Patent ID: 8676375

Claim:
An automated cassette-to-cassette substrate handling system comprising: a) a cassette storage module for storing a plurality of substrates in cassettes before and after processing; b) a substrate carrier storage module for storing a plurality of substrate carriers; c) a substrate carrier loading/unloading module for loading substrates from the cassette storage module onto the plurality of substrate carriers and for unloading substrates from the plurality of substrate carriers to the cassette storage module; d) a transport mechanism that transports the plurality of substrates between the cassette storage module and the plurality of substrate carriers and that transports the plurality of substrate carriers between the substrate carrier loading/unloading module and a processing chamber; e) a vision system comprising a sensor positioned to recognize recesses in the plurality of substrate carriers corresponding to empty substrate positions in the substrate carrier; and f) a processor having an input that is coupled to a data output of the vision system and an output that is coupled to a control input of the transport mechanism, the processor receiving data from the vision system and instructing the transport mechanism to transport substrates to positions on the substrate carrier in response to the received data.