Control system for transfer and buffering

• US 20020164242A1
• Filed: 01/24/2002
• Published: 11/07/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 01/26/2001
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Brooks Automation Ltd. (United Kingdom) (Azenta, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Brooks Automation Ltd. (United Kingdom) (Azenta, Inc.)
• Inventors: Cox, Barton J., Wehrung, Brian
• Application Number:
  US10/056,158
• Publication Number:
  US 20020164242A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 700/214
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/4182 manipulators and conveyor only
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/31078 Several machines and several buffers, storages, conveyors, robots
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/45031 Manufacturing semiconductor wafers
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/45054 Handling, conveyor
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/45057 Storage handling for disks or material
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/45063 Pick and place manipulator
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/67276 Production flow monitoring, e.g. for increasing throughput program-control systems per se G05B19/00, e.g. total factory control G05B19/418
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/67294 using identification means, e.g. labels on substrates or labels on containers
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/67769 Storage means
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 90/02 Total factory control, e.g. smart factories, flexible manufacturing systems [FMS] or integrated manufacturing systems [IMS]

Abstract

A control system for transferring and buffering material in a material transport system. A transport system and method for moving an article between a conveyor and a workstation. A robot works in conjunction with transportation buffer control system to move Pods between storage shelves, load ports and I/O ports without intervention of the material handling controller. The robots include vertical movement mechanisms and horizontal movement mechanisms together with gripping devices to handle the Pods. Movement of Pods between storage shelves, load ports and I/O ports is seen as a single activity by the material control system.

Claims

1. A control system for a material transport system, comprising:

a controller;

a command queue, said command queue containing commands that control movement in said material transport system;

a defined plurality of movement triggers that cause the controller to examine the command queue and select a command to execute.

2. The control system of claim 1 wherein said controller is comprised of a transport controller, a control logic computer and one or more intelligent drivers.

3. The control system of claim 1, wherein said control logic computer sequences the selection of commands from said command queue.

4. The control system of claim 1 further comprising:

a plurality of pod-in-place sensors adapted to transmit pod-in-place signals.

5. The control system of claim 4, wherein said controller sequences selection of said commands from said command queue based on said pod-in-place signals.

6. The control system of claim 3, wherein said controller sequences selection of successive commands from said command queue based on said preceding command selected.

7. The control system of claim 4, further comprising a tracking system adapted to intermittently determine the locations of pods based on said pod-in-place signals.

8. A control system for transfer and buffering pods within a semiconductor manufacturing facility comprising:

a transportation system;

a transport controller adapted to control movement of said transportation system;

a plurality of location sensors adapted to transmit pod-in-place signals;

a control logic computer connected to said transport controller and adapted to receive a source/destination signal and said pod-in-place signals and issue control commands to said transportation system in response to said source/destination signal and said pod-in-place signals.

9. The control system of claim 8 wherein said control logic computer issues said control commands sequentially.

10. The control system of claim 8, wherein said control logic computer receives said source/destination signals from said transport controller.

11. The control system of claim 8 further comprising:

a scheduler for sequencing said source/destination signals.

12. The control system of claim 11 wherein said scheduler sequences said source/destination signals based on said preceding command selected.

13. The control system of claim 11, wherein said scheduler sequences said source/destination signals based on a current state of said control logic computer.

14. The control system of claim 8, wherein said control logic computer is adapted to store a specific pod with a predetermined distance from a specified destination.

16. The control system of claim 15 further comprising:

a scheduler for sequencing said control commands.

17. The control system of claim 16 further comprising:

a plurality of pod-in-place sensors adapted to transmit pod-in-place signals.

18. The control system of claim 16 wherein said scheduler sequences said control commands based on said said source/destination signals and said pod-in place signals.

15. A control system for transfer and buffering material in a transport system comprising:

a control logic computer adapted to receive source/destination signals regarding materials in said transport system and cause issuance of control commands in response to said source/destination signals;

a plurality of location sensors connected to said control logic computer to provide data to said control logic computer regarding locations of materials in said transport system.