Semiconductor memory system and carrier scheduling control method

Abstract

The invention provides a semiconductor storage system and a carrier scheduling control method. Comprising at least one tower type storage warehouse and two conveying devices arranged in parallel. The conveying device comprises a fixed frame; the plurality of carrier placement positions are fixedly arranged on the fixed frame and are used for receiving and / or temporarily storing wafer cassettes; the double-linear guide rail is fixedly arranged on the fixed frame and is positioned below the plurality of carrier placing positions, and the extending direction of the double-linear guide rail passes through the plurality of carrier placing positions; the at least one carrying device is movably arranged on the double linear guide rails. The carrying device comprises a transverse moving assembly, a lifting assembly, a rotating assembly and a carrier bearing part. The control unit is in signal connection with the transverse moving assembly, the lifting assembly and the rotating assembly and used for controlling the carrying device to move to the position below the target carrier containing position and executing picking and conveying of the wafer box. The embodiment of the invention can adapt to a large-span operation scene, the space utilization rate is high, and the operation flexibility and efficiency of the crown block can be improved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of semiconductor fabrication technology, specifically to a semiconductor memory system and a carrier scheduling and control method. Background Technology

[0002] In semiconductor factories, tower stock systems are used for high-density storage and automated handling of wafer cassettes (such as FOUPs). Overhead hoist transport (OHT) cranes transport the wafer cassettes to the interface (i.e., crane ports) of the storage system for handover. With increasing process complexity and production efficiency requirements, higher demands are being placed on the performance of the crane ports.

[0003] Existing overhead crane access devices typically suffer from the following drawbacks: they cannot adapt to large-span operation scenarios, resulting in reduced space utilization; their operational performance is insufficient, with low transmission efficiency, directly impacting overall operational efficiency; their adaptability and compatibility are poor, making them unsuitable for various workshop layouts, especially for meeting the carrier switching needs when different processes or cleanrooms are separated by walls or fire doors; furthermore, existing positioning modules only support carrier docking at a single fixed position, failing to enable multi-position switching operations, resulting in insufficient flexibility in overhead crane operations and difficulty in meeting the needs of various working conditions. Summary of the Invention

[0004] The purpose of this application is to provide a semiconductor memory system and a carrier scheduling and control method that can be adapted to large-span operation scenarios, has high space utilization, and can improve the flexibility and efficiency of crane operations.

[0005] To address the aforementioned technical problems, one embodiment of this application provides a semiconductor memory system, including at least one tower-type storage unit and two parallel-arranged transfer devices, the ends of which are embedded within the tower-type storage unit. Each transfer device includes: a fixed frame; multiple carrier placement positions fixedly disposed on the fixed frame for receiving and / or temporarily storing wafer cassettes; dual linear guides fixedly disposed on the fixed frame and located below the multiple carrier placement positions, extending through the multiple carrier placement positions; at least one transport device movably disposed on the dual linear guides, the transport device including: a traversing assembly for driving the transport device to move along the dual linear guides; a lifting assembly mounted on the traversing assembly; a rotating assembly connected to the actuating end of the lifting assembly; a carrier support portion connected to the rotating assembly for carrying the wafer cassettes; and a control unit signal-connected to the traversing assembly, the lifting assembly, and the rotating assembly for controlling the transport device to move to a target carrier placement position and hand over the wafer cassettes.

[0006] Optionally, the system further includes a cable chain for providing a protective channel for the kinetic energy and signal transmission lines of the transport device; a cable chain support assembly for supporting the cable chain; the cable chain support assembly includes a plurality of support units spaced apart along the extension direction of the cable chain, each support unit including a support base and a roller rotatably mounted on the support base, the roller making rolling contact with the cable chain to convert the sliding friction of the cable chain into rolling friction.

[0007] Optionally, the lateral movement assembly includes a servo motor, a slider that cooperates with the dual linear guides, a timing belt, a timing pulley, and a displacement sensor for detecting the lateral displacement of the transport device.

[0008] Optionally, the system may also include a tensioning mechanism; The tensioning mechanism includes a fixed base fixed to the frame, an L-shaped adjusting plate that slides with the fixed base, a pressure plate fixed to the L-shaped adjusting plate, and a tightening bolt for pushing the L-shaped adjusting plate. The pressure plate is fixedly connected to one end of the timing belt, and the tension of the timing belt is adjusted by rotating the tightening bolt.

[0009] Optionally, the carrier placement position includes a fixed placement plate, and a sensor and / or RFID reader for detecting the presence of a wafer cassette is provided on the placement plate or in the corresponding space below the placement plate.

[0010] Optionally, the wafer cassette has a first orientation and a second orientation, wherein the first orientation is configured such that the side cover surface of the wafer cassette faces the tower-type storage container, and the second orientation is configured such that the side cover surface of the wafer cassette faces away from the tower-type storage container; Before the transport device transports the wafer cassette and places it in the intended carrier position, the orientation of the wafer cassette is determined based on the sensor and / or RFID reader. When the wafer cassette is determined to be in the second orientation, the transport device adjusts the wafer cassette to the first orientation via the rotating assembly.

[0011] Optionally, the plurality of vehicle placement positions include end vehicle placement positions, intermediate vehicle placement positions, and embedded vehicle placement positions arranged sequentially along the extension direction of the dual linear guide rails; One of the conveying devices is configured to be embedded in the first side of the tower storage unit as a storage location on the first side; the other conveying device is configured to be embedded in the second side of the tower storage unit as a storage location on the second side. The bearing surface of the embedded carrier placement position is coplanar or parallel to the access port of the tower storage unit.

[0012] Optionally, the end-carrier placement position is embedded in another tower-type storage unit.

