# US 10,504,764 B2 · Substrate stocker and systems management software

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- Number: US 10,504,764 B2
- Document ID: US10504764B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 15/814,610
- Filed: 2017-11-16
- Published: 2018-05-17
- Granted: 2019-12-10
- Earliest claimed: 2016-11-16
- Assignees: Murata Machinery, Ltd.
- Applicants: Murata Machinery, Ltd.
- Inventors: Gerhard Dovids; Yves Fenner; John Fiddes; Christian Wohanka; Bernd Rahrbach
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10504764B2

## CPC

- H10P 72/34: {the wafers being stored in a carrier, involving loading and unloading}
- B65G 1/137: with arrangements or automatic control means for selecting which articles are to be removed
- G05B 19/41835: {characterised by program execution}
- G06F 3/048: Interaction techniques based on graphical user interfaces [GUI]
- G06Q 10/04: Forecasting or optimisation specially adapted for administrative or management purposes, e.g. linear programming or "cutting stock problem" (market predictions or forecasting for commercial activities G06Q30/0202)
- H10P 72/18: {characterised by being specially adapted for supporting a single substrate or by comprising a stack of such individual supports}
- H10P 72/3406: {involving removal of lid, door or cover}
- H10P 72/3411: {involving loading and unloading of wafers}
- Y02P 90/02: Total factory control, e.g. smart factories, flexible manufacturing systems [FMS] or integrated manufacturing systems [IMS]
- H10P: GENERIC PROCESSES OR APPARATUS FOR THE MANUFACTURE OR TREATMENT OF DEVICES COVERED BY CLASS H10
- B65G: TRANSPORT OR STORAGE DEVICES, e.g. CONVEYORS FOR LOADING OR TIPPING, SHOP CONVEYOR SYSTEMS OR PNEUMATIC TUBE CONVEYORS (packaging B65B; handling thin or filamentary materials, e.g. paper sheets or thread, B65H; cranes B66C; portable mobile or lifting or hauling appliances, e.g. hoists, B66D; devices for lifting or lowering goods for loading or unloading purposes, e.g. fork-lift trucks, B66F9/00; emptying bottles, jars, casks, barrels or similar containers, not otherwise provided for, B67C9/00; delivering or transferring liquids B67D; filling or discharging vessels for liquefied, solidified or compressed gases F17C; pipe-line systems for fluids F17D)
- G05B: CONTROL OR REGULATING SYSTEMS IN GENERAL; FUNCTIONAL ELEMENTS OF SUCH SYSTEMS; MONITORING OR TESTING ARRANGEMENTS FOR SUCH SYSTEMS OR ELEMENTS (systems for controlling or regulating non-electric variables G05D; systems for regulating electric or magnetic variables G05F; control devices or systems insofar as characterised by mechanical features only G05G)
- G06F: ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING (computer systems based on specific computational models G06N)
- G06Q: INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY [ICT] SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE, COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL OR SUPERVISORY PURPOSES; SYSTEMS OR METHODS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE, COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL OR SUPERVISORY PURPOSES, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
- Y02P: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES IN THE PRODUCTION OR PROCESSING OF GOODS

## Abstract

A substrate production, manufacturing, and processing system includes storages with one or more separations that store substrates, loading stations that include robots, opener systems, and a software management system. The storage separations hold first containers that store carriers and the substrates in stacks. Each robot is able to access and move at least one of: the first container, a second container or carrier, and one of the substrates. The opener systems open the first containers such that the carriers and the substrates are able to be accessed by the robots in the loading station, and the software management system assigns at least one category to each stack of carriers and the substrates. The first containers store the substrates with a higher density than the second container or carrier, and the opener systems each include effectors that each hold an individual one of the substrates.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A substrate processing, manufacturing, or storage system comprising:
one or more storages including one or more separations that store a plurality of substrates, wherein the separations hold first containers that store carriers and the plurality of substrates in stacks;
one or more loading stations that each include one or more robots, wherein each robot is able to access and move at least one of: the first containers, a second container or carrier, and one of the plurality of substrates;
one or more opener systems that open the first containers such that the carriers and the plurality of substrates are able to be accessed by the one or more robots in the loading station; and
a software management system that assigns at least one category to each stack of carriers and the plurality of substrates; wherein
the first containers store the plurality of substrates with a higher density than the second container or carrier; and
the one or more opener systems each include effectors that each hold an individual one of the plurality of substrates.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

