Zero footprint mobile loadport

Abstract

A method of transporting workpieces to tools in an automated transportation system dispatches an automated transport vehicle containing workpieces from a first location such as a first loadport to a tool when the automated transport vehicle is available for dispatch and loaded with the workpieces, irrespective of whether the tool is available to receive the workpieces. Next, the method directs the automated transport vehicle to travel from the first loadport, along an interbay loop to an intrabay loop. The intrabay loop comprises a transport route around the tool and the interbay loop comprises a transport route that connects the loadport to a plurality of intrabay loops. The method directs the automated transport vehicle to travel along the interbay loop and stop at a tool loadport of the tool only if the tool is available to work on the workpieces. If the tool is not available to work on the workpieces when the automated transport vehicle arrives at the intrabay loop, the method directs the automated transport vehicle to continuously travel around the intrabay transport loop until the tool is available. Thus, the automated transport vehicle comprises a portable zero footprint storage location while it is continuously circling the intrabay loop waiting for the tool to become available to accept the workpieces it holds.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.