[0013] This application also provides a vehicle scheduling and control method applied to the aforementioned semiconductor memory system. A first track is configured above the transmission device of the semiconductor memory system, and the projection of the first track along the length of the transmission device is parallel to the transmission device. The method includes: receiving a vehicle placement request; determining whether there is an available vehicle placement position in the transmission device; if no available vehicle placement position exists, rejecting the vehicle placement request; if an available vehicle placement position exists, selecting an available vehicle placement position as the target vehicle placement position, and: determining whether the target vehicle placement position is an end vehicle placement position; if the target vehicle placement position is an end vehicle placement position, executing a vehicle placement command; if the target vehicle placement position is not an end vehicle placement position, then: determining whether there is a vehicle being transported on the transport segment between the target vehicle placement position and the end vehicle placement position; if there is a vehicle being transported on the transport segment, rejecting the vehicle placement request; if there is no vehicle being transported on the transport segment, executing a vehicle placement command.

[0014] This application embodiment also provides a vehicle scheduling and control method applied to the aforementioned semiconductor memory system. A second track corresponding to each of the vehicle placement positions is configured above the transmission device of the semiconductor memory system. The projection of the second track along the length of the transmission device intersects the transmission device. The method includes: Step S1, receiving a vehicle placement request; Step S2, determining whether the target vehicle placement position in the transmission device is vacant; Step S3, if the target vehicle placement position is vacant, determining whether the target vehicle placement position is an end vehicle placement position; if the target vehicle placement position is not vacant, rejecting the vehicle placement request; Step S4, if the target vehicle placement position is an end vehicle placement position, executing a vehicle placement command; if the target vehicle placement position is not an end vehicle placement position, determining whether there is a vehicle being transported on the transport segment between the target vehicle placement position and the end vehicle placement position; Step S6, if there is a vehicle being transported on the transport segment, rejecting the vehicle placement request; if there is no vehicle being transported on the transport segment, executing the vehicle placement command.

[0015] Compared with the prior art, the embodiments of this application have the following significant advantages: 1. By setting up multiple fixed carrier placement positions (such as end, middle, and embedded positions) and transport devices that can move quickly between them, a "multi-point buffer, single-machine service" operation mode is achieved. The overhead crane can simultaneously or sequentially place multiple wafer cassettes into different placement positions, while the transport devices move them sequentially or according to a schedule, greatly reducing the overhead crane's waiting time, realizing a near-parallel operation process, and significantly improving the overall system throughput.

[0016] 2. The embedded carrier placement position is physically configured to be precisely aligned in space with the access ports of the tower storage unit, or even "embedded" within the storage structure, making it functionally an extension of the tower storage unit. This allows the transport device to directly and quickly move wafer cassettes from the docking device to the tower storage unit (or from the tower storage unit to the docking device), eliminating the need for complex secondary positioning and docking mechanisms, reducing handover time, and improving the compactness of space utilization.

[0017] 3. The dual linear guide rails provide support and guidance for the transport device. Combined with servo motors and displacement sensors, a closed-loop control system is formed, which ensures high repeatability positioning accuracy at the micron level even during long-stroke movements, meeting the high standards required for semiconductor manufacturing.

[0018] 4. A dedicated cable chain support assembly is used. This assembly, through multiple spaced support units equipped with rollers, converts the sliding friction between the cable chain and the support structure into rolling friction. This not only significantly reduces motion resistance and eliminates the risk of jamming, but also effectively limits the lateral sway and sagging of the cable chain during high-speed movement, protecting internal power and signal cables, extending the cable chain's service life, and thus ensuring the long-term stability and reliability of the equipment.

[0019] 5. The tensioning mechanism allows for precise, minute adjustments to the tension of the synchronous belt via simple bolt adjustments. The combination design of the L-shaped adjusting plate and the pressure plate ensures that the adjusting force acts directly on the effective section of the synchronous belt, resulting in a smooth adjustment process. After adjustment, the belt is locked in place via the positioning holes, ensuring stability and greatly facilitating equipment installation and subsequent maintenance.

[0020] 6. The device of this application can serve one side of the tower storage unit as a single interface unit, or two devices can be deployed to serve both sides of the tower storage unit respectively, achieving seamless bidirectional connection. This modular design gives the semiconductor memory system layout great flexibility, enabling it to adapt to different shop floor layouts and production process requirements. Attached Figure Description

[0021] One or more embodiments are illustrated by way of example with reference numerals in the accompanying drawings. These illustrations do not constitute a limitation on the embodiments. Elements with the same reference numerals in the drawings are denoted as similar elements. Unless otherwise stated, the figures in the drawings are not to be limited by scale.

[0022] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a semiconductor memory system according to an embodiment of this application; Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of a semiconductor memory system according to another embodiment of this application; Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a transmission device according to an embodiment of this application; Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a transmission device according to another embodiment of this application; Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a transport device according to an embodiment of this application; Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a cable chain according to an embodiment of this application; Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of the tensioning mechanism according to an embodiment of this application; Figure 8 This is a flowchart of a vehicle scheduling and control method according to an embodiment of this application; Figure 9 This is a flowchart of a vehicle scheduling and control method according to another embodiment of this application; Figure 10 This is a schematic diagram of the vehicle location distribution according to an embodiment of this application.

