Device handling system and method

Abstract

An apparatus and method for handling devices adapted to be assigned to one of a plurality of categories are disclosed. The apparatus includes an elevator adapted to move a stack of trays along a vertical path, a locking mechanism adapted to selectively engage a tray in the stack of trays and to support the engaged tray and additional trays positioned above the engaged tray, and a tray load arm positioned at a fixed vertical position and having a support mechanism for supporting one or more trays, the tray load arm being adapted to move horizontally into and out of the vertical path.

1 . An apparatus for handling devices adapted to be assigned to one of a plurality of categories, comprising: 
 an elevator adapted to move a stack of trays along a vertical path; and    a locking mechanism adapted to selectively and directly secure a tray in said stack of trays and to support said engaged tray and any additional trays positioned above said engaged tray.    
   
   
       2 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the trays in said stack of trays include device trays and separator plates.  
   
   
       3 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , further comprising: 
 a tray load arm positioned at a fixed vertical position and having a support mechanism for supporting one or more trays, said tray load arm being adapted to move horizontally into and out of said vertical path.    
   
   
       4 . The apparatus according to  claim 3 , wherein the tray load arm is adapted to provide trays to and receive trays from an operator for unloading and loading the apparatus.  
   
   
       5 . The apparatus according to  claim 3 , wherein the tray load arm is adapted to provide trays to and receive trays from an external device for unloading and loading the apparatus in an automated manner.  
   
   
       6 . The apparatus according to  claim 3 , wherein the tray load arm is adapted to provide trays to and receive trays from an external device for processing of the trays.  
   
   
       7 . The apparatus according to  claim 6 , wherein the external device is a device handler having a tray-handling shuttle.  
   
   
       8 . The apparatus according to  claim 3 , wherein the tray load arm is adapted to position a desired tray to provide access to individual devices on said desired tray to an external device.  
   
   
       9 . The apparatus according to  claim 8 , wherein the external device includes a pick-and-place mechanism.  
   
   
       10 . The apparatus of  claim 3 , further comprising: 
 a processor adapted to control said elevator, said locking mechanism and said tray load arm to sort devices in said trays according to a plurality of categories.    
   
   
       11 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising: 
 a modular interface adapted to allow the apparatus to modularly interface with an external device.    
   
   
       12 . The apparatus of  claim 11 , wherein the modular interface comprises: 
 one or more mechanical couplings adapted to mechanically align the apparatus with the external device; and    one or more subsystem couplings, each subsystem coupling being adapted to couple a subsystem of the apparatus with a corresponding subsystem of the external device.    
   
   
       13 . An apparatus for handling devices adapted to be assigned to one of a plurality of categories, comprising: 
 means for moving a stack of trays along a vertical path; and    means for selectively and directly securing a tray in said stack of trays and for supporting said engaged tray and any additional trays positioned above said engaged tray.    
   
   
       14 . The apparatus according to  claim 13 , wherein the trays in said stack of trays include device trays and separator plates.  
   
   
       15 . The apparatus according to  claim 13 , further comprising: 
 means for moving a stack of trays horizontally into and out of said vertical path, said means for moving being positioned at a fixed vertical position and having a support mechanism for supporting one or more trays.    
   
   
       16 . The apparatus according to  claim 15 , wherein the means for moving a stack of trays horizontally is adapted to provide trays to and receive trays from an operator for unloading and loading the apparatus.  
   
   
       17 . The apparatus according to  claim 16 , wherein the means for moving a stack of trays horizontally is adapted to provide trays to and receive trays from an external device for unloading and loading the apparatus in an automated manner.  
   
   
       18 . The apparatus according to  claim 15 , wherein the means for moving a stack of trays horizontally is adapted to provide trays to and receive trays from an external device for processing of the trays.  
   
   
       19 . The apparatus according to  claim 18 , wherein the external device is a device handler having a tray-handling shuttle.  
   
   
       20 . The apparatus according to  claim 15 , wherein the means for moving a stack of trays horizontally is adapted to position a desired tray to provide access to individual devices on said desired tray to an external device.  
   
   
       21 . The apparatus according to  claim 20 , wherein the external device includes a pick-and-place mechanism.  
   
   
       22 . The apparatus of  claim 13 , further comprising: 
 means for modularly interfacing the apparatus with an external device.    
   
   
       23 . The apparatus of  claim 22 , wherein the means for modularly interfacing comprises: 
 means for mechanically aligning the apparatus with the external device; and    means for coupling a subsystem of the apparatus with a corresponding subsystem of the external device.    
   
   
       24 . A method of sorting a tray of devices adapted to be assigned to one of a plurality of categories, comprising: 
 receiving a sorted tray of devices assigned to one of said categories;    determining a sort position for said sorted tray in a stack of trays on a platform;    vertically moving said platform to align a locking mechanism with an upper tray in said stack, said upper tray being immediately above said sort position;    locking said upper tray with said locking mechanism;    vertically moving said platform to position a lower tray below a load arm having said sorted tray, said lower tray being immediately below said sort position; and    placing said sorted tray on said lower tray on said platform.    
   
   
       25 . The method according to  claim 24 , wherein at least one of said upper tray and said lower tray is a separator plate.  
   
   
       26 . A program product, comprising machine readable program code for causing a machine to perform the following method steps: 
 receiving a sorted tray of devices assigned to one of said categories;    determining a sort position for said sorted tray in a stack of trays on a platform;    vertically moving said platform to align a locking mechanism with an upper tray in said stack, said upper tray being immediately above said sort position;    locking said upper tray with said locking mechanism;    vertically moving said platform to position a lower tray below a load arm having said sorted tray, said lower tray being immediately below said sort position; and    placing said sorted tray on said lower tray on said platform.    
   
   
       27 . The program product according to  claim 26 , wherein at least one of said upper tray and said lower tray is a separator plate.  
   
   
       28 . A system for sorting a tray of devices adapted to be assigned to one of a plurality of categories, comprising: 
 means for receiving a sorted tray of devices assigned to one of said categories;    means for determining a sort position for said sorted tray in a stack of trays on a platform;    means for vertically moving said platform to align a locking mechanism with an upper tray in said stack, said upper tray being immediately above said sort position;    means for locking said upper tray with said locking mechanism;    means for vertically moving said platform to position a lower tray below a load arm having said sorted tray, said lower tray being immediately below said sort position; and    means for placing said sorted tray on said lower tray on said platform.    
   
   
       29 . A method of sorting a device adapted to be assigned to one of a plurality of categories, comprising: 
 receiving a sorted device assigned to one of said categories;    determining a sort tray for said sorted device in a stack of trays on a platform;    vertically moving said platform to align a locking mechanism with an upper tray in said stack immediately above said sort tray;    locking said upper tray with said locking mechanism;    vertically moving said platform to position said sort tray in a loading position; and    placing said sorted tray on said lower tray on said platform.    
   
   
       30 . A system for sorting a device adapted to be assigned to one of a plurality of categories, comprising: 
 means for receiving a sorted device assigned to one of said categories;    means for determining a sort tray for said sorted device in a stack of trays on a platform;    means for vertically moving said platform to align a locking mechanism with an upper tray in said stack immediately above said sort tray;    means for locking said upper tray with said locking mechanism;    means for vertically moving said platform to position said sort tray in a loading position; and    means for placing said sorted tray on said lower tray on said platform.