Patent ID: 7700891

Claim:
A method for sorting devices in automated handling equipment comprising: placing a plurality of output trays into a handler; placing a plurality of input trays containing a plurality of devices into the handler; sorting the plurality of devices in the plurality of input trays into the plurality of output trays, wherein the plurality of devices in the plurality of input trays are sorted into the plurality of output trays according to a category that is dynamically assigned to each output tray based on one or more device categories associated with the plurality of devices, wherein, if there are more device categories than output trays, categories are dynamically assigned to the plurality of input trays that are in the process of being emptied, and subsequently devices are sorted into the plurality of input trays according into their respective assigned category, and wherein, if there are not more device categories than output trays, devices are only sorted to the plurality of output trays; and removing output trays or input trays that are full with the plurality of sorted devices from the handler.