Patents by Inventor Stephanie Waite
Stephanie Waite 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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Publication number: 20240017921Abstract: Some embodiments provide order fulfillment systems utilized in fulfilling orders for goods. The workstation can comprise: a storage structure configured to store totes; mobile robots configured to transport the totes; a buffering station configured to receive totes from the storage structure via the mobile robots and configured to load totes into a rack; and a dispense portal appurtenant to a parking area, the dispense portal configured to receive the rack from the buffering station and configured to present totes from the rack to the parking area.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 13, 2023Publication date: January 18, 2024Inventors: William J. Fosnight, Devin Lert, John G. Lert, JR., Stephanie Waite, Julian Warhurst, Brian Roth, Christopher Hofmeister, Mark Solomon
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Publication number: 20230306497Abstract: Some embodiments provide retail facility control systems comprising: at least one retail operational subsystem comprising: an automated storage and retrieval system (ASRS) to automatically store and retrieve respective products in the ASRS and facilitate fulfillment of a customer order; a retail execution system to receive ASRS data and coupled to a plurality of retail applications to obtain customer-related data, associate-related data, and retail facility-related data; at least one data repository to store the ASRS data, the customer-related data, the associate-related data, and the retail facility-related data; a control circuit; and a solver module configured to be executed by the control circuit to: access business priorities and operational goals defined for a retail facility; and define a recommended operational plan intended to be implemented at the retail facility and predicted to enhance operation of the retail facility consistent with one or more business priorities and operational goals.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 24, 2023Publication date: September 28, 2023Inventors: John Lert, William Fosnight, Devin Lert, Stephanie Waite, John Biasi
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Patent number: 11685588Abstract: An automated order fulfillment system is disclosed having different temperature zones and robots and containers capable of and/or configured to work in these different temperature zones. Containers include insulated wall panels and a thermal insert which may be chilled to maintain a temperature within the container below ambient temperature. Structure within a storage location for the containers may be used to open and close the containers to facilitate cooling of the thermal insert.Type: GrantFiled: March 26, 2020Date of Patent: June 27, 2023Assignee: WALMART APOLLO, LLCInventors: William J. Fosnight, Christopher Hofmeister, John G. Lert, Jr., Stephanie Waite, Julian Warhurst, Mark Solomon
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Publication number: 20230053089Abstract: An automated storage and retrieval facility includes a container dispenser which transfers one or more containers into a tote. Once loaded into a tote, the one or more containers may receive goods to fulfill an order. Once filled with goods, the containers may be accessed by customers for transport away from the facility. The container dispenser may include a table configured to move over an opening of a tote to dispense more than one container at different positions within the tote. The container dispenser may be integrated within a storage area of the automated storage and retrieval facility. Alternatively, the container dispenser may be part of workstation positioned away from the storage area.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 9, 2022Publication date: February 16, 2023Applicant: ALERT INNOVATION INC.Inventors: William J. Fosnight, Devin Lert, John G. Lert, Jr., Stephanie Waite
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Publication number: 20220281686Abstract: An automated order fulfillment system is disclosed having different temperature zones and robots and containers capable of and/or configured to work in these different temperature zones.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 16, 2022Publication date: September 8, 2022Applicant: ALERT INNOVATION INC.Inventors: William J. Fosnight, Christopher Hofmeister, John G. Lert, JR., Stephanie Waite, Julian Warhurst
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Publication number: 20220194704Abstract: An automatic storage and retrieval system is disclosed including storage positions for storing containers, a portal and mobile robots for transferring the containers between the storage positions and portal. The portal may include a bot-access side where the mobile robots transfer containers to and from the portal, and a user-access side where users remove items from the containers.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 8, 2022Publication date: June 23, 2022Applicant: ALERT INNOVATION INC.Inventors: William J. Fosnight, Devin Lert, John G. Lert, JR., Stephanie Waite, Julian Warhurst, David Hartnett
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Patent number: 11332311Abstract: An automated order fulfillment system is disclosed having different temperature zones and robots and containers capable of and/or configured to work in these different temperature zones.Type: GrantFiled: August 28, 2019Date of Patent: May 17, 2022Assignee: Alert Innovation Inc.Inventors: William J. Fosnight, Christopher Hofmeister, John G. Lert, Jr., Stephanie Waite, Julian Warhurst
