# US 2019/0378740 A1 · Teaching apparatus and teaching method for substrate transfer system > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2019/0378740 A1 - Document ID: US20190378740A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 16/438,295 - Filed: 2019-06-11 - Published: 2019-12-12 - Earliest claimed: 2018-06-12 - Assignees: Ebara Corporation - Applicants: Ebara Corporation - Inventors: Hidetatsu Isokawa; Koichi Hashimoto; Mitsuhiko Inaba; Makoto Iida - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20190378740A1 ## CPC - H10P 72/3302: {Mechanical parts of transfer devices} - H10P 72/53: {using optical controlling means} - B25J 9/163: {learning, adaptive, model based, rule based expert control} - B25J 9/1697: {Vision controlled systems} - B25J 11/0095: {Manipulators transporting wafers} - B65G 47/905: {Control arrangements} - H10P 72/0456: {in-line arrangement} - H10P 72/0464: {characterised by the construction of the transfer chamber} - H10P 72/0606: {Position monitoring, e.g. misposition detection or presence detection} - H10P 72/33: {into and out of processing chamber} - H10P 72/3306: {Horizontal transfer of a single workpiece} - H10P 72/7608: {characterised by a plurality of separate clamping members, e.g. clamping fingers} - H10P: GENERIC PROCESSES OR APPARATUS FOR THE MANUFACTURE OR TREATMENT OF DEVICES COVERED BY CLASS H10 - B25J: MANIPULATORS; CHAMBERS PROVIDED WITH MANIPULATION DEVICES ({manipulators specially adapted for use in surgery A61B34/70; manipulators used in cleaning hollow articles B08B9/04}; manipulators associated with rolling mills B21B39/20; manipulators associated with forging machines B21J13/10; {manipulators associated with picking-up and placing mechanisms B23P19/007}; means for holding wheels or parts thereof B60B30/00; {vehicles with ground-engaging propulsion means, e.g. walking members B62D57/02, B62D57/032; devices for picking-up and depositing articles or materials between conveyors B65G47/90, B65G47/91; manipulators with gripping or holding means for transferring packages B65H67/065}; cranes B66C; {manipulators used in the protection or supervision of pipe-line installations F17D5/00; walking equipment adapted for nuclear steam-generators F22B37/006}; manipulators specially adapted for, or associated with, nuclear reactors G21C; {apparatus used for handling wafers during manufacture or treatment of semiconductor H10P72/50}) - B65G: TRANSPORT OR STORAGE DEVICES, e.g. CONVEYORS FOR LOADING OR TIPPING, SHOP CONVEYOR SYSTEMS OR PNEUMATIC TUBE CONVEYORS (packaging B65B; handling thin or filamentary materials, e.g. paper sheets or thread, B65H; cranes B66C; portable mobile or lifting or hauling appliances, e.g. hoists, B66D; devices for lifting or lowering goods for loading or unloading purposes, e.g. fork-lift trucks, B66F9/00; emptying bottles, jars, casks, barrels or similar containers, not otherwise provided for, B67C9/00; delivering or transferring liquids B67D; filling or discharging vessels for liquefied, solidified or compressed gases F17C; pipe-line systems for fluids F17D) ## Abstract There is provided a teaching apparatus for a substrate transfer system including a substrate transfer device and a substrate receiving device. The substrate transfer device is configured to hold a substrate. The substrate receiving device is configured to receive the substrate from the substrate transfer device. The teaching apparatus includes a teaching substrate configured to be held to the substrate transfer device, a camera mountable to the teaching substrate, and a controller that controls an operation of the substrate transfer device holding the teaching substrate and/or the substrate receiving device. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A teaching apparatus for a substrate transfer system, wherein the substrate transfer system includes a substrate transfer device and a substrate receiving device, the substrate transfer device is configured to hold a substrate, and the substrate receiving device is configured to receive the substrate from the substrate transfer device, the teaching apparatus comprises: a teaching substrate configured to be held to the substrate transfer device; a camera mountable to the teaching substrate; and a controller for controlling an operation of the substrate transfer device holding the teaching substrate and/or the substrate receiving device, and the controller includes: a receiving unit that receives an image photographed by the camera; an analyzer that calculates a relative positional relationship between the substrate transfer device and the substrate receiving device from the received image; and a determining unit that determines a stop position of the substrate transfer device and/or the substrate receiving device based on the relative positional relationship between the substrate transfer device and the substrate receiving device calculated by the analyzer. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The teaching apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the analyzer calculates the relative positional relationship between the substrate transfer device and the substrate receiving device based on a mark in the image photographed by the camera. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The teaching apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the substrate receiving device includes the mark. ### Claim 4 (depends on 2) The teaching apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the substrate receiving device is configured to receive a target substrate including the mark. ### Claim 5 (depends on 2) The teaching apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the analyzer calculates the relative positional relationship between the substrate transfer device and the substrate receiving device based on a position of the mark in the image. ### Claim 6 (depends on 2) The teaching apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the analyzer calculates the relative positional relationship between the substrate transfer device and the substrate receiving device based on a size of the mark in the image. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The teaching apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the controller includes a command unit that issues an operation command to the substrate transfer device and/or the substrate receiving device based on the stop position determined by the determining unit. ### Claim 8 A teaching method for a substrate transfer system including a substrate transfer device and a substrate receiving device, the substrate transfer device being configured to hold a substrate, the substrate receiving device being configured to receive the substrate from the substrate transfer device, the teaching method comprising: causing the substrate transfer device to hold a teaching substrate to which a camera is mounted; causing the substrate transfer device and/or the substrate receiving device to move such that the substrate transfer device relatively approaches the substrate receiving device; photographing a proximity of the substrate receiving device by the camera; calculating a relative positional relationship between the substrate transfer device and the substrate receiving device from an image photographed by the camera; and determining a stop position of the substrate transfer device and/or the substrate receiving device based on the calculated relative positional relationship between the substrate transfer device and the substrate receiving device. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The teaching method according to claim 8, wherein the calculating calculates the relative positional relationship between the substrate transfer device and the substrate receiving device based on a mark in the image photographed by the camera. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The teaching method according to claim 9, comprising photographing the mark included in the substrate receiving device by the camera. ### Claim 11 (depends on 9) The teaching method according to claim 9, comprising: holding a target substrate including the mark by the substrate receiving device; and photographing the target substrate held to the substrate receiving device by the camera. ### Claim 12 (depends on 9) The teaching method according to claim 9, wherein the calculating calculates the relative positional relationship between the substrate transfer device and the substrate receiving device based on a position of the mark in the image. ### Claim 13 (depends on 9) The teaching method according to claim 9, wherein the calculating calculates the relative positional relationship between the substrate transfer device and the substrate receiving device based on a size of the mark in the image. ### Claim 14 (depends on 9) The teaching method according to claim 9, comprising issuing an operation command to the substrate transfer device and/or the substrate receiving device based on the determined stop position. ### Claim 15 A method for predicting a fault for a substrate transfer system including a substrate transfer device and a substrate receiving device, the substrate transfer device being configured to hold a substrate, the substrate receiving device being configured to receive the substrate from the substrate transfer device, the method comprising: recording a stop position of the substrate transfer device and/or the substrate receiving device while the substrate transfer system is in operation; and analyzing the recorded stop position. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The method according to claim 15, wherein the analyzing includes comparing the stop position of the substrate transfer device and/or the substrate receiving device while the substrate transfer system is in operation with teaching data indicative of an optimal stop position of the substrate transfer device and/or the substrate receiving device.