Patents by Inventor Michael Kopec

Michael Kopec 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).

  • Publication number: 20250087524
    Abstract: A process kit enclosure system includes walls and a retention device structure. The retention device structure includes a retention device post and a retention device fin. The retention device fin in a first position is disposed above and secures a process kit ring supported in the interior volume of the process kit enclosure system. The retention device fin is rotated from the first position to be in a second position to be outside a boundary of the process kit ring. The retention device post is aligned with and inserts into a recess formed by a top cover of the process kit enclosure system responsive to the retention device post being in the first position. The retention device post is misaligned with and blocked from inserting into the recess formed by the top cover responsive to the retention device post of the retention device structure being in the second position.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 25, 2024
    Publication date: March 13, 2025
    Inventors: Helder Lee, Nicholas Michael Kopec, Leon Volfovski, Douglas R. McAllister, Andreas Schmid, Jeffrey Hudgens, Yogananda Sarode Vishwanath, Steven Babayan
  • Publication number: 20240416514
    Abstract: A calibration system is of a wafer processing system. The calibration system includes a calibration substrate configured to be disposed on a plurality of support structures of the wafer processing system. The calibration substrate includes a calibration pin. The calibration substrate enables a calibration operation of a robot arm of the wafer processing system to automatically determine robot arm error of the robot arm.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 29, 2024
    Publication date: December 19, 2024
    Inventors: Nicholas Michael Kopec, Lyle Kosinski, Matvey Farber, Jeffrey Hudgens
  • Patent number: 12165905
    Abstract: A process kit enclosure system includes surfaces to enclose an interior volume, a first support structure including first fins, a second support structure including second fins, and a front interface to interface the process kit enclosure system with a load port of a wafer processing system. The first and second fins are sized and spaced to hold process kit ring carriers and process kit rings in the interior volume. Each of the process kit rings is secured to one of the process kit ring carriers. The process kit enclosure system enables first automated transfer of a first process kit ring carrier securing a first process kit ring from the process kit enclosure system into the wafer processing system and second automated transfer of a second process kit ring carrier securing a second process kit ring from the wafer processing system into the process kit enclosure system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 20, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 10, 2024
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Helder Lee, Nicholas Michael Kopec, Leon Volfovski, Douglas R. McAllister, Andreas Schmid, Jeffrey Hudgens, Yogananda Sarode Vishwanath, Steven Babayan
  • Patent number: 12142503
    Abstract: A robotic object handling system comprises a robot arm, an image sensor, a first station, and a computing device. The computing device is to cause the robot arm to pick up an object on an end effector, cause the image sensor to generate sensor data of the object, determine at least one of (i) a rotational error of the object or (ii) a positional error of the object based on the sensor data, cause an adjustment to the robot arm to approximately remove at least one of the rotational error or the positional error, and cause the robot arm to place the object at the first station without at least one of the rotational error or the positional error.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 2023
    Date of Patent: November 12, 2024
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Nicholas Michael Kopec, Damon K. Cox, Leon Volfovski
  • Patent number: 12076863
    Abstract: An autoteach system includes an autoteach pin that is a scannable feature having a fixed position within the autoteach system. The autoteach pin enables an autoteach operation of a robot arm of the wafer processing system. The autoteach operation is an operation to automatically teach the fixed position within the autoteach system to the robot arm of the wafer processing system. The autoteach pin includes a first portion including a cylindrical sidewall. The robot arm is to use the first portion to locate the fixed position within the autoteach system. The autoteach portion further includes a second portion including planar sidewalls that are configured to enable calibration of robot arm error.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2022
    Date of Patent: September 3, 2024
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Nicholas Michael Kopec, Lyle Kosinski, Matvey Farber, Jeffrey Hudgens
  • Patent number: 11842917
    Abstract: A process kit ring adaptor includes one or more upper surfaces and one or more lower surfaces. The one or more upper surfaces are configured to support a process kit ring. The one or more lower surfaces are configured to interface with an end effector. The process kit ring adaptor supporting the process kit ring is configured to be transported on the end effector within a processing system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2021
    Date of Patent: December 12, 2023
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Leon Volfovski, Andreas Schmid, Denis Martin Koosau, Nicholas Michael Kopec, Steven Babayan, Douglas R. McAllister, Helder Lee, Jeffrey Hudgens, Damon K. Cox
  • Publication number: 20230307273
