Patents by Inventor Michael Teferra

Michael Teferra 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).

  • Patent number: 8204617
    Abstract: Systems, tools, and methods are provided in which a first signal is transmitted from a tool to a Fab indicating that all substrates to be processed have been removed from a specific carrier and that the specific carrier may be temporarily unloaded from a loadport of the tool. A second signal is transmitted from the tool to the Fab indicating that the specific carrier may be returned to the tool. While the carrier is unloaded from the tool, other carriers may be loaded on the vacated loadport. Numerous other features and aspects of the invention are disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 14, 2007
    Date of Patent: June 19, 2012
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Michael Teferra, Amitabh Puri, Eric Englhardt
  • Patent number: 8024065
    Abstract: In one aspect, a method is provided for electronic device manufacturing. The method includes receiving a request to transfer a carrier to or from a first substrate loading station of an electronic device manufacturing facility, and assigning one of a plurality of carrier supports to carry out the transfer based on a spacing on either side of the assigned carrier being greater than an acceptable spacing. Numerous other aspects are provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 2, 2008
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2011
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Todd J. Brill, Michael Teferra, Amitabh Puri, Daniel R. Jessop, Glade L. Warner, David C. Duffin
  • Patent number: 7720557
    Abstract: Systems, tools, and methods are provided in which a first signal is transmitted from a tool to a Fab indicating that all substrates to be processed have been removed from a specific carrier and that the specific carrier may be temporarily unloaded from a loadport of the tool. A second signal is transmitted from the tool to the Fab indicating that the specific carrier may be returned to the tool. While the carrier is unloaded from the tool, other carriers may be loaded on the vacated loadport. Numerous other features and aspects of the invention are disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 27, 2006
    Date of Patent: May 18, 2010
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Michael Teferra, Amitabh Puri, Eric Englhardt
  • Patent number: 7603196
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus are provided for managing movement of small lots between processing tools within an electronic device manufacturing facility. In some embodiments, a number of priority lots to be processed is determined and an equivalent number of carrier storage locations are reserved at a substrate loading station of a processing tool. The number of reserved carrier storage locations are made available either by processing and advancing occupying non-priority lots and/or moving unprocessed occupying non-priority lots from the substrate loading station. Priority lots are then transferred to the reserved carrier storage locations. Other embodiments are provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 24, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 13, 2009
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: David C. Duffin, Daniel R. Jessop, Michael Teferra, Amitabh Puri, Glade L. Warner
  • Patent number: 7522969
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus are provided for managing movement of small lots between processing tools within an electronic device manufacturing facility. In some embodiments, a number of priority lots to be processed is determined and an equivalent number of carrier storage locations are reserved at a substrate loading station of a processing tool. The number of reserved carrier storage locations are made available either by processing and advancing occupying non-priority lots and/or moving unprocessed occupying non-priority lots from the substrate loading station. Priority lots are then transferred to the reserved carrier storage locations. Other embodiments are provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 14, 2007
    Date of Patent: April 21, 2009
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc
    Inventors: David C. Duffin, Daniel R. Jessop, Michael Teferra, Amitabh Puri, Glade L. Warner
  • Publication number: 20090026039
    Abstract: In one aspect, a method is provided for electronic device manufacturing. The method includes receiving a request to transfer a carrier to or from a first substrate loading station of an electronic device manufacturing facility, and assigning one of a plurality of carrier supports to carry out the transfer based on a spacing on either side of the assigned carrier being greater than an acceptable spacing. Numerous other aspects are provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 2, 2008
    Publication date: January 29, 2009
    Inventors: Todd J. Brill, Michael Teferra, Amitabh Puri, Daniel R. Jessop, Glade L. Warner, David C. Duffin
  • Patent number: 7434676
    Abstract: In a first aspect, a first method is provided for electronic device manufacturing. The first method includes the steps of (1) receiving a request to transfer a carrier from a first substrate loading station to a second substrate loading station of an electronic device manufacturing facility including a plurality of substrate loading stations, wherein the facility further includes a plurality of carrier supports coupled to a conveyor system adapted to move the carrier within the facility; (2) assigning one of the plurality of carrier supports to transfer the carrier from the first substrate loading station to the second substrate loading station such that at least one of a time required for the transfer is reduced and balance of the conveyor system is maintained; (3) moving the carrier from the first substrate loading station; and (4) moving the carrier to the second substrate loading station. Numerous other aspects are provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 13, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 14, 2008
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Todd J. Brill, Michael Teferra, Amitabh Puri, Daniel R. Jessop, Glade L. Warner, David C. Duffin
  • Patent number: 7413069
