Signaling techniques for DC track powered model railroads
DCFirst Claim
1. A model train locomotive for use on a model railroad track that is coupled to a power supply for controllably applying a polarity-reversible DC track power signal to the track, the locomotive comprising:
- a motor for driving the locomotive over the track;
means for isolating the motor from the track so as to allow use of polarity-reversals on the track power signal for controlling remote effects; and
means responsive to polarity-reversals on the DC track power signal for controlling remote effects without reversing the motor.
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Abstract
Electronic circuits and methods are provided for remote control of a locomotive in a model railroad layout having an interruptible DC power supply coupled to the railroad track. The locomotive motor is isolated from the track so as to allow use of polarity reversals on the track power signal for controlling remote effects in the locomotive such as sound effects. An on-board electronic state generator is provided in the locomotive for maintaining one at a time of a predetermined set of states, at least one of the states having a corresponding remote effect associated therewith. Remote control signals such as a reverse in polarity of the DC track power signal are used to clock the state generator to a desired state, thereby permitting control of a plurality of remote effects using only the traditional DC power supply interface. The locomotive motor is controlled by a motor reverse unit so that the motor direction is controllable independently of the polarity of the DC power signal applied to the track. Accordingly, both motor direction and remote effects are controllable using only the throttle and polarity reversal switch which are available in known DC model railroad power supplies.
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Citations
22 Claims
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1. A model train locomotive for use on a model railroad track that is coupled to a power supply for controllably applying a polarity-reversible DC track power signal to the track, the locomotive comprising:
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a motor for driving the locomotive over the track; means for isolating the motor from the track so as to allow use of polarity-reversals on the track power signal for controlling remote effects; and means responsive to polarity-reversals on the DC track power signal for controlling remote effects without reversing the motor. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. In a DC powered model train locomotive having a motor, a method of using polarity reversals of the DC track power signal as a remote control signal, the method comprising the steps of:
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receiving the DC track power signal through the wheels of the locomotive; rectifying the DC track power signal so as to form a DC output signal having a predetermined polarity independent of the polarity of the DC track power signal; selecting a direction state that is one of a predetermined series of direction states including forward, reverse and neutral states; selecting a DC signal polarity for driving the motor in a motor direction corresponding to the selected direction state; and applying the DC output signal to the motor with the selected DC signal polarity, thereby driving the motor in the motor direction corresponding to the selected direction state notwithstanding a reversal in polarity of the DC track power signal. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. In a DC powered model train locomotive having a motor, a method of using polarity reversals of the DC track power signal as a remote control signal, the method comprising the steps of:
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maintaining a selected one at a time of a series of On-Board State Generator (OBSG) states, at least one of the OBSG states having a corresponding remote effect associated therewith; changing the OBSG state by applying a first remote control signal to the locomotive; and repeating said changing step so as to select the OBSG state that has a desired remote effect associated therewith. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
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Specification