A substrate processing, manufacturing, or storage system as in claim 1, wherein each stack includes only a single category.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

A substrate processing, manufacturing, or storage system as in claim 1, further comprising:
a user interface; wherein
the software management system is able to be controlled via a network Connection.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

A substrate processing, manufacturing, or storage system as in claim 1, wherein each stack includes different categories assigned for different carriers and substrates within the stack.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

A substrate processing, manufacturing, or storage system as in claim 4, wherein the categories are based on pre-defined physical characteristics of the carriers and pre-defined physical characteristics of the plurality of substrates or pre-defined physical characteristics of each stack.

### Claim 6 (depends on 4)

A substrate processing, manufacturing, or storage system in claim 4, wherein the categories are based on current condition sensor data.

### Claim 7 (depends on 4)

A substrate processing, manufacturing, or storage system as in claim 4, wherein:
the categories are dependent on a time characteristic of each stack or the carriers and the plurality of substrates, and
the categories are changed on a time-dependent basis.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

A substrate processing, manufacturing, or storage system in claim 1, wherein the software management system controls at least one station such that the software controls actions including at least one of: combining stacks, rearranging stacks, combining categories, or other outputs based on the categories assigned.

### Claim 9 (depends on 8)

A substrate processing, manufacturing, or storage system as in claim 8, further comprising:
a ranking system based on defined categories.

### Claim 10 (depends on 8)

A substrate processing, manufacturing, or storage system as in claim 8, wherein the software management system optimizes or minimizes a route, a number of accesses, a number of stacks, a number of storage operations, or a number of other operations.

### Claim 11 (depends on 10)

A substrate processing, manufacturing, or storage system as in claim 10, wherein the optimization or minimization is based on an input request and pattern.

### Claim 12 (depends on 10)

A substrate processing, manufacturing, or storage system as in claim 10, wherein the optimization or minimization is based on an output pattern or limitation.

### Claim 13

A software management method to manage a substrate storage, comprising:
providing a stack of carriers and substrates in a first container,
storing the stack of carriers and substrates in the first container in a storage separation, wherein the storage separation is inventoried by at least quantity and category,
assigning at least one category to each stack of carriers and substrates, and
selectively moving the first container or a second container to an opener station, wherein
the first container stores the carriers and substrates with a higher density than the second container; and
the opener station includes effectors that each hold an individual one of the plurality of substrates.

### Claim 14 (depends on 13)

A software management method as in claim 13, wherein each stack includes carriers and substrates assigned a same category.

### Claim 15 (depends on 13)

A software management method as in claim 13, wherein each stack has different categories assigned for different carriers and substrates, within the stack.

### Claim 16 (depends on 13)

A software management method as in claim 13, wherein the categories are based on a characteristic of the carriers, and the substrates.

### Claim 17 (depends on 13)

A software management method as in claim 13, further comprising:
providing a desired stack configuration output for at least one stack and associated container for output, wherein:
the stack configuration includes criteria for quantity and category for an output stack,
checking the inventory of the storage separation for the requested output,
calculating a required input from the storage separation to match the requested output, wherein the input at least satisfied the desired stack configuration output.

### Claim 18 (depends on 17)

A software management method as in claim 17, wherein the step of calculating calculates the fastest and most efficient movement for the required input to match the requested output.

### Claim 19 (depends on 17)

A software management method as in claim 17, further comprising:
moving at least the containers from the required input and requested output by a loading station to the opener station,
opening the first container such that the carriers and the substrates are accessible,
accessing the carriers and the substrates and moving them to a transfer station such that the transfer station contents matches the requested output.

### Claim 20 (depends on 19)

A software management method as in claim 19, further comprising:
transporting the transfer station to a destination location.