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Patent number: 11267651Abstract: An automatic storage and retrieval system is disclosed including storage positions for storing containers, a portal and mobile robots for transferring the containers between the storage positions and portal. The portal may include a bot-access side where the mobile robots transfer containers to and from the portal, and a user-access side where users remove items from the containers.Type: GrantFiled: January 14, 2020Date of Patent: March 8, 2022Assignee: Alert Innovation Inc.Inventors: William J. Fosnight, Devin Lert, John G. Lert, Jr., Stephanie Waite, Julian Warhurst, David Hartnett
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Publication number: 20210300664Abstract: An automated order fulfillment system is disclosed having different temperature zones and robots and containers capable of and/or configured to work in these different temperature zones. Containers include insulated wall panels and a thermal insert which may be chilled to maintain a temperature within the container below ambient temperature. Structure within a storage location for the containers may be used to open and close the containers to facilitate cooling of the thermal insert.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 26, 2020Publication date: September 30, 2021Applicant: ALERT INNOVATION INC.Inventors: William J. Fosnight, Christopher Hofmeister, John G. Lert, JR., Stephanie Waite, Julian Warhurst, Mark Solomon
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Patent number: 10931143Abstract: Rechargeable wafer carrier systems and methods are provided. A rechargeable wafer carrier system includes, for instance, a housing for holding at least one wafer and at least one electronics system therein, a rechargeable power source operably connected to the housing for powering the at least one electronics system, and a charging interface for receiving a supply of power for charging the rechargeable power source. The housing may be configured for transport within an automated material handling system. Also provided are methods of charging a rechargeable wafer carrier system, which includes, for instance, providing a rechargeable wafer carrier system having at least one electronics system and a rechargeable power source, operably connecting the rechargeable wafer carrier system to a charging base, and supplying power from the charging base to the rechargeable power source.Type: GrantFiled: August 10, 2016Date of Patent: February 23, 2021Assignee: GLOBALFOUNDRIES U.S. INC.Inventors: Abner Bello, Stephanie Waite, William J. Fosnight
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Patent number: 10818528Abstract: Self-contained metrology wafer carrier systems and methods of measuring one or more characteristics of semiconductor wafers. The wafer carrier system may include a housing configured for transport within the automated material handling system. A support is configured to support a semiconductor wafer within a housing. A metrology system is disposed within the housing. The metrology system is operable to measure at least one characteristic of the wafer. The metrology system may include a sensing unit and a computing unit operably connected to the sensing unit.Type: GrantFiled: January 15, 2019Date of Patent: October 27, 2020Assignee: GLOBALFOUNDRIES INC.Inventors: Abner Bello, Stephanie Waite, William J. Fosnight, Thomas Beeg
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Publication number: 20200223630Abstract: An automatic storage and retrieval system is disclosed including storage positions for storing containers, a portal and mobile robots for transferring the containers between the storage positions and portal. The portal may include a bot-access side where the mobile robots transfer containers to and from the portal, and a user-access side where users remove items from the containers.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 14, 2020Publication date: July 16, 2020Applicant: ALERT INNOVATION INC.Inventors: William J. Fosnight, Devin Lert, John G. Lert, JR., Stephanie Waite, Julian Warhurst, David Hartnett
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Patent number: 10707108Abstract: A wafer carrier purge apparatus, an automated mechanical handling system, and a method of handling a wafer carrier during integrated circuit fabrication are provided. The wafer carrier purge apparatus includes a purge plate adapted for insertion into a carrier storage position. The purge plate includes a gas port and a gas nozzle in fluid communication with the gas port. The gas port receives a gas flow. The gas nozzle is adapted to contact an inlet port of a wafer carrier. The purge plate further includes a vacuum port and a vacuum nozzle in fluid communication with the vacuum port, spaced from the gas nozzle. The vacuum nozzle is adapted to capture gas that escapes from the wafer carrier through an outlet port of the wafer carrier. The purge plate is separate and removable from the carrier storage position.Type: GrantFiled: January 16, 2018Date of Patent: July 7, 2020Assignee: GLOBALFOUNDRIES INC.Inventors: William J. Fosnight, Stephanie Waite, Stephen B. Miner, John Robinson
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Publication number: 20200071076Abstract: An automated order fulfillment system is disclosed having different temperature zones and robots and containers capable of and/or configured to work in these different temperature zones.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 28, 2019Publication date: March 5, 2020Applicant: ALERT INNOVATION INC.Inventors: William J. Fosnight, Christopher Hofmeister, John G. Lert, JR., Stephanie Waite, Julian Warhurst
