# US 11,908,721 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 11,908,721 B2 - Document ID: US11908721B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 18/045,674 - Filed: 2022-10-11 - Published: 2023-07-06 - Granted: 2024-02-20 - Earliest claimed: 2014-11-10 - Assignees: Brooks Automation US, LLC - Applicants: Brooks Automation US, LLC - Inventors: Jairo T. Moura; Aaron Gawlik; Reza Saeidpourazar - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11908721B2 ## 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 forming an enclosure arranged to hold a controlled environment therein and having a substrate station located therein and an enclosure feature included in the controlled environment with a predetermined relationship to a substrate station location; a substrate transport connected to the frame and having an end effector configured to support a substrate; and a controller communicably connected to the substrate transport and configured to: confirm an eccentricity of the substrate from bias of the substrate on the end effector on the enclosure feature, relative to a coordinate system of the substrate transport, and resolve a change in eccentricity to an eccentricity determinative of the substrate station location. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The process tool of claim 1, wherein the substrate station location is a Z location of the substrate station. ### Claim 3 (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 unit connected to the frame. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The process tool of claim 1, wherein the enclosure feature is located inside a process module having a vacuum pressure environment therein. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The process tool of claim 4, wherein the vacuum pressure environment is a high vacuum. ### Claim 6 (depends on 4) The process tool of claim 4, wherein the substrate transport biases the substrate supported on the end effector against the enclosure feature in the vacuum pressure environment. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The process tool of claim 1, wherein the enclosure feature is located within a process module that is in a state of process security for processing substrates. ### Claim 8 (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 9 (depends on 1) The process tool of claim 1, wherein the controller includes embedded substrate locating commands to determine the eccentricity. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The process tool of claim 1, wherein the substrate is a representative teaching or dummy wafer. ### Claim 11 A method comprising: providing a frame forming an enclosure arranged to hold a controlled environment therein and having a substrate station located therein and an enclosure feature included in the controlled environment with a predetermined relationship to a substrate station location; 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; confirming an eccentricity of the substrate from bias of the substrate on the end effector on the enclosure feature, relative to a coordinate system of the substrate transport; and resolving a change in eccentricity to an eccentricity determinative of the substrate station location. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11, wherein the enclosure feature is located inside a process module having a vacuum pressure environment therein. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The method of claim 12, wherein the substrate transport biases the substrate supported on the end effector against the enclosure feature in the vacuum pressure environment. ### Claim 14 A method comprising: providing a substrate transport apparatus having an end effector configured to support a substrate; providing a frame forming an enclosure arranged to hold a controlled environment therein and having at least a first enclosure feature, included in the controlled environment, with a predetermined relationship to a substrate station location; and automatically teaching the substrate station location 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: confirmation of an eccentricity between the substrate and the end effector through interaction of the substrate, supported on the end effector, with the at least first enclosure feature, and resolving a change in eccentricity to an eccentricity determinative of a location of the substrate holding location. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The method of claim 14, wherein the at least first enclosure feature is located inside a process module having a vacuum pressure environment therein. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The method of claim 15, wherein the vacuum pressure environment is a high vacuum. ### Claim 17 (depends on 15) The method of claim 15, wherein the substrate transport interacts with the substrate supported on the end effector against the at least first enclosure feature in the vacuum pressure environment. ### Claim 18 (depends on 14) The method of claim 14, wherein the at least one embedded pick/place command effects tapping the substrate against the at least first enclosure feature. ### Claim 19 (depends on 14) The method of claim 14, further comprising determining the eccentricity with embedded substrate locating commands of the controller. ### Claim 20 (depends on 14) The method of claim 14, further comprising providing the frame with a second enclosure feature having a predetermined relationship to the substrate station location.