[0023] Figure label: Fixed frame 1; Placement plate 12; First placement plate 121; Second placement plate 122; Double linear guide rail 11; Carrier placement position 2; End carrier placement position 21; Middle carrier placement position 22; Embedded carrier placement position 23; Radio frequency identification reader 25; Transport device 3; Lateral movement assembly 4; Servo motor 41; Synchronous belt 42; Synchronous pulley 43; Lifting assembly 5; Carrier support part 6; Cable chain 7; Cable chain support assembly 8; Support seat 81; Roller 82; Tensioning mechanism 9; Fixed seat 91; L-shaped adjusting plate 92; Pressure plate 93; Tightening bolt 94; Protection and buffer assembly 10; Conveying device 100; First conveying device 101; Second conveying device 102; Tower storage 200; Robot arm 201. Detailed Implementation

[0024] The following specific examples illustrate the implementation of this application. Those skilled in the art can easily understand other advantages and effects of this application from the content disclosed in this specification. Obviously, the described embodiments are only a part of the embodiments of this application, and not all of them. This application can also be implemented or applied through other different specific embodiments, and the details in this specification can also be modified or changed based on different viewpoints and applications without departing from the spirit of this application. It should be noted that, in the absence of conflict, the following embodiments and features in the embodiments can be combined with each other. Based on the embodiments in this application, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of this application.

[0025] It should be noted that various aspects of embodiments within the scope of the appended claims are described below. It will be apparent that the aspects described herein can be embodied in a wide variety of forms, and any particular structure and / or function described herein is merely illustrative. Based on this application, those skilled in the art will understand that one aspect described herein can be implemented independently of any other aspect, and two or more of these aspects can be combined in various ways. For example, any number and aspects set forth herein can be used to implement the device and / or practice the method. Additionally, this device and / or method can be implemented using structures and / or functionalities other than one or more of the aspects set forth herein.

[0026] It should also be noted that the illustrations provided in the following embodiments are only schematic representations of the basic concept of this application. The drawings only show the components related to this application and are not drawn according to the actual number, shape and size of the components in the actual implementation. In the actual implementation, the form, quantity and proportion of each component can be arbitrarily changed, and the layout of the components may also be more complex.

[0027] Additionally, specific details are provided in the following description to facilitate a thorough understanding of the examples. However, those skilled in the art will understand that practice can be carried out without these specific details.

[0028] The semiconductor storage system in this application includes: a tower stocker, a reticle stocker, and a wafer stocker.

[0029] like Figure 1 and Figure 2 As shown in the figure, one embodiment of this application provides a semiconductor memory system, including at least one tower-type storage container 200 and two parallelly arranged transfer devices 100, the ends of which are embedded in the tower-type storage container 200; as shown in the figure. Figure 1 As shown, the tower-type storage unit 200 extends through at least two adjacent floors and encloses a storage space. Within this storage space, multiple storage areas are arranged vertically at intervals. Each storage area includes at least a non-parallel first-side storage location and a non-parallel second-side storage location. The conveying device 100 is as follows... Figure 3As shown, the device includes: a fixed frame 1; multiple carrier placement positions 2 fixedly disposed on the fixed frame 1 for receiving and / or temporarily storing wafer cassettes; a dual linear guide rail 11 fixedly disposed on the fixed frame 1 and located below the multiple carrier placement positions 2, extending through the multiple carrier placement positions 2; at least one transport device 3 movably disposed on the dual linear guide rail 11, the transport device 3 including: a traversing assembly 4 for driving the transport device 3 to move along the dual linear guide rail 11; a lifting assembly 5 mounted on the traversing assembly 4; a rotating assembly connected to the actuating end of the lifting assembly 5; a carrier support 6 connected to the rotating assembly for carrying wafer cassettes; and a control unit signal-connected to the traversing assembly 4, the lifting assembly 5, and the rotating assembly for controlling the transport device 3 to move to the target carrier placement position and hand over the wafer cassettes.

[0030] Specifically, in this embodiment, the fixed frame 1 serves as the mounting base for all functional modules. On the upper layer of the fixed frame 1, multiple vehicle placement positions 2 are fixedly arranged along its length (i.e., the first horizontal direction). Taking three vehicle placement positions 2 as an example, as follows... Figure 4 As shown, the system includes end carrier placement positions 21, intermediate carrier placement positions 22, and embedded carrier placement positions 23 arranged sequentially along the extension direction of the dual linear guide rails. The bearing surface of the embedded carrier placement position 23 (e.g., the contact surface between the placement plate and the wafer cassette) is configured to be coplanar or parallel to the access port of an adjacent tower storage unit. In other words, the embedded carrier placement position 23 is physically configured to be precisely aligned in space with the access port of the tower storage unit, or even "embedded" within the storage unit structure, making it functionally an extension of the tower storage unit's virtual storage location. This allows the transport device to directly and quickly move wafer cassettes from the docking device to the interior of the tower storage unit (or from the interior of the tower storage unit to the docking device), eliminating the need for complex secondary positioning and docking mechanisms, reducing handover time, and improving the compactness of space utilization.

[0031] refer to Figure 1 and Figure 2 There are two conveying devices 100, including a first conveying device 101 and a second conveying device 102. The embedded carrier placement position 23 of the first conveying device 101 is configured to be embedded in the tower storage 200 and serve as the first side storage position mentioned above. The embedded carrier placement position 23 of the second conveying device 102 is configured to be embedded in the tower storage 200 and serve as the second side storage position mentioned above.

[0032] The tower storage unit 200 is equipped with a handling mechanism 201 (i.e., a robotic arm) for handling wafer boxes; the first conveying device 101 and the second conveying device 102 are arranged parallel to each other on one side of the tower storage unit 200.

[0033] like Figure 4As shown, the first conveying device 101 has a first placement plate 121 arranged on its embedded carrier placement position 23. The first placement plate 121 includes two parallel first rectangular plates separated by a rectangular gap, which are used to support wafer cassettes. The rectangular gap provides reserved space for the passage of the conveying mechanism 201 and the transport device 3 of the first conveying device 101. The second conveying device 102 has a second placement plate 122 arranged on its embedded carrier placement position 23. The second placement plate 122 includes an L-shaped plate and a second rectangular plate forming an L-shaped gap with the L-shaped plate, which are used to support wafer cassettes. The L-shaped gap provides reserved space for the passage of the conveying mechanism 201 and the transport device 3 of the second conveying device 102.

