Abstract: In accordance to an exemplary embodiment of the disclosed embodiments, a substrate aligner apparatus is presented, the substrate aligner apparatus having a frame adapted to allow a substrate transporter to transport a substrate to and from the aligner apparatus, an inverted chuck capable of holding the substrate and movably connected to the frame by a chuck driveshaft engaged to the inverted chuck for moving the inverted chuck relative to the frame and effecting alignment of the substrate, a sensing device located between the chuck and chuck driveshaft for detecting a position determining feature of the substrate, and a substrate transfer mechanism movably connected to the frame and located inside the frame below the inverted chuck for moving the substrate from the inverted chuck to the substrate transporter.

Abstract: Systems, including method and apparatus, for processing workpieces driven automatically along a linear path to a plurality of positions disposed substantially along the linear path. In some embodiments, a workpiece may be processed at one or more of the positions using two or more processing stations, such as a first processing station that cuts the workpiece into segments and a second processing station that performs another processing operation on the workpiece.

Abstract: A method for positioning substrates in a substrate processing apparatus having a substrate alignment device, a first substrate transport apparatus and a second substrate transport apparatus, includes calibrating the substrate alignment device with a motion of the first substrate transport apparatus, and calibrating a coordinate system of the second substrate transport apparatus with the substrate alignment device.

Abstract: Linear semiconductor handling systems provide more balanced processing capacity using various techniques to provide increased processing capacity to relatively slow processes. This may include use of hexagonal vacuum chambers to provide additional facets for slow process modules, use of circulating process modules to provide more processing capacity at a single facet of a vacuum chamber, or the use of wide process modules having multiple processing sites. This approach may be used, for example, to balance processing capacity in a typical process that includes plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition steps and bevel etch steps.

Abstract: The result of a property based formal verification analysis of a circuit design may include at least one counterexample for each property that is violated, which a user can use to debug the circuit design. To assist the user in this debugging process, a debugging tool displays the counterexample trace annotated in such a way to illustrate where the property violation occurs and what parts of this trace contributes to the property violation. The debugging tool thus facilitates understanding of what parts of the counterexample trace are responsible for the property failure. The user can then select any of those contributing points as a starting point for further debugging.

Abstract: A timed feeder for feeding corrugated boards to nip rolls of a box finishing machine. An indexing drive mechanism, driven by a computer-controlled servo motor, activates a feed member and has a feed phase when it drives the board to the nip rolls, and a dwell phase when the feed member is away from the feed path and the output shaft of the indexing mechanism is at zero velocity. During the feed phase, the output shaft of the indexing mechanism accelerates the feed member and the board beyond the nip roll velocity and then decelerates them to the nip roll velocity at the point where the board enters the nip rolls. During the dwell phase the input shaft is either accelerated or decelerated to change the duration of the cycle.

Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for a vacuum-based semiconductor handling system. The system may be a linear system with a four-link robotic SCARA arm for moving materials in the system. The system may include one or more vertically stacked load locks or vertically stacked process modules.

Abstract: An optical reader comprises a housing, at least one light source inside the housing and an image sensor whose terminus is inside the housing. The housing has a longitudinal axis and a disc-receiving portion for receiving an optical disc so that the optical disc is coaxial with the longitudinal axis. The at least one light source is positioned on the longitudinal axis to illuminate the identification code on the optical disc and be reflected therefrom. The terminus of the image sensor is also positioned on the longitudinal axis, further from the disc-receiving portion than the at least one light source, and oriented to capture the identification code within its field of view. The image sensor and the at least one light source are cooperatively configured so that the terminus of the image sensor receives light reflected from the identification code and thereby readably detects the identification code.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method and system for compensating for the load a part places on a part positioner system that positions the part for work operations by a robot. The part positioner system rotates a part holding assembly about the axis of rotation of a shoulder drive. The part holding assembly may have a column that extends perpendicular to the shoulder center line. A counter weight system is incorporated into the column that includes a counter weight pack that is moved along the length of the column. The shoulder drive drives the part and part holding assembly load in order to measure a torque applied to the shoulder drive. A load offset may be calculated based on the applied torque. The counter weight pack may then be moved to a position on the column calculated to balance the load of the part and part holding assembly.

Abstract: A drive mechanism for an AGV that includes a drive unit for propelling the AGV and a steering unit for steering the AGV. The drive unit has a drive motor, drive transmission, and a drive wheel. The steering unit has a steering motor. Both motors are fixedly mounted on the AGV and remain stationary relative to each other while the drive motor rotates the drive wheel and the steering motor steers the drive wheel. The drive transmission couples the drive motor to the drive wheel and can be at least partially mounted within a gear housing that is rotatably mounted via a bearing so that the drive motor can be operated to move the AGV via power transferred to the drive wheel via the drive transmission, and the steering motor can be operated to steer the drive wheel by rotation of the gear housing and drive wheel via the bearing.

