# US 10,770,325 B2 · Tool auto-teach method and apparatus > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,770,325 B2 - Document ID: US10770325B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 16/539,819 - Filed: 2019-08-13 - Published: 2019-12-05 - Granted: 2020-09-08 - Earliest claimed: 2014-11-10 - Assignees: Brooks Automation, Inc. - Applicants: Brooks Automation, Inc. - Inventors: Jairo T. Moura; Aaron Gawlik; Reza Saeidpourazar - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10770325B2 ## CPC - H10P 72/3302: {Mechanical parts of transfer devices} - H10P 72/0608: {of substrates stored in a container, a magazine, a carrier, a boat or the like} - H10P 72/0618: {using identification means, e.g. labels on substrates or labels on containers} - H10P 72/3402: {Mechanical parts of transfer devices} - H10P 72/3411: {involving loading and unloading of wafers} - H10P 72/50: for positioning, orientation or alignment - H10P 72/7602: {the wafers being placed on a robot blade or gripped by a gripper for conveyance} - H10P: GENERIC PROCESSES OR APPARATUS FOR THE MANUFACTURE OR TREATMENT OF DEVICES COVERED BY CLASS H10 ## Abstract A substrate transport apparatus auto-teach system for auto-teaching a substrate station location, the system including a frame, a substrate transport connected to the frame, the substrate transport having an end effector configured to support a substrate, and a controller configured to move the substrate transport so that the substrate transport biases the substrate supported on the end effector against a substrate station feature causing a change in eccentricity between the substrate and the end effector, determine the change in eccentricity, and determine the substrate station location based on at least the change in eccentricity between the substrate and the end effector. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A process tool comprising: a frame; a substrate transport connected to the frame and having an end effector configured to support a substrate; and a substrate transport apparatus auto-teach system for auto-teaching a substrate station location, the substrate transport apparatus auto-teach system including a controller configured to move the substrate transport so as to contact a substrate station feature with the substrate on the end effector to confirm an eccentricity of the substrate, relative to a coordinate system of the substrate transport, so that a change in eccentricity resolves to a common eccentricity determinative of the substrate station location. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The process tool of claim 1, wherein the change in eccentricity stochastically resolves to the common eccentricity. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The process tool of claim 1, wherein substrate station location is a Z location of the substrate station. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The process tool of claim 1, further comprising a substrate locating unit connected to the frame and including an automatic wafer center (AWC) unit connected to the frame. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The process tool of claim 1, wherein the substrate station feature is located inside a process module having a vacuum pressure environment therein. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The process tool of claim 5, wherein the vacuum pressure environment is a high vacuum. ### Claim 7 (depends on 5) The process tool of claim 5, wherein the substrate transport biases the substrate supported on the end effector against a substrate station feature in the vacuum pressure environment. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The process tool of claim 1, wherein the substrate station feature is located within a process module that is in a state of process security for processing substrates. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The process tool of claim 1, wherein the controller includes embedded pick/place commands to move the substrate transport and bias the substrate. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The process tool of claim 1, wherein the controller includes embedded substrate locating commands to determine the eccentricity. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The process tool of claim 1, wherein the substrate is a representative teaching or dummy wafer. ### Claim 12 A method comprising: providing a frame of a process tool; providing a substrate transport connected to the frame and having an end effector configured to support a substrate providing a substrate transport apparatus auto-teach system for auto-teaching a substrate station location; moving, with a controller, the substrate transport so as to contact a substrate station feature with the substrate on the end effector to confirm an eccentricity of the substrate, relative to a coordinate system of the substrate transport, so that a change in eccentricity stochastically resolves to a common eccentricity determinative of the substrate station location. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The process tool of claim 12, wherein the substrate station feature is located inside a process module having a vacuum pressure environment therein. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The process tool of claim 13, wherein the substrate transport biases the substrate supported on the end effector against a substrate station feature in the vacuum pressure environment. ### Claim 15 A method comprising: providing a substrate transport apparatus having an end effector configured to support a substrate; providing a substrate station having at least a first station feature having a predetermined spatial relationship with a substrate holding location of the substrate station; and automatically teaching a substrate station location of the substrate station by determining the substrate holding location with at least one embedded pick/place command from embedded pick/place commands in a controller, wherein the commanded transport of the substrate transport apparatus, from the at least one embedded pick/place command, effects movement of the end effector so that the substrate supported on the end effector interacts with the at least first station feature causing an eccentricity between the substrate and the end effector through contact with the at least first station feature, wherein a change in eccentricity resolves to a common eccentricity determinative of a location of the substrate holding location. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The method of claim 15, wherein the change in eccentricity stochastically resolves to the common eccentricity. ### Claim 17 (depends on 15) The method of claim 15, wherein the at least first station feature is located inside a process module having a vacuum pressure environment therein. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The method of claim 17, wherein the vacuum pressure environment is a high vacuum. ### Claim 19 (depends on 17) The method of claim 17, wherein the substrate transport interacts with the substrate supported on the end effector against the at least first station feature in the vacuum pressure environment. ### Claim 20 (depends on 15) The method of claim 15, further comprising moving the substrate transport and tapping the substrate against the at least first station feature with the embedded pick/place commands. ### Claim 21 (depends on 15) The method of claim 15, further comprising determining the eccentricity with embedded substrate locating commands of the controller. ### Claim 22 (depends on 15) The method of claim 15, further comprising providing the substrate station with a second station feature having a predetermined spatial relationship with a substrate holding location of the substrate station.