Patents by Inventor Kuo-Fong Chuang
Kuo-Fong Chuang has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).
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Patent number: 11854844Abstract: A method of operating a transport system includes detecting an anomalous condition of a wafer transfer vehicle; sending the wafer transfer vehicle along a rail to a diagnosis station adjacent to the rail; and inspecting properties of the wafer transfer vehicle, such as a speed, a weight, an audio frequency, a noise level, a temperature, and an image of the wafer transfer vehicle, by using the diagnosis station.Type: GrantFiled: June 16, 2022Date of Patent: December 26, 2023Assignee: TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.Inventors: Chi-Yuan Chu, Jen-Ti Wang, Wei-Chih Chen, Kuo-Fong Chuang, Cheng-Ho Hung
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Patent number: 11848221Abstract: A method includes disposing, by using a transport module of a workpiece storage system, a first workpiece on a first workpiece carrier; disposing, by using the transport module, the first workpiece carrier with the first workpiece in a workpiece container; disposing, by using the transport module, a second workpiece in the workpiece container, wherein the first workpiece and the second workpiece have different sizes; and transferring, by using the transport module, the workpiece container containing the second workpiece and the first workpiece carrier with the first workpiece to a stocker to store the workpiece container.Type: GrantFiled: July 25, 2022Date of Patent: December 19, 2023Assignee: TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.Inventors: Tzu-Chi Chiu, Jen-Ti Wang, Ting-Wei Wang, Kuo-Fong Chuang
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Publication number: 20220359252Abstract: A method includes disposing, by using a transport module of a workpiece storage system, a first workpiece on a first workpiece carrier; disposing, by using the transport module, the first workpiece carrier with the first workpiece in a workpiece container; disposing, by using the transport module, a second workpiece in the workpiece container, wherein the first workpiece and the second workpiece have different sizes; and transferring, by using the transport module, the workpiece container containing the second workpiece and the first workpiece carrier with the first workpiece to a stocker to store the workpiece container.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 25, 2022Publication date: November 10, 2022Applicant: TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.Inventors: Tzu-Chi CHIU, Jen-Ti WANG, Ting-Wei WANG, Kuo-Fong CHUANG
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Publication number: 20220328330Abstract: A method of operating a transport system includes detecting an anomalous condition of a wafer transfer vehicle; sending the wafer transfer vehicle along a rail to a diagnosis station adjacent to the rail; and inspecting properties of the wafer transfer vehicle, such as a speed, a weight, an audio frequency, a noise level, a temperature, and an image of the wafer transfer vehicle, by using the diagnosis station.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 16, 2022Publication date: October 13, 2022Applicant: TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.Inventors: Chi-Yuan CHU, Jen-Ti WANG, Wei-Chih CHEN, Kuo-Fong CHUANG, Cheng-Ho HUNG
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Publication number: 20220285190Abstract: A method includes moving a wafer transport device to a position above a load port; lowering a hoist unit of the wafer transport device above the load port, wherein the wafer transport device has a plurality of belts, each of the belts is connected to the hoist unit and wound around a respective belt winding drum; detecting sound waves from the belts by using at least one acoustic sensor to measure tensions of the belts; and comparing the tensions from the belts to determine an inclination of the hoist unit.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 19, 2022Publication date: September 8, 2022Applicant: TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.Inventors: Wei-Chih CHEN, Shi-Chi CHEN, Ting-Wei WANG, Jen-Ti WANG, Kuo-Fong CHUANG
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Patent number: 11437258Abstract: A method for storage a workpiece used in fabrication of a semiconductor device includes disposing the workpiece on a workpiece carrier, disposing the workpiece carrier with the workpiece in a workpiece container via a workpiece storage system, identifying a content of the workpiece container, and adjusting a storage condition inside the workpiece container in response to the content of the workpiece container via the workpiece storage system.Type: GrantFiled: July 24, 2019Date of Patent: September 6, 2022Assignee: TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.Inventors: Tzu-Chi Chiu, Jen-Ti Wang, Ting-Wei Wang, Kuo-Fong Chuang
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Patent number: 11367637Abstract: A method of operating a transport system includes detecting an anomalous condition of a wafer transfer vehicle; sending the wafer transfer vehicle along a rail to a diagnosis station adjacent to the rail; and inspecting properties of the wafer transfer vehicle, such as a speed, a weight, an audio frequency, a noise level, a temperature, and an image of the wafer transfer vehicle, by using the diagnosis station.Type: GrantFiled: February 11, 2020Date of Patent: June 21, 2022Assignee: TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.Inventors: Chi-Yuan Chu, Jen-Ti Wang, Wei-Chih Chen, Kuo-Fong Chuang, Cheng-Ho Hung
