System for a semiconductor fabrication facility and method for operating the same
AssigneeTaiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd.
InventorsFu-Hsien Li, Sheng-Kang Yu, Chi-Feng Tung, Hsiang Yin Shen, Guancyun Li
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A system for a semiconductor fabrication facility includes a maintenance tool, a control unit, a first track, a second track, a maintenance crane movably mounted on the first track, a plurality of first sensors disposed on the first track, an OHT vehicle movably mounted on the second track, and a second sensor on the OHT vehicle. The first sensors detect a location of the maintenance crane and generate a first location data to the control unit. The second sensor generates a second location data to the control unit.
Claims20
A system for a semiconductor fabrication facility, comprising:
- a manufacturing tool;
- a control unit;
- a first track and a second track;
- a maintenance crane movably mounted on the first track;
- a plurality of first sensors disposed on the first track to define a danger zone over a load port of the manufacturing tool, wherein the first sensors detect a location of the maintenance crane and generate a first location data to the control unit;
- an overhead hoisting transporting (OHT) vehicle movably mounted on the second track;
- and
- a second sensor on the OHT vehicle generating a second location data to the control unit.
A method for operating a system for a semiconductor fabrication facility, comprising:
- providing a maintenance crane, an overhead hoisting transporting (OHT) vehicle, a control unit and a tool comprising a load port;
- defining a danger zone overlapping the load port;
- detecting a location of the maintenance crane and a location of the OHT vehicle;
- prohibiting the maintenance crane from entering the danger zone when the OHT vehicle enters the danger zone;
- sending signals from the control unit to a sensor on the OHT vehicle and a sensor on the load port;
- and
- performing a handshaking function by the sensor on the OHT vehicle and the sensor on the load port to permit a load operation or an unload operation.
A method for operating a system for a semiconductor fabrication facility, comprising:
- providing a maintenance crane, an overhead hoisting transporting (OHT) vehicle, a control unit and a tool comprising a load port;
- defining a danger zone overlapping the load port;
- and
- detecting a location of the maintenance crane and a location of the OHT vehicle;
- and
- disabling the OHT vehicle when the maintenance crane enters the danger zone by the control unit.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.