    Abstract: In a first aspect, a first method is provided for electronic device manufacturing. The first method includes the steps of (1) receiving a request to transfer a carrier from a first substrate loading station to a second substrate loading station of an electronic device manufacturing facility including a plurality of substrate loading stations, wherein the facility further includes a plurality of carrier supports coupled to a conveyor system adapted to move the carrier within the facility; (2) assigning one of the plurality of carrier supports to transfer the carrier from the first substrate loading station to the second substrate loading station such that at least one of a time required for the transfer is reduced and balance of the conveyor system is maintained; (3) moving the carrier from the first substrate loading station; and (4) moving the carrier to the second substrate loading station. Numerous other aspects are provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 2005
    Date of Patent: August 19, 2008
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Todd J. Brill, Michael Teferra, Amitabh Puri, Daniel R. Jessop, Glade L. Warner, David C. Duffin
  • Publication number: 20070288115
    Abstract: In a first aspect, a computer program product is provided. The computer program product includes a medium readable by a computer. The computer readable medium has computer program code adapted to (1) create a band map that indicates an expected status of one or more positions along a band of a continuously moving conveyor system, each position adapted to receive a carrier support adapted to transport at least one substrate carrier around an electronic device manufacturing facility; (2) monitor status of the one or more positions included in the continuously moving conveyor system; and (3) control operation of the continuously moving conveyor system based on the status of the one or more positions. Numerous other aspects are provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 14, 2007
    Publication date: December 13, 2007
    Inventors: Todd Brill, Michael Teferra, Jeffrey Hudgens, Amitabh Puri
  • Publication number: 20070276530
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus are provided for managing movement of small lots between processing tools within an electronic device manufacturing facility. In some embodiments, a number of priority lots to be processed is determined and an equivalent number of carrier storage locations are reserved at a substrate loading station of a processing tool. The number of reserved carrier storage locations are made available either by processing and advancing occupying non-priority lots and/or moving unprocessed occupying non-priority lots from the substrate loading station. Priority lots are then transferred to the reserved carrier storage locations. Other embodiments are provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 14, 2007
    Publication date: November 29, 2007
    Applicant: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: David Duffin, Daniel Jessop, Michael Teferra, Amitabh Puri, Glade Warner
  • Publication number: 20070276529
    Abstract: In a first aspect, a first method is provided for electronic device manufacturing. The first method includes the steps of (1) receiving a request to transfer a carrier from a first substrate loading station to a second substrate loading station of an electronic device manufacturing facility including a plurality of substrate loading stations, wherein the facility further includes a plurality of carrier supports coupled to a conveyor system adapted to move the carrier within the facility; (2) assigning one of the plurality of carrier supports to transfer the carrier from the first substrate loading station to the second substrate loading station such that at least one of a time required for the transfer is reduced and balance of the conveyor system is maintained; (3) moving the carrier from the first substrate loading station; and (4) moving the carrier to the second substrate loading station. Numerous other aspects are provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 13, 2007
    Publication date: November 29, 2007
    Inventors: Todd Brill, Michael Teferra, Amitabh Puri, Daniel Jessop, Glade Warner, David Duffin
  • Publication number: 20070276531
    Abstract: A carrier handler is provided that may be adapted to (1) accept transfer commands for carriers before the carriers arrive within the domain of the carrier handler; (2) accept termination commands that result in prior commands being cancelled or aborted independent of the state of the prior commands; (3) select queued commands for out-of-order execution to take advantage of earliest arriving transport system carrier supports suitable for use with the selected commands and/or based upon the anticipated time needed to execute the commands; (4) remove empty carriers from an associated tool to improve port availability; (5) continue to operate even after transfers involving storage locations fail by removing the failed locations from a usable locations list; (6) verify the integrity of carrier and transfer destination status data with sensors prior to attempting a transfer; and (7) calibrate carrier handoffs with a transport system using a calibration carrier equipped with sensors.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 14, 2007
    Publication date: November 29, 2007
    Inventors: Michael Teferra, Amitabh Puri
  • Publication number: 20070276532
    Abstract: Systems, tools, and methods are provided in which a first signal is transmitted from a tool to a Fab indicating that all substrates to be processed have been removed from a specific carrier and that the specific carrier may be temporarily unloaded from a loadport of the tool. A second signal is transmitted from the tool to the Fab indicating that the specific carrier may be returned to the tool. While the carrier is unloaded from the tool, other carriers may be loaded on the vacated loadport. Numerous other features and aspects of the invention are disclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 14, 2007
    Publication date: November 29, 2007
    Inventors: Michael Teferra, Amitabh Puri, Eric Englhardt
  • Patent number: 7274971