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Patent number: 11348817Abstract: A wafer transport device is moved on a transport rail, and stopped above a load port having a top surface. A light beam is projected onto the top surface of the load port, and image of the top surface is and the light beam is captured. A position of the hoist unit of the wafer transport device is aligned with respect to a position of the load port according to the image. The hoist unit is lowered toward the load port.Type: GrantFiled: November 14, 2019Date of Patent: May 31, 2022Assignee: TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.Inventors: Wei-Chih Chen, Shi-Chi Chen, Ting-Wei Wang, Jen-Ti Wang, Kuo-Fong Chuang
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Publication number: 20210249297Abstract: A method of operating a transport system includes detecting an anomalous condition of a wafer transfer vehicle; sending the wafer transfer vehicle along a rail to a diagnosis station adjacent to the rail; and inspecting properties of the wafer transfer vehicle, such as a speed, a weight, an audio frequency, a noise level, a temperature, and an image of the wafer transfer vehicle, by using the diagnosis station.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 11, 2020Publication date: August 12, 2021Applicant: TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.Inventors: Chi-Yuan CHU, Jen-Ti WANG, Wei-Chih CHEN, Kuo-Fong CHUANG, Cheng-Ho HUNG
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Patent number: 10804124Abstract: A wafer processing tool is capable of detecting wafer warpage. The wafer processing tool includes a wafer holder on which a wafer is held and at least one sensor set. The at least one sensor set is disposed above the wafer or under the wafer, and a projection of each of the at least one sensor set on the wafer radially extending from a center of the wafer to an edge of the wafer. The at least one sensor set is configured to scan an entire surface of the wafer so as to measure warpage of the wafer while the wafer holder and the at least one sensor set are rotatable relative to each other.Type: GrantFiled: December 12, 2018Date of Patent: October 13, 2020Assignee: TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.Inventors: Chao-Hsiung Yeh, Hsuan Chang, Jen-Ti Wang, Chin-Tsan Chen, Kuo-Fong Chuang
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Publication number: 20200176294Abstract: A wafer transport device is moved on a transport rail, and stopped above a load port having a top surface. A light beam is projected onto the top surface of the load port, and image of the top surface is and the light beam is captured. A position of the hoist unit of the wafer transport device is aligned with respect to a position of the load port according to the image. The hoist unit is lowered toward the load port.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 14, 2019Publication date: June 4, 2020Applicant: TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.Inventors: Wei-Chih CHEN, Shi-Chi CHEN, Ting-Wei WANG, Jen-Ti WANG, Kuo-Fong CHUANG
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Publication number: 20200105557Abstract: A wafer processing tool is capable of detecting wafer warpage. The wafer processing tool includes a wafer holder on which a wafer is held and at least one sensor set. The at least one sensor set is disposed above the wafer or under the wafer, and a projection of each of the at least one sensor set on the wafer radially extending from a center of the wafer to an edge of the wafer. The at least one sensor set is configured to scan an entire surface of the wafer so as to measure warpage of the wafer while the wafer holder and the at least one sensor set are rotatable relative to each other.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 12, 2018Publication date: April 2, 2020Applicant: TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.Inventors: Chao-Hsiung YEH, Hsuan CHANG, Jen-Ti WANG, Chin-Tsan CHEN, Kuo-Fong CHUANG
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Publication number: 20200075378Abstract: A method for storage a workpiece used in fabrication of a semiconductor device includes disposing the workpiece on a workpiece carrier, disposing the workpiece carrier with the workpiece in a workpiece container via a workpiece storage system, identifying a content of the workpiece container, and adjusting a storage condition inside the workpiece container in response to the content of the workpiece container via the workpiece storage system.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 24, 2019Publication date: March 5, 2020Applicant: TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.Inventors: Tzu-Chi CHIU, Jen-Ti WANG, Ting-Wei WANG, Kuo-Fong CHUANG
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Patent number: 6654655Abstract: A method and system for production line target generation based on unlimited capacity allocation utilizing an algorithm that begins with setting the required delivery date (REQ_DATE) from the customer's purchase order and using the REQ_DATE to define other related requirements by backtracking the production line requirements to determine how many stages need to be passed before delivery, and to decide where and how to setup and arrange the production equipment, in order to complete and deliver the ordered goods on time.Type: GrantFiled: August 10, 2000Date of Patent: November 25, 2003Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co., LtdInventors: Kuo-Fong Chuang, Kuo-Chen Lin