Patent ID: 8126588

Claim:
A process tool configured to process substrates, the process tool comprising: one or more process modules; one or more load ports configured to receive and discharge substrate carriers containing substrates; a substrate handling system configured to exchange substrates between said one or more load ports and said one or more process modules; a process time prediction unit configured to receive tool event messages from at least one of said one or more process modules and said substrate handling system and to predict a current process time for said one or more process modules on the basis of an event history that represents tool event messages received with respect to one or more previously processed substrates, wherein said process time prediction unit is configured to establish an event history for a predetermined type of tool events on the basis of said tool event messages; and a control unit operatively connected to said substrate handling system and said process time prediction unit, said control unit being configured to initiate a substrate handling activity by said substrate handling system on the basis of said predicted current process time.