Transport system and method

A transport method, comprising:

• obtaining wafer carrier information corresponding to a processing wafer carrier loaded at a load port of a semiconductor apparatus, wherein the processing wafer carrier contains a plurality of wafers;
• estimating a processed time according to the wafer carrier information by the semiconductor apparatus, wherein the processed time is defined as a point of time that the plurality of wafers of the processing wafer carrier have been processed by the semiconductor apparatus;
• transmitting a request signal comprising the processed time to a control system by the semiconductor apparatus;
• assigning an assigned wafer carrier according to the request signal, and estimating a delivery time according to the processed time and a detaching period by the control system, wherein the delivery time is an estimated time when the assigned wafer carrier is loaded at the load port during a time later than the processed time and when the processing wafer carrier has been detached from the load port during the detaching period;
• estimating a transport period during which the assigned wafer carrier is transported from a stocker to the load port, and estimating a start time according to the delivery time minus the transport period by the control system;
• and
• starting to transport the assigned wafer carrier to the semiconductor apparatus at the start time, which is earlier than the processed time,
• wherein transporting the assigned wafer carrier comprises:
• moving a vehicle with the assigned wafer carrier from the stocker to a check position of a main track;
• moving the vehicle with the assigned wafer carrier from the check position to a circular track when the semiconductor apparatus is occupied with a processing wafer carrier;
• and
• moving the vehicle with the assigned wafer carrier to a first elevation position of the main track and loading the assigned wafer carrier into the semiconductor apparatus after the processing wafer carrier is detached from the semiconductor apparatus.

A transport method, comprising:

• obtaining wafer carrier information corresponding to a processing wafer carrier loaded at a first load port of a semiconductor apparatus, wherein the processing wafer carrier contains a plurality of wafers;
• estimating a processed time according to the wafer carrier information by the semiconductor apparatus, wherein the processed time is defined as a point of time that the plurality of wafers of the processing wafer carrier have been processed by the semiconductor apparatus;
• transmitting a request signal comprising the processed time to a control system by the semiconductor apparatus;
• assigning an assigned wafer carrier and an assigned empty wafer carrier according to the request signal, and estimating a delivery time according to the processed time and a detaching period by the control system, wherein the delivery time is an estimated time when the assigned wafer carrier is loaded at the first load port during a time later than the processed time and when the processing wafer carrier has been detached from the first load port during the detaching period;
• estimating a transport period during which the assigned wafer carrier is transported from a stocker to the first load port, and estimating a first start time according to the delivery time minus the transport period by the control system;
• starting to transport the assigned wafer carrier to the semiconductor apparatus at the first start time, which is earlier than the processed time;
• starting to transport the assigned empty wafer carrier to the semiconductor apparatus at a second start time, which is earlier than the processed time;
• and
• simultaneously loading the assigned wafer carrier loaded at the first load port and loading the assigned empty wafer carrier at a second load port of the semiconductor apparatus.