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Publication number: 20190148180Abstract: Self-contained metrology wafer carrier systems and methods of measuring one or more characteristics of semiconductor wafers. The wafer carrier system may include a housing configured for transport within the automated material handling system. A support is configured to support a semiconductor wafer within a housing. A metrology system is disposed within the housing. The metrology system is operable to measure at least one characteristic of the wafer. The metrology system may include a sensing unit and a computing unit operably connected to the sensing unit.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 15, 2019Publication date: May 16, 2019Inventors: Abner Bello, Stephanie Waite, William J. Fosnight, Thomas Beeg
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Patent number: 10242895Abstract: A self-contained metrology wafer carrier systems and methods of measuring one or more characteristics of semiconductor wafers are provided. A wafer carrier system includes, for instance, a housing configured for transport within the automated material handling system, the housing having a support configured to support a semiconductor wafer in the housing, and a metrology system disposed within the housing, the metrology system operable to measure at least one characteristic of the wafer, the metrology system comprising a sensing unit and a computing unit operably connected to the sensing unit. Also provided are methods of measuring one or more characteristics of a semiconductor wafer within the wafer carrier systems of the present disclosure.Type: GrantFiled: January 22, 2018Date of Patent: March 26, 2019Assignee: GLOBALFOUNDRIES Inc.Inventors: Abner Bello, Stephanie Waite, William J. Fosnight, Thomas Beeg
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Patent number: 10109516Abstract: A method for operating a material handling system including an overhead rack defining a plurality of storage positions, first and second side rails disposed above the overhead rack, a first cross rail movably coupled to the first and second side rails, and a first transport vehicle movably coupled to the first cross rail includes positioning the first transport vehicle above at least one interior window defined in the overhead rack. At least a portion of the first transport vehicle is descended through the interior window to interface with a first load port of a first tool disposed below the overhead rack. The first transport vehicle is positioned above at least one periphery window defined in the overhead rack. At least a portion of the first transport vehicle is descended through the periphery window to interface with a second load port of a second tool disposed below the overhead rack.Type: GrantFiled: May 25, 2016Date of Patent: October 23, 2018Assignee: GLOBALFOUNDRIES Inc.Inventors: William J. Fosnight, Eric Christensen, Leslie Marshall, Ryan John Gallagher, Stephanie Waite, Gabriel Gaxiola
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Publication number: 20180143077Abstract: A self-contained metrology wafer carrier systems and methods of measuring one or more characteristics of semiconductor wafers are provided. A wafer carrier system includes, for instance, a housing configured for transport within the automated material handling system, the housing having a support configured to support a semiconductor wafer in the housing, and a metrology system disposed within the housing, the metrology system operable to measure at least one characteristic of the wafer, the metrology system comprising a sensing unit and a computing unit operably connected to the sensing unit. Also provided are methods of measuring one or more characteristics of a semiconductor wafer within the wafer carrier systems of the present disclosure.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 22, 2018Publication date: May 24, 2018Applicant: GLOBALFOUNDRIES Inc.Inventors: Abner BELLO, Stephanie WAITE, William J. FOSNIGHT, Thomas BEEG
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Publication number: 20180138064Abstract: A wafer carrier purge apparatus, an automated mechanical handling system, and a method of handling a wafer carrier during integrated circuit fabrication are provided. The wafer carrier purge apparatus includes a purge plate adapted for insertion into a carrier storage position. The purge plate includes a gas port and a gas nozzle in fluid communication with the gas port. The gas port receives a gas flow. The gas nozzle is adapted to contact an inlet port of a wafer carrier. The purge plate further includes a vacuum port and a vacuum nozzle in fluid communication with the vacuum port, spaced from the gas nozzle. The vacuum nozzle is adapted to capture gas that escapes from the wafer carrier through an outlet port of the wafer carrier. The purge plate is separate and removable from the carrier storage position.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 16, 2018Publication date: May 17, 2018Inventors: William J. Fosnight, Stephanie Waite, Stephen B. Miner, John Robinson
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Patent number: 9911634Abstract: A self-contained metrology wafer carrier systems and methods of measuring one or more characteristics of semiconductor wafers are provided. A wafer carrier system includes, for instance, a housing configured for transport within the automated material handling system, the housing having a support configured to support a semiconductor wafer in the housing, and a metrology system disposed within the housing, the metrology system operable to measure at least one characteristic of the wafer, the metrology system comprising a sensing unit and a computing unit operably connected to the sensing unit. Also provided are methods of measuring one or more characteristics of a semiconductor wafer within the wafer carrier systems of the present disclosure.Type: GrantFiled: June 27, 2016Date of Patent: March 6, 2018Assignee: GLOBALFOUNDRIES Inc.Inventors: Abner Bello, Stephanie Waite, William J. Fosnight, Thomas Beeg