[0034] In this embodiment, the embedded carrier placement position 23 is mechanically pre-configured to be precisely aligned in three-dimensional space with the access port of the tower storage container 200. For example, the bearing surface of the embedded carrier placement position 23 of the first conveying device 101 is coplanar or parallel to the access port on the first side of the tower storage container, serving as the storage bearing position on the first side for carrying the carrier lowered from the first long crane opening on the first side. The bearing surface of the embedded carrier placement position 23 of the second conveying device 102 is coplanar or parallel to the access port on the second side of the tower storage container, serving as the storage bearing position on the second side for carrying the carrier lowered from the second long crane opening on the second side. The two embedded carrier placement positions 23 can be staggered to adapt to the advancing direction of the robot arm 201. Therefore, the position and orientation of the wafer cassette placed here meet the grasping requirements of the robot arm 201 within the container.

[0035] Specifically, in this embodiment, two sets of conveying devices 100 can be located in the same space, and each set of conveying devices 100 will be provided with multiple carrier placement positions 2 (e.g. Figure 2 (As shown in the end carrier placement position 21 or intermediate carrier placement position 22); each carrier placement position can accept wafer cassettes lowered by the overhead crane, and the received wafer cassettes are transported in a straight line by the transport device 3, rotating or not rotating as needed, until they are transported to the embedded carrier placement position 23.

[0036] The embedded carrier placement position 23 of the first conveying device 101 is embedded in the first side of the tower storage silo 200, serving as a storage location on the first side of the silo. This location serves as both a transport node (e.g., a starting point or destination point) for the conveying device 100 and a transport node for the robot arm 201. The embedded carrier placement position 23 of the second conveying device 102 is embedded in the second side of the tower storage silo 200, serving as a storage location on the second side of the silo. This location also serves as both a transport node (e.g., a starting point or destination point) for the robot arm 201. In one embodiment, the end carrier placement positions 21 of the two conveying devices 100 (i.e., the first conveying device 101 and the second conveying device 102) can be embedded in another tower storage silo 200 as transport nodes for the robot arm 201. In other embodiments, the end carrier placement positions 21 of the two conveying devices 100 may not be embedded in the tower storage silo 200, and may also receive wafer cassettes lowered by the overhead crane, such as... Figure 2 As shown in the figure. Two conveyor devices 100 can be arranged side by side, and the lengths of the two conveyor devices 100 can be different. The intermediate carrier placement position 22 and the end carrier placement position 21 on them can be staggered to connect with overhead cranes traveling on different tracks, so as to realize a near-parallel operation process and improve operation efficiency.

[0037] In this embodiment, each carrier placement position 2 includes a fixed placement plate 12 for directly supporting the wafer cassette. Sensors (such as photoelectric sensors) are integrated in the space below the placement plate 12 or on the placement plate 12 to detect the presence of the wafer cassette, or an RFID reader 25 is integrated to identify the wafer cassette's identity information. By setting multiple fixed carrier placement positions (such as end, middle, and embedded positions) and a transport device that can move quickly between them, a "multi-point buffer, single-machine service" operation mode is achieved. The overhead crane can simultaneously or sequentially lower multiple wafer cassettes to different placement positions, and the transport device moves them sequentially or according to a schedule, greatly reducing the overhead crane's waiting time and significantly improving the overall system throughput.

[0038] In this embodiment, the wafer cassette has a first orientation and a second orientation. The first orientation is set so that the side cover of the wafer cassette faces the tower storage 200, and the second orientation is set so that the side cover of the wafer cassette faces away from the tower storage 200. Before the transport device 3 transports the wafer cassette and places it at the embedded carrier placement position 23, the orientation state of the wafer cassette is determined based on sensors and / or radio frequency identification readers. When the wafer cassette is determined to be in the second orientation, the transport device 3 adjusts the wafer cassette to the first orientation by rotating the assembly.

[0039] On the lower layer of the fixed frame 1, two high-precision double linear guide rails 11 are fixedly installed in parallel. The carrier device 3 is supported by the slider below it cooperating with these two guide rails, and can move precisely along the direction of the guide rails.

[0040] The transport device 3 in this embodiment is an integrated motion unit. For example... Figure 5 As shown, its bottom is the transverse component 4, which includes a servo motor 41, a slider that cooperates with the double linear guide rails, and a displacement sensor for detecting the lateral displacement of the transport device 3. It also includes a synchronous belt 42, a synchronous pulley 43, and an idler pulley. The servo motor 41 drives the synchronous belt and pulley system (synchronous belt 42 and synchronous pulley 43) to provide power, driving the entire transport device 3 to move along the double linear guide rails 11. The transverse component 4 also integrates a displacement sensor, forming a closed-loop control system with the servo motor 41 to ensure positioning accuracy under long strokes. The power part of the lifting component 5 is mounted on the transverse component 4. In this embodiment, the lifting component 5 can adopt the form of a servo motor 41 driving a rack and pinion to achieve vertical lifting motion. The rack and pinion is suitable for short-stroke, high-precision applications with compact space requirements, as it has small positioning errors and less wear. The rotating component is connected to the actuating end of the lifting component 5. The rotating component may include a rotary drive component, a rotary transmission structure component, and a rotary actuator DD motor (Direct Drive Motor). The rotary drive unit drives its rotary actuator DD motor to rotate through a rotary transmission structure, and is positioned and connected to the lifting assembly 5, driving the rotary actuator to rotate synchronously.

