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:
May. 21, 2002
Filed:
May. 12, 2000
Tex M. Dudley, Palo Alto, CA (US);
Electroglas, Inc., San Jose, CA (US);
Abstract
An apparatus and method for positioning a wafer holding platform by moving it along a first set of axes concurrently through a path measured along a second set of axes. An apparatus of the present invention comprises a motor system to move the wafer holding stage and a motion control system to control the path of the wafer holding stage. The motor system constrains the wafer holding stage to a first two axes of movement, and the motion control system controls the path along a second two axes of movement. The first two axes and second two axes are located at angles from one another. The distance a wafer on the wafer holding stage is to be moved is measured along the second two axes. A method comprises constraining the movement of a wafer holding stage to a first and a second movement axes and controlling a path of the wafer holding stage along a third and a fourth movement axis. The present invention increases the speed of the wafer holding platform, thereby decreasing the time needed to test a wafer.