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:
Dec. 16, 2003
Filed:
Aug. 30, 2002
Jason S. Zeakes, Round Rock, TX (US);
Clinton Haris, Lunenburg, MA (US);
Karl E. Mautz, Round Rock, TX (US);
William Mark Hiatt, Eagle, ID (US);
Motorola, Inc., Schaumburg, IL (US);
Abstract
A processing tool bay within a semiconductor fabrication site, including a plurality of semiconductor processing tools for processing wafers being arranged in two opposite rows. An intrabay transport system for transporting wafer carriers around the process tool bay at least in a vertical plane in front of one of said two rows of semiconductor process tools comprises at least one vehicle for receiving and delivering a wafer carrier to and from any one semiconductor process tool of said plurality of semiconductor process tools, and a vehicle guiding mechanism. The vehicle comprises a circular compartment structure including a plurality of compartments for buffering said wafer carrier between receiving it at a first location and delivering it at a second location. Each compartment is arranged for accommodating one wafer carrier. The compartment structure is rotatable around a symmetry axis of itself for an alignment. The distance between the two opposite rows of processing tools is determined so as to enable a displacement of at least one vehicle.