    Abstract: In a first aspect, a computer program product is provided. The computer program product includes a medium readable by a computer. The computer readable medium has computer program code adapted to (1) create a band map that indicates an expected status of one or more positions along a band of a continuously moving conveyor system, each position adapted to receive a carrier support adapted to transport at least one substrate carrier around an electronic device manufacturing facility; (2) monitor status of the one or more positions included in the continuously moving conveyor system; and (3) control operation of the continuously moving conveyor system based on the status of the one or more positions. Numerous other aspects are provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 2005
    Date of Patent: September 25, 2007
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Todd J. Brill, Michael Teferra, Jeffrey C. Hudgens, Amitabh Puri
  • Publication number: 20070124010
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus are provided for managing movement of small lots between processing tools within an electronic device manufacturing facility. In some embodiments, a number of priority lots to be processed is determined and an equivalent number of carrier storage locations are reserved at a substrate loading station of a processing tool. The number of reserved carrier storage locations are made available either by processing and advancing occupying non-priority lots and/or moving unprocessed occupying non-priority lots from the substrate loading station. Priority lots are then transferred to the reserved carrier storage locations. Other embodiments are provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 24, 2007
    Publication date: May 31, 2007
    Inventors: David Duffin, Daniel Jessop, Michael Teferra, Amitabh Puri, Glade Warner
  • Patent number: 7177716
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus are provided for managing movement of small lots between processing tools within an electronic device manufacturing facility. In some embodiments, a number of priority lots to be processed is determined and an equivalent number of carrier storage locations are reserved at a substrate loading station of a processing tool. The number of reserved carrier storage locations are made available either by processing and advancing occupying non-priority lots and/or moving unprocessed occupying non-priority lots from the substrate loading station. Priority lots are then transferred to the reserved carrier storage locations. Other embodiments are provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 2005
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2007
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: David C. Duffin, Daniel R. Jessop, Michael Teferra, Amitabh Puri, Glade L. Warner
  • Publication number: 20060190118
    Abstract: Systems, tools, and methods are provided in which a first signal is transmitted from a tool to a Fab indicating that all substrates to be processed have been removed from a specific carrier and that the specific carrier may be temporarily unloaded from a loadport of the tool. A second signal is transmitted from the tool to the Fab indicating that the specific carrier may be returned to the tool. While the carrier is unloaded from the tool, other carriers may be loaded on the vacated loadport. Numerous other features and aspects of the invention are disclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 27, 2006
    Publication date: August 24, 2006
    Inventors: Michael Teferra, Amitabh Puri, Eric Englhardt
  • Publication number: 20050273190
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus are provided for managing movement of small lots between processing tools within an electronic device manufacturing facility. In some embodiments, a number of priority lots to be processed is determined and an equivalent number of carrier storage locations are reserved at a substrate loading station of a processing tool. The number of reserved carrier storage locations are made available either by processing and advancing occupying non-priority lots and/or moving unprocessed occupying non-priority lots from the substrate loading station. Priority lots are then transferred to the reserved carrier storage locations. Other embodiments are provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 25, 2005
    Publication date: December 8, 2005
    Inventors: David Duffin, Daniel Jessop, Michael Teferra, Amitabh Puri, Glade Warner
  • Publication number: 20050245101
    Abstract: In a first aspect, a first method is provided for electronic device manufacturing. The first method includes the steps of (1) receiving a request to transfer a carrier from a first substrate loading station to a second substrate loading station of an electronic device manufacturing facility including a plurality of substrate loading stations, wherein the facility further includes a plurality of carrier supports coupled to a conveyor system adapted to move the carrier within the facility; (2) assigning one of the plurality of carrier supports to transfer the carrier from the first substrate loading station to the second substrate loading station such that at least one of a time required for the transfer is reduced and balance of the conveyor system is maintained; (3) moving the carrier from the first substrate loading station; and (4) moving the carrier to the second substrate loading station. Numerous other aspects are provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 25, 2005
    Publication date: November 3, 2005
    Inventors: Todd Brill, Michael Teferra, Amitabh Puri, Daniel Jessop, Glade Warner, David Duffin
  • Publication number: 20050228525
    Abstract: In a first aspect, a computer program product is provided. The computer program product includes a medium readable by a computer. The computer readable medium has computer program code adapted to (1) create a band map that indicates an expected status of one or more positions along a band of a continuously moving conveyor system, each position adapted to receive a carrier support adapted to transport at least one substrate carrier around an electronic device manufacturing facility; (2) monitor status of the one or more positions included in the continuously moving conveyor system; and (3) control operation of the continuously moving conveyor system based on the status of the one or more positions. Numerous other aspects are provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 25, 2005
    Publication date: October 13, 2005
    Inventors: Todd Brill, Michael Teferra, Jeffrey Hudgens, Amitabh Puri