[0041] The workflow of this application embodiment is as follows: The overhead crane (OHT) lowers a wafer cassette onto a placement plate 12 in a carrier placement position 2, such as an embedded carrier placement position 23. The sensor immediately detects the presence of the carrier, and the radio frequency identification reader (RFID) 25 reads the ID and uploads the information to the control unit.

[0042] The control unit schedules the transport device 3. The lateral movement assembly 4 is activated, driving the transport device 3 to move quickly and precisely to directly below the embedded carrier placement position 23. Subsequently, the lifting assembly 5 rises, driving the carrier support 6 to pass through the placement plate 12 and steadily lift the wafer cassette from below, completing the "retrieval" action. The transport device 3, carrying the wafer cassette, moves to the target position via the lateral movement assembly 4, and the lifting assembly 5 descends, placing the wafer cassette on the placement plate 12 at that position.

[0043] If the process requires the wafer cassette to be oriented during transport, the control unit can activate the rotating assembly during the movement of the carrier 3 or after it reaches the target position, driving the carrier support 6 and the wafer cassette to rotate to the specified angle.

[0044] In this embodiment, the conveying device 100 can also be applied between two tower storage units. The conveying device 100 runs through both tower storage units. The conveying device in this application is not limited to tower storage units, but also includes the aforementioned photomask storage unit and wafer storage unit. For example, the bearing surface of its embedded carrier placement position 23 (such as the contact surface with the wafer cassette on the placement plate 12) is coplanar or parallel to the access port of one tower storage unit, and the bearing surface of the end carrier placement position 21 is coplanar or parallel to the access port of the other tower storage unit. The intermediate carrier placement position 22 can be one or multiple, all of which can receive wafer cassettes lowered by the overhead crane, facilitating the docking of wafer cassettes between the two tower storage units. Preferably, in this embodiment, the transport device 3 can also be multiple, such as two (e.g., Figure 4 As shown in the figure, the appropriate transport device 3 can be selected to transport the wafer box according to actual needs.

[0045] In this embodiment, the fixed carrier placement position 2 provides a stable and reliable handover point for the overhead crane; sensors and RFID enable real-time perception and identification management of the carrier status, providing a data foundation for intelligent scheduling. The design of "fixed placement position + mobile pick-and-place head" allows the overhead crane lowering operation and the internal handling operation of the device to be decoupled and carried out in parallel, greatly improving the turnover efficiency of the overhead crane. The embedded carrier placement position 23 is mechanically pre-configured to be precisely aligned in three-dimensional space with the access port of the corresponding tower storage container. Therefore, the position and orientation of the wafer cassette placed here fully meet the gripping requirements of the robot arm in the container, realizing efficient and zero-gap carrier handover. The integrated rotation function meets the specific requirements of wafer cassette orientation in certain process areas, enhancing the process adaptability of the device.

[0046] In a preferred embodiment, such as Figure 6As shown, the conveying device 100 also includes a long-stroke cable chain 7 for providing a protective channel for the kinetic energy and signal transmission lines of the transport device 3; and a cable chain support assembly 8 for supporting the cable chain 7. The cable chain support assembly 8 includes a plurality of support units spaced apart along the extension direction of the cable chain 7. Each support unit includes a support base 81 and a roller 82 rotatably mounted on the support base 81. The roller 82 makes rolling contact with the cable chain 7 to convert the sliding friction of the cable chain 7 into rolling friction. When the cable chain 7 is in long-stroke reciprocating operation, the cable (such as power cable, signal cable, etc.) is located inside the cable chain 7. One end of the cable moves back and forth within the fixed frame 1 with the transport device 3. The cable inside the cable chain 7 only moves within the internal space of the cable chain 7. One end of the cable chain 7 is fixed, and the other end is fixedly connected to one end of the cable. When one end of the cable moves, the cable chain 7 forms a bent structure, with the height of the corresponding end being greater than that of the fixed other end, and gradually moving closer to or away from the fixed other end. In the above process, due to the scenario of long crane opening (long stroke), the bent upper cable chain is prone to fall. After falling, it is easy to be rubbed or a link may be stuck, which will affect the normal operation of the transport device 3. Therefore, by supporting the cable chain 7, it can be ensured that the internal cable acts normally on the transport device 3. The cable chain 7 support component converts the line contact friction of the cable chain 7 into rolling friction through "multi-point support", and at the same time transfers the load to the drive component, avoiding overload of the cable chain 7 body and internal cables. The roller 82 is made of polyurethane (PU), which provides good cushioning during the movement of the cable chain 7, absorbing some vibration and impact, reducing operating noise, and protecting the surface of the cable chain 7 from hard scratches. While providing sufficient friction to drive the cable chain to run stably, the PU material also has certain self-lubricating properties, which can further reduce the rolling friction resistance between the PU material and the cable chain, ensuring smooth and seamless operation.

[0047] This embodiment adds a key auxiliary system for long-stroke operation. Since the transport device 3 needs to reciprocate at high speed on double linear guide rails 11, which can be several meters or even longer, its power cables, communication optical cables, etc., need to be managed via long-stroke cable chains. To prevent the cable chain 7 from sagging due to its own weight in long suspended sections, or from jamming, wear, or even internal cable breakage due to inertial swinging during high-speed start-stop, this embodiment designs a dedicated cable chain support assembly 8. This assembly has a support unit set at regular intervals along the direction of the cable chain 7. Each unit includes a support base 81 fixed to the frame side, and rollers 82 mounted on the support base 81 via bearings. The cable chain 7 runs flat on these rollers 82. In this embodiment, the sliding friction between the cable chain 7 and the support base 81 is transformed into rolling friction between the cable chain 7 and the rollers 82, significantly reducing the coefficient of friction. This significantly reduces the traction force required to drive the cable chain 7, lowering the motor load and energy consumption. Multi-point support provides a "continuous track" for the cable chain 7, effectively limiting its sag and curbing horizontal sway, ensuring the straightness and stability of the movement trajectory. Smooth operation avoids excessive bending and pulling of the internal cables of the cable chain 7, greatly extending the service life of the cables and the cable chain 7 itself, fundamentally improving the stability and reliability of the equipment in long-term operation.

