The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Sep. 08, 2026
Filed:
Nov. 30, 2022
Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd., Hsinchu, TW;
Yung-Ho Chen, Hsinchu City, TW;
Chung-Hsung Yang, Hsinchu, TW;
Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd., Hsinchu, TW;
Abstract
A system and an operating method for automated wafer carrier handling are provided. The system includes a storage rack including a standby position and a storage position separated from each other, a first and second moving mechanism, and a controller operatively coupled to the first and second moving mechanism to control operations of the first and second moving mechanism. The storage position is for buffering a wafer carrier awaiting transfer to a load port. The first moving mechanism is movably coupled to the storage rack and provides at least one degree of freedom of movement to transfer the wafer carrier from the storage position to the standby position. The second moving mechanism is disposed over the storage rack, operatively coupled the storage rack to the load port, and provides at least one degree of freedom of movement to transfer the wafer carrier from the standby position to the load port.