Overhead rail guided transport system and implementation method thereof

1. A method for implementing an overhead rail guided transport system, comprising:

providing a vehicle transport system comprising an upper rail guided transport system, a lower rail guided transport system, a vehicle exchange equipment and a plurality of vehicles operating in the vehicle transport system, wherein the vehicle exchange equipment comprises two split rails and a support column, wherein the support column is along a first direction and is connected to the two split rails and at least one of the vehicles moves in a space between the split rails;

providing information about the upper vehicle utilizing rate to the main controlling system;

providing information about the lower vehicle utilizing rate by to the main controlling system; and

utilizing the vehicle exchange equipment and moving the split rails up and down along the support column according to the information about the upper vehicle utilizing rate and the lower vehicle utilizing rate to exchange the vehicles between the upper and lower rail guided transport systems until the upper and lower vehicle utilizing rates are equilibrated, wherein a step for utilizing the vehicle exchange equipment comprises:

moving the vehicles to the split rails;

moving the split rails loaded with the vehicles along a first direction; and

moving the vehicles out of the split rails.

2. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the vehicle transport system further comprises:

a first controlling system used to monitor and record information about location, destination and vehicle utilizing rates of each of the vehicles in the upper rail guided transport system;

a second controlling system used to monitor and record information about location, destination and vehicle utilizing rates of each of the vehicles in the lower rail guided transport system;

a dispatch controlling system used to dispatch the vehicles and control the vehicle exchange equipment; and

the main controlling system (MCS) used to control the first controlling system, the second controlling system and the dispatch controlling system and receive the information transmitted from the first controlling system and the second controlling system.

3. The method according to claim 2 , further comprising a step of:

when the upper vehicle utilizing rate reaches a maximum utilizing rate, the MCS commands the dispatch controlling system to dispatch at least one empty vehicle from the lower rail guided transport system into the upper rail guided transport system through the vehicle exchange equipment.

4. The method according to claim 2 , further comprising a step of:

when the lower vehicle utilizing rate reaches a maximum utilizing rate, the MCS commands the dispatch controlling system to dispatch at least one empty vehicle from the upper rail guided transport system into the lower rail guided transport system through the vehicle exchange equipment.

5. A vehicle transport system, comprising:

an upper rail guided transport system, a lower rail guided transport system, a plurality of vehicles operating in the upper rail and the lower rail guided transport systems, and a vehicle exchange system, wherein the vehicle exchange system comprises two split rails and a support column, wherein the support column is along a first direction and is connected to the two split rails and the split rails alternatively connect to either the upper rail guided transport system and the lower rail guided transport system, at least one of the vehicles moves in a space between the split rails;

a first controlling unit used to monitor and record information about location, destination and vehicle utilizing rates of each of the vehicles in the upper rail guided transport system;

a second controlling unit used to monitor and record information about location, destination and vehicle utilizing rates of each of the vehicles in the lower rail guided transport system;

a dispatch controlling unit used to dispatch the vehicles and move the split rails up and down along the support column according to the information about the upper vehicle utilizing rates and the lower vehicle utilizing rates; and

a main controlling system (MCS) used to control the first controlling unit, the second controlling unit and the dispatch controlling system and receive the information transmitted from the first and the second controlling unit.

6. The vehicle transport system according to claim 5 , wherein the split rails are respectively located in at least a first plane and a second plane and both of the first plane and the second plane are substantially perpendicular to the first direction.

7. The vehicle transport system according to claim 5 , wherein the split rails are extending along a second direction and a third direction substantially perpendicular to the second direction.

8. The vehicle transport system according to claim 5 , wherein the split rails are extending along a same direction.

9. The vehicle transport system according to claim 5 , wherein each of the split rails is not connected to the upper rail guided transport system and the lower rail guided transport system simultaneously.

10. The vehicle transport system according to claim 5 , wherein the vehicle exchange equipment further comprises a hoist system to drive the split rails along the first direction.

11. The vehicle transport system according to claim 5 , wherein vehicle is used to carry at least one object.

12. The vehicle transport system according to claim 11 , wherein the object comprises a front opening unified pod (FOUP) or a standard mechanical interface (SMIF).

13. A vehicle transport system, comprising:

an upper rail guided transport system, a lower rail guided transport system, and a plurality of vehicles operating in the upper rail and the lower rail guided transport systems;

a vehicle exchange system comprising two split rails and a support column, wherein the split rails are movably disposed on the support column in opposite directions, and the split rails alternatively connect to either of the upper rail guided transport system and the lower rail guided transport system, at least one of the vehicles moves in a space between the rails;

a first controlling unit used to monitor and record information about location, destination and vehicle utilizing rates of each of the vehicles in the upper rail guided transport system;

a second controlling unit used to monitor and record information about location, destination and vehicle utilizing rates of each of the vehicles in the lower rail guided transport system;

a dispatch controlling unit used to dispatch the vehicles and control the vehicle exchange equipment according to the information about the upper vehicle utilizing rates and the lower vehicle utilizing rates; and

a main controlling system (MCS) used to control the first controlling unit, the second controlling unit and the dispatch controlling system and receive the information transmitted from the first and the second controlling unit.

14. The vehicle transport system according to claim 13 , wherein the support column is along a first direction and is connected to the two split rails.

15. The vehicle transport system according to claim 14 , wherein the vehicle exchange equipment further comprises a hoist system to drive the split rails along the first direction.

16. The vehicle transport system according to claim 13 , wherein the split rails are extending along a same direction.

17. The vehicle transport system according to claim 13 , wherein the vehicle is used to carry at least one object.

18. The vehicle transport system according to claim 17 , wherein the object is a front opening unified pod (FOUP) or a standard mechanical interface (SMIF).