Patent ID: 6778879
Filing Date: 2004-08-17
Classification: G05B,H01L,Y02P

Abstract:
An automated material handling system comprising:a FOUP management system, the FOUP management system for managing a plurality of FOUPs; a real time dispatch system, the real time dispatch system for controlling dispatching of wafer lot orders within a wafer fabrication system, wherein the real time dispatch system is in operative communication with the FOUP management system, an automatic material handling integration system, the automatic material handling system integration system having a stocker for storing and sequencing a plurality of FOUPs, the stocker having an embedded sorter disposed there within for sorting wafers within the plurality of FOUPs, the embedded sorter having at least four load ports, wherein two of the at least four embedded sorter load ports are stocker crane accessible load ports, the two stocker crane accessible load ports in operative communication with the FOUP transportation system for automatically transferring FOUPs from the stocker crane to at least one of the embedded sorter's two stocker crane accessible load ports according to a predefined sequence, and wherein two of the at least four embedded sorter load ports are operator accessible load ports, the embedded sorter's two operator accessible load ports are provided to allow for manual insertion of FOUPs by an operator into the embedded sorter, and wherein the stocker is in operative communication with the real time dispatch system and is in further operative communication with a computer integrated manufacturing system; and a FOUP transportation system for transporting FOUPs within a wafer fabrication facility, the FOUP transportation system in operative communication with the stocker and in further operative communication with the real time dispatch system to route FOUPs to and from the embedded sorter; a manufacture execution system, the manufacture execution system in operative communication with the real time dispatch system for controlling recipe processing and for controlling flow of FOUPs within the FAB; and a computer integrated manufacturing system, the computer integrated manufacturing system for automating equipment, the computer integrated manufacturing system in operative communication with the stocker and with the manufacture execution system, wherein the computer integrated manufacturing is in further operative communication with the real time dispatch system.