detect that any storage area detection device has a fault, the vehicle detection devices inform the alarm system that the storage area detection device has a fault via the vehicle control system, and the alarm system immediately sends an e-mail indicating the storage area detection device has a fault;

(b). setting a maximum bearing number corresponding to the number of abnormal state occurrences by the alarm system;

(c). the alarm system immediately sending a command to inform a path planning system when the number of abnormal state occurrences of any vehicle reaches the most bearing number, wherein the command contains that the vehicle of which the number of abnormal state occurrences reaches the most bearing number must be moved into the maintenance area for repair;

(d). the path planning system planning the shortest path along which the vehicle can move into the maintenance area and commanding the vehicle control system to drive the vehicle to move into the maintenance area along the planned path according to the command of the alarm system; and

(e). the alarm system commanding the path planning system to command the vehicle control system to drive the vehicle to depart from the maintenance area when the vehicle is repaired to normal.

5. The method as claimed in claim 4 , further comprising a plurality of temporary platforms each of which has a platform detection device mounted thereon; each of the vehicles having a vehicle detection device mounted thereon, wherein when the vehicle detection devices detect that any one of said platform detection devices has a fault, the vehicle detection device informs the alarm system that the platform detection device has a fault via the vehicle control system, and the alarm system immediately sends an email indicating that one of said platform detection devices has a fault.

6. The method as claimed in claim 4 , wherein the abnormal states include signal transmission delay between each vehicle and the vehicle control system.

7. The method as claimed in claim 4 , wherein each of the vehicles has a vehicle detection device mounted thereon and the abnormal states include that each vehicle detection device doesn't detect conditions in front of the corresponding vehicle.

8. The method as claimed in claim 4 , wherein each of the vehicles has a vehicle detection device mounted thereon and the abnormal states include that each rechargeable battery cannot be charged.

Assignments (6)
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Nov 12, 2019
From: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A., AS COLLATERAL AGENT
To: MICRON TECHNOLOGY, INC.; MICRON SEMICONDUCTOR PRODUCTS, INC.
Reel/Frame 051028/0001 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Oct 9, 2019
From: MORGAN STANLEY SENIOR FUNDING, INC., AS COLLATERAL AGENT
To: MICRON TECHNOLOGY, INC.
Reel/Frame 050695/0825 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Jul 13, 2018
From: MICRON TECHNOLOGY, INC.; MICRON SEMICONDUCTOR PRODUCTS, INC.
To: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A., AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 047540/0001 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Feb 27, 2017
From: INOTERA MEMORIES, INC.
To: MICRON TECHNOLOGY, INC.
Reel/Frame 041820/0815 →
SUPPLEMENT NO. 3 TO PATENT SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Feb 10, 2017
From: MICRON TECHNOLOGY, INC.
To: MORGAN STANLEY SENIOR FUNDING, INC.
Reel/Frame 041675/0105 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Feb 24, 2009
From: CHEN, YU-KUN; CHUANG, CHIN-HSIAO
To: INOTERA MEMORIES, INC.
Reel/Frame 022300/0452 →