Graphically constructed control and scheduling system
First Claim
1. A system for controlling toy vehicles running on a track, comprising:
- (a) a computer including a display, a central processing unit, an operator interface, a memory, and at least one port coupled to the central processing unit for input and output of electrical signals, said central processing unit responding to electrical signals input to the computer through said at least one port in accordance with a state machine that is graphically defined by a user with the operator interface, by producing control signals that are conveyed through said at least one port to control the toy vehicles;
(b) a power supply producing electrical power suitable to energize the toy vehicles, said power supply being coupled to a switching network that is controlled by the central processing unit in accord with the state machine defined by the operator;
(c) a track divided into a plurality of sections, each section being separately electrically coupled to the power supply through the switching network so that each section is independently energized by the switching network under control of the central processing unit;
(d) a plurality of toy vehicle detection circuits, each associated with a different one of the plurality of sections of track to detect a toy vehicle that is disposed on said section of track; and
(e) program instructions stored in the memory, said programmed instructions enabling the user to graphically define the state machine to control the plurality of toy vehicles on the track, said state machine graphically identifying for at least one of the toy vehicles an event selected by the user, and at least one control action selected by the user for association with the event, said event at times comprising an arrival of one of the toy vehicles on a selected section of track as detected by the toy vehicle detection circuit associated with that section of track, and said control action at times comprising the central processing unit producing a control signal through said at least one port that causes the switching network to energize a selected section of track when said event has occurred.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A system and method for controlling a model train system and for defining a finite state machine for implementing control of the system. A computer (32) that is running a graphic user operating system is coupled through its serial port to a master control unit (MCU) (48). The MCU is coupled to slave control units (SCUs) (50, 52) and to a hand control unit (HCU)(152) through a token ring network (69) over which the computer transmits commands to energize selected track sections and to control the speed of locomotives (88, 90) running thereon. The MCU and SCUs are coupled to the sections of tracks and to electromagnetic switches (42, 44, 46) that determine the route of the trains over the sections of track. Furthermore, detector circuits (126) monitor a detector pulse to sense the presence of a locomotive or train on a particular section of track, producing an indicative output signal that is provided to the computer. The user graphically defines events, conditions, and control actions that are to be carried out on a visually displayed schedule manager grid. In addition, the user can graphically define a control panel that includes graphic controls, which can be manipulated by the user to establish the speed of a locomotive and to control the status of the electromagnetic switches. The control system can also be applied to control other systems that include electrically energized components.
83 Citations
17 Claims
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1. A system for controlling toy vehicles running on a track, comprising:
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(a) a computer including a display, a central processing unit, an operator interface, a memory, and at least one port coupled to the central processing unit for input and output of electrical signals, said central processing unit responding to electrical signals input to the computer through said at least one port in accordance with a state machine that is graphically defined by a user with the operator interface, by producing control signals that are conveyed through said at least one port to control the toy vehicles; (b) a power supply producing electrical power suitable to energize the toy vehicles, said power supply being coupled to a switching network that is controlled by the central processing unit in accord with the state machine defined by the operator; (c) a track divided into a plurality of sections, each section being separately electrically coupled to the power supply through the switching network so that each section is independently energized by the switching network under control of the central processing unit; (d) a plurality of toy vehicle detection circuits, each associated with a different one of the plurality of sections of track to detect a toy vehicle that is disposed on said section of track; and (e) program instructions stored in the memory, said programmed instructions enabling the user to graphically define the state machine to control the plurality of toy vehicles on the track, said state machine graphically identifying for at least one of the toy vehicles an event selected by the user, and at least one control action selected by the user for association with the event, said event at times comprising an arrival of one of the toy vehicles on a selected section of track as detected by the toy vehicle detection circuit associated with that section of track, and said control action at times comprising the central processing unit producing a control signal through said at least one port that causes the switching network to energize a selected section of track when said event has occurred. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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Specification