[0048] In a preferred embodiment, such as Figure 7 As shown, the conveying device 100 also includes a tensioning mechanism 9; the tensioning mechanism 9 includes a fixed base 91 fixed to the frame, an L-shaped adjusting plate 92 slidably engaged with the fixed base 91, a pressure plate 93 fixed to the L-shaped adjusting plate 92 and connected to the timing belt 42, and a tightening bolt 94 for pushing the L-shaped adjusting plate 92; the pressure plate 93 is fixedly connected to one end of the timing belt 42, and the tension of the timing belt 42 is adjusted by rotating the tightening bolt 94. In this embodiment, the fixed base 91 can be fixed to the frame 1 through two positioning holes (or positioning pins), providing a stable reference. The L-shaped adjusting plate 92 can slide with the fixed base 91 through corresponding holes, allowing it to move slightly in a set direction (usually the direction for adjusting the tension of the timing belt). The pressure plate 93 is fixed to the L-shaped adjusting plate 92, and it is fixed to one end of the timing belt 42. The tightening bolt 94 is screwed into the threaded hole of the L-shaped adjusting plate 92, and its front end rests on the fixed base 91. When it is necessary to adjust the tension of the timing belt 42, tighten the jacking bolt 94. According to the principle of screw transmission, the rotational motion of the jacking bolt 94 is converted into a linear thrust, which pushes the L-shaped adjusting plate 92 and the pressure plate 93 to move, thereby pulling the timing belt 42, changing its tension, and thus adjusting the tension of the timing belt 42.

[0049] The adjustment principle is as follows: the tightening bolt 94 is screwed into the fixed seat 91 through the threaded hole. Utilizing the "rotational motion converted into linear motion" (helix angle principle) of the thread, axial thrust is generated, pushing the L-shaped adjusting plate 92 and the pressure plate 93 to move, changing the center distance between the pulley and the drive wheel, thereby adjusting the belt tension. The two positioning holes are used to lock the fixed seat 91 to prevent displacement due to vibration during operation, ensuring stable tension. This "two-hole positioning + single-hole push" design achieves minute, precise, and lockable tension adjustment, effectively preventing transmission errors or slippage caused by the loosening of the synchronous belt 42 over long-term use, and ensuring the long-term accuracy and stability of the lateral positioning.

[0050] In an optional embodiment, the conveying device 100 further includes a protective and buffering assembly 10 (e.g., a polyurethane buffer or a hydraulic damper), installed at the end of the travel of the transport device 3 in the carrying device 3 and / or the fixed frame 1, to buffer possible collisions. This protective and buffering assembly 10 effectively absorbs the impact energy when the equipment stops at the end or an abnormal collision occurs, protecting the precision linear guides, sliders, and other transmission components from hard impact damage, thus improving the safety and durability of the equipment.

[0051] This application embodiment achieves high-precision adjustment of the lateral and lifting mechanisms through a transmission method using a servo motor and dual linear guides; the design of the drag chain support component effectively protects long-distance cables and improves the reliability of equipment operation; it enables large-span operations without additional tracks, while also meeting the seamless docking requirements of ultra-long passages with tower stockers, cleaning transport vehicles (CVs), and overhead cranes, improving space utilization and reducing installation costs; the multi-storage location device meets the usage requirements of overhead crane openings under various working conditions, improving efficiency and reducing installation costs.

[0052] This application also provides a carrier scheduling and control method applied to the aforementioned semiconductor memory system. A first track is configured above the conveying device of the semiconductor memory system, and an aerial transport vehicle (sky crane) is mounted on the first track. The projection of the first track along the length of the conveying device is parallel to the conveying device. The sky crane can travel along the first track to above each carrier placement position and, upon receiving instructions from the control system, lowers the wafer cassette into the corresponding carrier placement position. This method is executed by the control unit (or a scheduling server communicating with a higher-level system) of this application embodiment. This embodiment uses the control unit as an example for explanation. Figure 8 As shown, it includes the following steps: A request to lower the vehicle has been received.

[0053] Specifically, the request signal can be triggered by a worker, indicating that an overhead crane (OHT) is ready to place a wafer pod (FOUP) at a certain carrier placement position of this device. This request may include information such as the crane ID and the carrier ID.

[0054] Determine if there are any available vehicle placement slots in the conveyor system; In this step, the control unit needs to query the real-time status of all carrier placement positions (e.g., multiple end carrier placement positions, multiple intermediate carrier placement positions, multiple embedded carrier placement positions, etc.). It then determines whether there is an empty carrier placement position in the entire transfer device that does not contain a wafer cassette. If the result of this step is "no," it means that all carrier placement positions are not empty, and the carrier placement request is rejected. If the result of this step is "yes," it means that there is at least one empty carrier placement position in the transfer device, and an empty carrier placement position is selected as the target carrier placement position. Determine whether the target vehicle placement location is the end vehicle placement location; In this step, if the judgment result is yes, it means that the target vehicle placement position is the end vehicle placement position, and the vehicle lowering command is executed; otherwise, further judgment is made. Determine whether there is a vehicle being transported on the transport route between the target vehicle placement location and the end vehicle placement location; This step involves checking all transport routes from the target vehicle placement position (i.e., the target lowering position) to the end vehicle placement position to ensure that no vehicles are currently moving. This ensures that, during and immediately after lowering, the newly lowered vehicle will not intersect or collide with other ongoing transport operations in the conveyor system. If the determination result is yes, the vehicle lowering request is rejected; if the determination result is no, the vehicle lowering command is executed.

