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:
Jan. 16, 2001
Filed:
Jan. 16, 1998
Sang-yong Kim, Kyonggi-do, KR;
Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd., Suwon, KR;
Abstract
A method and system for transferring a wafer cassette between an Automated Guide Vehicle (AGV) and process equipment in a semiconductor fabrication facility involves transmitting a first signal from the AGV to the process equipment indicative of a cassette transfer request, checking whether the process equipment is in a suitable mode, setting the process equipment to the suitable mode after the checking step if the process equipment was not already in the suitable mode, and transferring the cassette between the AGV and the process equipment. A second transmitting step may be included, which sends a signal from the process equipment to the AGV authorizing the transfer of the cassette. The transmissions may be accomplished by wireless communications links such as a photo-coupled Parallel Input/Output link. A plurality of sensors may be used to detect whether a cassette is anywhere on a cassette stage during the checking step.