Transport Vehicle Drone Integration for Semiconductor Load Port Handling

The patent extracts the hand from the transport vehicle and replaces it with a drone. The drone is deployed from the transport vehicle to perform article handling operations independently, eliminating the need for the belt mechanism that causes shaking when quickly released. This separation allows the transport vehicle to maintain stability while the drone performs rapid article transfer operations.

The patent segments the article handling function from the transport vehicle by introducing drones. Each transport vehicle can deploy its own drone independently to handle articles at load ports. This segmentation allows multiple transport vehicles to operate simultaneously on the same rail without waiting for sequential article handling, as each vehicle's drone can independently perform loading/unloading operations while the vehicle remains in motion or waits minimally.

The patent implements self-service through the drone's autonomous navigation capabilities. The drone is equipped with positioning systems and sensors that enable it to autonomously identify and navigate to the correct load port positions without requiring manual tag adjustment by operators. The system automatically achieves accurate positioning through electronic means, eliminating the need for operators to perform hazardous high-level work on position tags.