[0055] This application also provides a vehicle scheduling and control method applied to the aforementioned semiconductor memory system. A second track is configured above the transmission device of the semiconductor memory system. The projection of the second track intersects the transmission device along its length. For example, the projections of multiple second tracks are perpendicular to the transmission device and are respectively located above each vehicle placement position. This method is executed by the control unit (or a scheduling server communicating with a higher-level system) of this application embodiment. This embodiment uses the control unit as an example for explanation. Figure 9 As shown, it includes the following steps: Received a request to lower the vehicle; Specifically, the request signal can be triggered by a worker, indicating that an overhead crane (OHT) is ready to place a wafer pod (FOUP) at a certain carrier placement position of this device. This request may include information such as the crane ID and the carrier ID.

[0056] Determine whether the target vehicle placement position in the transmission device is available; The target vehicle placement location in this step can be an embedded vehicle placement location. If the judgment result is negative, it means that the target vehicle placement location is not empty, and the vehicle placement request is rejected. If the judgment result is positive, it means that the target vehicle placement location is free, and further judgment is made. Determine whether the target vehicle placement location is the end vehicle placement location; If the judgment result is yes, then execute the vehicle lowering command; otherwise, further judgment is made.

[0057] Determine whether there is a vehicle being transported on the transport route between the target vehicle placement location and the end vehicle placement location.

[0058] This step involves checking all transport routes from the target vehicle placement position (i.e., the target lowering position) to the end vehicle placement position to ensure that no vehicles are currently moving. This ensures that, during and immediately after lowering, the newly lowered vehicle will not intersect or collide with other ongoing transport operations in the conveyor system. If the determination result is yes, the vehicle lowering request is rejected; if the determination result is no, the vehicle lowering command is executed.

[0059] This application fundamentally eliminates safety accidents such as carrier collisions and stacking by detecting the presence of idle carrier placement positions in the conveying device and detecting whether there are carriers being transported on the transport route between the target carrier placement position and the end carrier placement position, thus ensuring the safety of expensive wafers and precision equipment. This method allows for the parallel issuance of delivery commands to multiple idle carrier placement positions, provided safety conditions are met. This enables multiple carrier placement positions to be used as a parallel buffer queue, significantly reducing crane waiting time and improving the overall utilization and throughput of the crane and storage system. Simultaneously, this method transforms a fixed physical layout (such as dual conveying devices, multiple carrier placement positions, etc.) into dynamically schedulable logical resources. The control unit makes decisions based on real-time status data (such as sensors, RFID), giving the system a certain degree of intelligent scheduling and optimization capabilities.

[0060] Application example: like Figure 10 As shown in the diagram, assume that reference point O is the embedded carrier placement position of the conveyor device 100, point A is the end carrier placement position, and point B or C is the intermediate carrier placement position. It should be noted that the intermediate carrier position can also be configured with more nodes according to the actual usage scenario.

[0061] If all carrier positions are empty, the overhead crane above any carrier position is allowed to lower a wafer cassette. If any carrier position is not empty, it is necessary to determine: 1) whether there are no wafer cassettes on the carrier positions between the carrier position and point O, and on each transport segment (e.g., AB segment, BC segment, CO segment) between the carrier position and point O; 2) whether there are no wafer cassettes being transported on each transport segment between the carrier position and point A. When the above two conditions are met, the overhead crane corresponding to the carrier position is allowed to perform the wafer cassette lowering action.

[0062] Scenario 1: When all vehicle placement slots are empty When there are no wafer pods (FOUPs) at any of the placement positions, such as O, A, B, and C, the overhead crane above any carrier position can directly perform the FOUP lowering action without additional path determination.

[0063] Scenario 2: A vehicle placement slot is not empty (taking "dropping to point B" as an example). If a FOUP already exists at a vehicle location other than point B (such as point A), two conditions must be met to place a FOUP at point B: Path clearing conditions: All vehicle positions (such as point C) and transport segments (segment BC, segment CO) between point B and point O must be empty, with no FOUP stops.

[0064] Transportation Idle Conditions: All transportation segments between point B and point A (such as segment BA) must not have any moving FOUPs to ensure that there will be no collision with moving FOUPs during the drop-off.

[0065] The overhead crane above point B can only perform the lowering action if both conditions are met simultaneously; if either condition is not met, the lowering action will be prohibited.

[0066] This application embodiment can serve one side of the tower storage unit as a single interface unit, or it can deploy two devices to serve both sides of the tower storage unit respectively, achieving seamless bidirectional connection. This modular design gives the semiconductor memory system layout great flexibility, enabling it to adapt to different workshop layouts and production process requirements. Furthermore, by setting multiple carrier placement positions (such as end carrier placement positions, middle carrier placement positions, embedded carrier placement positions, and surrounding shelf structures), it can adapt to multi-shelf (such as 6 C-shaped shelves) two-row parallel channel layouts, meeting the needs of synchronous operation of multiple shelves, and is particularly suitable for carrier switching needs when workshops with different processes or cleanliness levels are separated by walls and fire doors.

[0067] The technical features of the above embodiments can be combined in any way. For the sake of brevity, not all possible combinations of the technical features in the above embodiments are described. However, as long as there is no contradiction in the combination of these technical features, they should be considered to be within the scope of this specification.