Abstract: A carrier apparatus is provided that includes a body and a fastener configured to affix the body to a product. The body includes a radio frequency (RF) transponder tag, or marker for directing inclusion of an RF transponder tag, at a designated location on the body. The apparatus of this aspect further includes a positioning feature configured to position the body, RF transponder tag and affixed product relative to an RF antenna separate from the RF transponder tag. This positioning feature may be configured to position the body, RF transponder tag and affixed product in a manner ensuring approximately at least a predetermined spatial relationship between the RF transponder tag and the antenna or one or more other RF transponder tags located proximate the RF transponder tag. A carriage apparatus and method of storing a product are also provided.

Abstract: An Intelligent Thermostat (IT) device and method of use for the retrieval and display of real-time energy demand and energy pricing. The IT device is configured to perform automatic adaptation of energy conservation based on real-time fluctuations in the energy pricing from a Utility Company. The IT device controls a multicolor backlight to immediately notify the user of real-time fluctuations in the energy pricing.

Abstract: Aspects of the invention are found in a heat exchanger. The heat exchanger includes a fluid inlet manifold, a fluid outlet manifold, a plurality of heat transfer channels configured to communicate with the fluid inlet manifold and the fluid outlet manifold, and packing located within the fluid inlet manifold. Further aspects of the invention are found in a refrigeration system. The refrigeration system includes a compressor and at least one heat exchanger coupled to the compressor. The at least one heat exchanger includes a header, packing located in the header, and a heat transfer channel. The heat transfer channel is configured to receive fluid passing through the header and the packing.

Abstract: A loadport has a port door and a frame with an opening through which the port door interfaces with a container door of a container for holding semiconductor workpieces. In one embodiment, a movable closure mechanism is connected to the port door and is defined to be movable in a controlled manner relative to both the port door and the frame. In this embodiment, a stationary closure mechanism is disposed on the frame proximate to the opening. In another embodiment, a stationary closure mechanism is connected to the port door, and a movable closure mechanism is disposed on the frame proximate to the opening. In both embodiments, the movable closure mechanism is defined to engage with the stationary closure mechanism such that movement of the movable closure mechanism to engage with the stationary closure mechanism applies a closing force between the port door and the container door.

Abstract: In accordance to an aspect of the disclosed embodiments, a substrate transport apparatus is provided. The substrate transport apparatus includes a frame defining a chamber, at least one stator module embedded at least partly into a peripheral wall of the chamber, the at least one stator module defining an axis of rotation. The substrate transport apparatus further includes at least one rotor substantially concentrically disposed relative to the at least one stator module about the axis of rotation, the at least one rotor being configured to interface with the at least one stator module and being suspended by a respective one of the at least one stator module substantially without contact within the chamber. The substrate transport apparatus further includes at least one substrate transport arm connected to the at least one rotor and having at least one end effector configured to hold at least one substrate.

Abstract: A cluster tool has a transfer chamber, and a load lock chamber. An adaptor is configured to be coupled between the transfer chamber and the load lock chamber. The adaptor has an adaptor housing with an interior space including an entrance with a first valve and an exit with a second valve. The adaptor housing forms a substrate path through the interior space. The first valve connects the interior space and the load lock chamber. The second valve connects the interior space and the transfer chamber. A cryogenic surface is associated with the adaptor. Other pumps can be associated with the adaptor, such as, for example, a turbo pump, or water vapor pump. The cryogenic surface is configured to selectively evacuate the interior space. A wafer is adapted to be moved through the first valve and through the adaptor housing along the path. The wafer is moved through the exit and into the transfer chamber once the second valve is opened. This adaptor can be applied to the process chamber as well as the load lock.

Abstract: An automated storage system for storing large quantities of samples in trays includes a storage compartment, a tray shuttle compartment abutting the storage compartment on one side and a plurality of independent modules on the other side. The modules perform processing of samples that are retrieved from the storage compartment by a tray shuttle, including extraction of selected samples from retrieved source trays and transfer of the selected samples into a separate, destination tray that can be further processed or removed from the system for use. The independent operation of the modules permits handling and processing to be performed simultaneously by different modules while the tray shuttle accesses additional samples within the storage compartment. In one embodiment, a vertical carousel is used to vertically align a desired tray with the tray shuttle, while the tray shuttle operates within a horizontal plane.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for modeling and thermal analysis of semiconductor chip designs is provided. One embodiment of a novel method for performing thermal testing of a semiconductor chip design includes calculating full-chip temperatures over the semiconductor chip design (e.g., to identify steep thermal gradients) and modeling the full-chip temperatures in accordance with a geometric multi-grid technique. The geometric multi-grid technique is tailored to determine temperatures within the semiconductor chip design based at least in part on the physical attributes or geometry of the design.

Abstract: An adaptable container handling robot includes a chassis, a container transport mechanism, a drive subsystem for maneuvering the chassis, a boundary sensing subsystem configured to reduce adverse effects of outdoor deployment, and a controller subsystem responsive to the boundary sensing subsystem. The controller subsystem is configured to detect a boundary, control the drive subsystem to turn in a given direction to align the robot with the boundary, and control the drive subsystem to follow the boundary.

Abstract: For application to analog, mixed-signal, and custom digital circuits, a system and method to begin with a complex problem description that encompasses many variables from statistical manufacturing, the circuit's environment, and the circuit's design parameters, but then apply techniques to prune the scope of the problem to make it manageable for manual design and more efficient automated design, and finally use that pruned problem for more efficient and effective design.