    Abstract: A robotic object handling system comprises a robot arm, an image sensor, a first station, and a computing device. The computing device is to cause the robot arm to pick up an object on an end effector, cause the image sensor to generate sensor data of the object, determine at least one of (i) a rotational error of the object or (ii) a positional error of the object based on the sensor data, cause an adjustment to the robot arm to approximately remove at least one of the rotational error or the positional error, and cause the robot arm to place the object at the first station without at least one of the rotational error or the positional error.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 28, 2023
    Publication date: September 28, 2023
    Inventors: Nicholas Michael Kopec, Damon K. Cox, Leon Volfovski
  • Patent number: 11626305
    Abstract: A robotic object handling system comprises a robot arm, a non-contact sensor, a first station, and a computing device. The computing device is to cause the robot arm to pick up an object on an end effector, cause the robot arm to position the object within a detection area of the non-contact sensor, cause the non-contact sensor to generate sensor data of the object, determine at least one of a rotational error of the object relative to a target orientation or a positional error of the object relative to a target position based on the sensor data, cause an adjustment to the robot arm to approximately remove at least one of the rotational error or the positional error from the object, and cause the robot arm to place the object at the first station, wherein the placed object lacks at least one of the rotational error or the positional error.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 11, 2023
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Nicholas Michael Kopec, Damon K. Cox, Leon Volfovski
  • Publication number: 20220324100
    Abstract: An autoteach system includes an autoteach pin that is a scannable feature having a fixed position within the autoteach system. The autoteach pin enables an autoteach operation of a robot arm of the wafer processing system. The autoteach operation is an operation to automatically teach the fixed position within the autoteach system to the robot arm of the wafer processing system. The autoteach pin includes a first portion including a cylindrical sidewall. The robot arm is to use the first portion to locate the fixed position within the autoteach system. The autoteach portion further includes a second portion including planar sidewalls that are configured to enable calibration of robot arm error.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 27, 2022
    Publication date: October 13, 2022
    Inventors: Nicholas Michael Kopec, Lyle Kosinski, Matvey Farber, Jeffrey Hudgens
  • Patent number: 11370114
    Abstract: An autoteach enclosure system includes a plurality of surfaces that at least partially enclose an interior volume of the autoteach enclosure system. The autoteach enclosure system further includes an autoteach pin at least partially disposed within the interior volume. The autoteach pin is a scannable feature having a fixed position within the autoteach enclosure system. The autoteach enclosure system further includes a front interface coupled to one or more of the plurality of surfaces to interface the autoteach enclosure system with a substantially vertical portion of a load port of a wafer processing system. The autoteach pin enables an autoteach operation of a robot arm of the wafer processing system. The autoteach operation is an operation to automatically teach the fixed position within the autoteach enclosure system to the robot arm of the wafer processing system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 28, 2022
    Assignee: APPLIED MATERIALS, INC.
    Inventors: Nicholas Michael Kopec, Lyle Kosinski, Matvey Farber, Jeffrey Hudgens
  • Publication number: 20210217650
    Abstract: A process kit ring adaptor includes one or more upper surfaces and one or more lower surfaces. The one or more upper surfaces are configured to support a process kit ring. The one or more lower surfaces are configured to interface with an end effector. The process kit ring adaptor supporting the process kit ring is configured to be transported on the end effector within a processing system.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 29, 2021
    Publication date: July 15, 2021
    Inventors: Leon Volfovski, Andreas Schmid, Denis Martin Koosau, Nicholas Michael Kopec, Steven Babayan, Douglas R. McAllister, Helder Lee, Jeffrey Hudgens, Damon K. Cox
  • Publication number: 20210170584
    Abstract: An autoteach enclosure system includes a plurality of surfaces that at least partially enclose an interior volume of the autoteach enclosure system. The autoteach enclosure system further includes an autoteach pin at least partially disposed within the interior volume. The autoteach pin is a scannable feature having a fixed position within the autoteach enclosure system. The autoteach enclosure system further includes a front interface coupled to one or more of the plurality of surfaces to interface the autoteach enclosure system with a substantially vertical portion of a load port of a wafer processing system. The autoteach pin enables an autoteach operation of a robot arm of the wafer processing system. The autoteach operation is an operation to automatically teach the fixed position within the autoteach enclosure system to the robot arm of the wafer processing system.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 9, 2019
    Publication date: June 10, 2021
    Inventors: Nicholas Michael Kopec, Lyle Kosinski, Matvey Farber, Jeffrey Hudgens
  • Patent number: 10964584
    Abstract: A process kit ring adaptor includes a rigid carrier. The rigid carrier includes an upper surface and a lower surface. The upper surface includes a first distal portion and a second distal portion to support a process kit ring. The lower surface includes a first region to interface with an end effector configured to support wafers and a solid planar central region to interface with a vacuum chuck.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 20, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 30, 2021