[0068] The embodiments described above are merely illustrative of several implementation methods of this application, and while the descriptions are relatively specific and detailed, they should not be construed as limiting the scope of the patent application. It should be noted that those skilled in the art can make various modifications and improvements without departing from the concept of this application, and these all fall within the protection scope of this application. Therefore, the protection scope of this patent application should be determined by the appended claims.

[0069] Those skilled in the art will understand that the above embodiments are specific embodiments for implementing the present invention, and in practical applications, various changes in form and detail may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A semiconductor memory system, characterized by comprising: The conveying device includes: A fixed frame; A plurality of carrier placement positions fixedly arranged on the fixed frame for receiving and / or temporarily storing wafer boxes; A double linear guide rail fixedly arranged on the fixed frame and located below the plurality of carrier placement positions, the double linear guide rail extending through the plurality of carrier placement positions; At least one carrier device movably arranged on the double linear guide rail, the carrier device including: A horizontal movement assembly for driving the carrier device to move along the double linear guide rail; A lifting assembly mounted on the horizontal movement assembly; A rotating assembly connected to an execution end of the lifting assembly; A carrier supporting portion connected to the rotating assembly for carrying the wafer box; A control unit in signal connection with the horizontal movement assembly, the lifting assembly and the rotating assembly for controlling the carrier device to move to a target carrier placement position and exchange the wafer box. A drag chain is further included for providing a protection channel for kinetic energy and signal transmission lines of the carrier device; 2. The semiconductor memory system according to claim 1, wherein A drag chain supporting assembly is further included for supporting the drag chain, the drag chain supporting assembly including a plurality of supporting units arranged at intervals along an extension direction of the drag chain, each of the supporting units including a supporting seat and a roller rotatably mounted on the supporting seat, the roller being in rolling contact with the drag chain to convert sliding friction of the drag chain into rolling friction. The horizontal movement assembly includes a servo motor, a slider cooperating with the double linear guide rail, a synchronous belt, a synchronous wheel and a displacement sensor for detecting horizontal displacement of the carrier device.

3. The semiconductor memory system as claimed in claim 1, wherein A tensioning mechanism is further included; 4. The semiconductor memory system according to claim 3, wherein The tensioning mechanism includes a fixed seat fixed to the frame, an L-shaped adjusting plate in sliding cooperation with the fixed seat, a pressing plate fixed to the L-shaped adjusting plate and a tightening bolt for pushing the L-shaped adjusting plate; The pressing plate is fixedly connected to one end of the synchronous belt, and the tension of the synchronous belt is adjusted by rotating the tightening bolt. The carrier placement position includes a fixed placement plate, and a sensor and / or a radio frequency identification reader are arranged in a corresponding space above or below the placement plate for detecting existence of a wafer box.

5. The semiconductor memory system according to claim 1, wherein The wafer box has a first orientation and a second orientation, the first orientation being arranged such that a side cover of the wafer box faces the tower storage, and the second orientation being arranged such that the side cover of the wafer box faces away from the tower storage; 6. The semiconductor memory system according to claim 5, wherein Before the carrier device carries the wafer box and arrives at an embedded carrier placement position as a target carrier placement position, an orientation state of the wafer box is determined based on the sensor and / or the radio frequency identification reader; When the wafer box is determined to be in the second orientation, the carrier device adjusts the wafer box to the first orientation through the rotating assembly. The plurality of carrier placement positions include end carrier placement positions, middle carrier placement positions and embedded carrier placement positions arranged in sequence along an extension direction of the double linear guide rail.

7. The semiconductor memory system according to claim 1, wherein ​ One of the in-line carrier drop positions of one of the transfer devices is configured to be in-lined in a first side of the tower storage as a storage location of the first side; and one of the in-line carrier drop positions of another of the transfer devices is configured to be in-lined in a second side of the tower storage as a storage location of the second side. The carrier bearing surface of the in-line carrier drop position is coplanar or parallel to the access opening of the tower storage.

8. The semiconductor memory system according to claim 7, wherein The end carrier drop position is in-lined in another tower storage.

9. A carrier scheduling control method applied to the semiconductor storage system according to any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein a first track is arranged above a transfer device of the semiconductor storage system, and a projection of the first track in a length direction of the transfer device is parallel to the transfer device. The method comprises: receiving a request for a carrier drop; determining whether there is an idle carrier drop position in the transfer device; if there is no idle carrier drop position, then rejecting the carrier drop request; if there is an idle carrier drop position, then selecting an idle carrier drop position as a target carrier drop position, and: determining whether the target carrier drop position is an end carrier drop position; if the target carrier drop position is an end carrier drop position, then executing the carrier drop instruction; if the target carrier drop position is not an end carrier drop position, then: determining whether there is a carrier in transit on a transit path between the target carrier drop position and an end carrier drop position; if there is a carrier in transit on the transit path, then rejecting the carrier drop request; if there is no carrier in transit on the transit path, then executing the carrier drop instruction.

10. A carrier scheduling control method applied to the semiconductor storage system according to any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein a second track corresponding to each of the carrier placement positions is arranged above the transfer device, and a projection of the second track in the length direction of the transfer device intersects the transfer device. The method comprises: receiving a request for a carrier drop; determining whether a target carrier drop position in the transfer device is idle; if the target carrier drop position is not idle, then rejecting the carrier drop request; if the target carrier drop position is idle, then: determining whether the target carrier drop position is an end carrier drop position; if the target carrier drop position is an end carrier drop position, then executing the carrier drop instruction; if the target carrier drop position is not an end carrier drop position, then: determining whether there is a carrier in transit on a transit path between the target carrier drop position and an end carrier drop position; if there is a carrier in transit on the transit path, then rejecting the carrier drop request; if there is no carrier in transit on the transit path, then executing the carrier drop instruction.

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