Systems and methods for raised floor automated sensor vehicles

{
  "publication_number": "US12153433B2",
  "country": "US",
  "kind": "B2",
  "title": "Systems and methods for raised floor automated sensor vehicles",
  "abstract": "In an embodiment a system includes: an automated vehicle configured to traverse a first predetermined path; and a sensor system located on the automated vehicle, the sensor system configured to detect a vertical obstacle along the first predetermined path along one or two floorboards ahead of the automated vehicle, wherein the automated vehicle is configured to traverse a second predetermined path in response to detecting the vertical obstacle.",
  "claims": [
    "1. A system, comprising: an automated vehicle configured to traverse on a raised floorboard platform; and at least one sensor located on the automated vehicle, the at least one sensor configured to detect a defect on the raised floorboard platform ahead of the automated vehicle, wherein the automated vehicle is configured to change its direction of travel in response to detecting the defect on the raised floorboard platform, wherein the automated vehicle is configured to travel from a first semiconductor processing station to a second semiconductor processing station along the raised floorboard platform.",
    "2. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one sensor comprises a two dimensional light detection and ranging (LiDAR) sensor.",
    "3. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one sensor is configured to determine a variation in depth along a one-dimensional horizontal line across one or two floorboards ahead of the automated vehicle, and wherein the variation in depth is caused by the defect in the raised floorboard.",
    "4. The system of claim 3, wherein the one-dimensional horizontal line extends along an axis orthogonal to a direction of motion of the automated vehicle.",
    "5. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one sensor comprises a two dimensional light detection and ranging (LiDAR) sensor implemented with a linear laser.",
    "6. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one sensor comprises multiple two dimensional light detection and ranging (LiDAR) sensors configured to detect vertical inconsistencies along respective lines orthogonal to each other.",
    "7. A system, comprising: a raised floorboard platform configured to reduce vibrations from one side of the raised floorboard platform from passing through to a second side of the raised floorboard platform; an automated vehicle configured to traverse the raised floorboard platform; and at least one sensor configured to detect a defect in the raised floorboard ahead of the automated vehicle, wherein the automated vehicle is configured to alter its direction of travel in response to detecting the defect, wherein the automated vehicle is configured to travel from a first semiconductor processing station to a second semiconductor processing station along the raised floorboard platform.",
    "8. The system of claim 7, wherein the at least one sensor comprises a linear laser that is tilted at an angle of about 30 degrees to about 50 degrees from a surface of the automated vehicle.",
    "9. The system of claim 8, wherein the linear laser is about 100 millimeters to about 1000 millimeters above the raised floorboard platform.",
    "10. The system of claim 7, wherein the automated vehicle is configured to move across the raised floorboard platform at about 0.5 to about 1 meters per second.",
    "11. The system of claim 7, wherein the at least one sensor comprises a sensor part and a processor part, wherein the sensor part is configured to produce sensor data that is processed by the processor part to detect the defect.",
    "12. The system of claim 7, wherein the at least one sensor is configured to determine a variation in depth along a one-dimensional horizontal line across one or two floorboards ahead of the automated vehicle, and wherein the variation in depth is caused by the defect.",
    "13. The system of claim 7, wherein the raised floorboard platform are porous.",
    "14. The system of claim 7, wherein a robotic arm is located on top of the automated vehicle.",
    "15. A method, comprising: collecting depth sensor data ahead of an automated vehicle as the automated vehicle moves on a raised floorboard; detecting a defect in a surface of the raised floorboard ahead of the automated vehicle based on the depth sensor data; and changing a direction of travel of the automated vehicle on the raised floorboard in response to the detecting the defect in the surface, wherein the automated vehicle is configured to travel from a first semiconductor processing station to a second semiconductor processing station along the raised floorboard platform.",
    "16. The method of claim 15, further comprising: stopping the automated vehicle in response to the detecting the defect.",
    "17. The method of claim 15, wherein the defect is caused by an opening in the raised floorboard.",
    "18. The method of claim 15, wherein the raised floorboard platform is porous.",
    "19. The method of claim 15, further comprising: moving a semiconductor workpiece between the first semiconductor processing station and the second semiconductor processing station.",
    "20. The method of claim 15, further comprising: moving, via a robotic arm on the automated vehicle, the semiconductor workpiece from the automated vehicle to the second semiconductor processing station."
  ],
  "description_excerpt": "Automated material handling systems (AMHS) have been widely used in semiconductor fabrication facilities (also termed as FABs) to automatically handle and transport groups or lots of wafers between various processing machines or tools used in chip manufacturing. A typical FAB may include a plurality of process bays including processing tools (e.g., a process tool) and wafer staging equipment.\n\nEach bay may include a wafer stocker, which includes multiple bins for temporarily holding and staging a plurality of wafer carriers during the fabrication process. The wafer carriers may include standard mechanical interface (SMIF) pods which may hold a plurality of wafers, or front opening unified pods (FOUPs) which may hold larger wafers. Stockers generally include a single mast robotic lift or crane having a weight bearing capacity sufficient for lifting, inserting, and retrieving a single wafer carrier at one time from the bins. The stocker holds multiple SMIF pods or FOUPs in preparation for transporting a SMIF or FOUP to the loadport of a processing tool.\n\nA semiconductor FAB may include numerous types of automated and manual vehicles for moving and transporting wafer carriers throughout the FAB during the manufacturing process. These may include for example manually moved carts, rail guided vehicles (RGVs), overhead shuttles (OHSs), and overhead hoist transports (OHTs).",
  "cpc": [
    "G05D 1/0214",
    "B25J 19/022",
    "B25J 5/007",
    "B25J 9/162",
    "G01S 17/10",
    "G01S 17/931",
    "G05D 1/0088",
    "G05D 1/024",
    "G05D 1/227",
    "G05D 1/617",
    "H10P 72/0604",
    "H10P 72/3214",
    "H10P 72/3221"
  ],
  "ipc": [
    "B25J 5/00",
    "G01S 17/931",
    "G05D 1/00"
  ],
  "assignees": [
    "Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co TSMC Ltd"
  ],
  "inventors": [
    "Cheng-Kang Hu",
    "Cheng-Hung Chen",
    "Yan-Han CHEN",
    "Feng-Kuang Wu",
    "Hsu-Shui Liu",
    "Jiun-Rong Pai",
    "Shou-Wen Kuo"
  ],
  "filing_date": "2022-05-04",
  "publication_date": "2024-11-26",
  "grant_date": "2024-11-26",
  "priority_date": "2018-09-27",
  "application_number": "US-202217736915-A",
  "family_id": "69975521",
  "cited_by_count": 0,
  "citations": [
    "US20100000163A1",
    "WO2018208984A1"
  ]
}