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Leon Volfovski, Andreas Schmid, Denis Martin Koosau, Nicholas Michael Kopec, Steven Babayan, Douglas R. McAllister, Helder Lee, Jeffrey Hudgens, Damon K. Cox
  • Publication number: 20200411347
    Abstract: A robotic object handling system comprises a robot arm, a non-contact sensor, a first station, and a computing device. The computing device is to cause the robot arm to pick up an object on an end effector, cause the robot arm to position the object within a detection area of the non-contact sensor, cause the non-contact sensor to generate sensor data of the object, determine at least one of a rotational error of the object relative to a target orientation or a positional error of the object relative to a target position based on the sensor data, cause an adjustment to the robot arm to approximately remove at least one of the rotational error or the positional error from the object, and cause the robot arm to place the object at the first station, wherein the placed object lacks at least one of the rotational error or the positional error.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 25, 2019
    Publication date: December 31, 2020
    Inventors: Nicholas Michael Kopec, Damon K. Cox, Leon Volfovski
  • Publication number: 20200373194
    Abstract: A process kit ring adaptor includes a rigid carrier. The rigid carrier includes an upper surface and a lower surface. The upper surface includes a first distal portion and a second distal portion to support a process kit ring. The lower surface includes a first region to interface with an end effector configured to support wafers and a solid planar central region to interface with a vacuum chuck.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 20, 2019
    Publication date: November 26, 2020
    Inventors: Leon Volfovski, Andreas Schmid, Denis Martin Koosau, Nicholas Michael Kopec, Steven Babayan, Douglas R. McAllister, Helder Lee, Jeffrey Hudgens, Damon K. Cox
  • Publication number: 20200373190
    Abstract: A process kit enclosure system includes surfaces to enclose an interior volume, a first support structure including first fins, a second support structure including second fins, and a front interface to interface the process kit enclosure system with a load port of a wafer processing system. The first and second fins are sized and spaced to hold process kit ring carriers and process kit rings in the interior volume. Each of the process kit rings is secured to one of the process kit ring carriers. The process kit enclosure system enables first automated transfer of a first process kit ring carrier securing a first process kit ring from the process kit enclosure system into the wafer processing system and second automated transfer of a second process kit ring carrier securing a second process kit ring from the wafer processing system into the process kit enclosure system.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 20, 2019
    Publication date: November 26, 2020
    Inventors: Helder Lee, Nicholas Michael Kopec, Leon Volfovski, Douglas R. McAllister, Andreas Schmid, Jeffrey Hudgens, Yogananda Sarode Vishwanath, Steven Babayan
  • Patent number: 9059971
    Abstract: A secure voice solution for a PDA-type device is provided. Voice data is received from the user using the device microphone and built- in media player software in the device. This data is encrypted and sent as an IP packet. The device then receives, as IP packets, encrypted voice communication from the other party in the encrypted call, which in turn are decrypted in the device and played back on a second media player running on the device. The present invention takes advantage of the device's ability to run two media players simultaneously to in effect, simulate a cellular telephone call. As a result, an encrypted call can be made with PDA-type devices such as the Blackberry® and also such calls can be made using different data paths (cellular, WiFi, Bluetooth) as the calls are made by sending and receiving data over the Internet, not as traditional cellular data signals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 10, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 16, 2015
    Assignee: KOOLSPAN, INC.
    Inventors: Andrew Graham, Michael Kopec
  • Publication number: 20110222688
    Abstract: The present invention provides a secure voice solution for the BlackBerry 9000 (BlackBerry Bold™) Rather than make encrypted voice calls through traditional GSM cellular phone calls, the present invention instead receives voice data from the user using the device microphone and built-in media player software in the device. This data is then encrypted and then sent as an IP packet. The device then receives, as IP packets, encrypted voice communication from the other party in the encrypted call, which in turn are decrypted in the device and then played back on a second media player running on the device. The present invention takes advantage of the device's ability to run two media players simultaneously to in effect, simulate a cellular telephone call.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 10, 2011
    Publication date: September 15, 2011
    Inventors: Andrew Graham, Michael Kopec
  • Publication number: 20060271432
    Abstract: A reward point system comprising an industry vertical reception unit for receiving a user selected monetary value in a selected industry vertical, a point collection unit for receiving a quantity of points associated with the monetary value in the selected industry vertical, a redemption vehicle profile creation unit for generating a profile, and a redemption vehicle generation unit for loading the profile onto a redemption vehicle wherein the points on the redemption vehicle can be redeemed at any merchant in the selected industry vertical. Also provided are methods for utilizing said system.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 20, 2006
    Publication date: November 30, 2006
    Inventors: Steven Sickel, Michael Kopec, Marc Berman