Model railroad car position indicator
First Claim
1. Apparatus for determining if a model railroad car is in an appropriate position on a track for initiating a model train process comprising:
- a sensor responsive to the presence of a model railroad car;
control circuitry in communication with the sensor for determining the location of the car relative to a predetermined position on the track and for approving initiation of the process if the car location is within a range of acceptable positions for initiating the process;
the control circuitry including circuitry for determining if the car velocity is less than a predetermined threshold velocity; and
the control circuitry also including circuitry for conditioning approval of initiation of the train process if both the car location is acceptable and the car velocity is acceptable.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A model railroad car position indicator includes a sensor receptive to the presence of a model railroad car on a track. Control circuitry determines the location of the car relative to a predetermined position on the track and approves initiation of a model train process if the car is within a range of acceptable positions for initiating the process. A preferred embodiment includes circuitry for determining whether the car velocity is less than a predetermined threshold velocity. In this embodiment, approval of initiation of the model train process is conditioned on both the car position being acceptable and the car velocity being acceptable. An indicator provides feedback to the model train operator for manual initiation of the model train process. Alternatively, the control circuit may automatically initiate the process.
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Citations
19 Claims
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1. Apparatus for determining if a model railroad car is in an appropriate position on a track for initiating a model train process comprising:
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a sensor responsive to the presence of a model railroad car; control circuitry in communication with the sensor for determining the location of the car relative to a predetermined position on the track and for approving initiation of the process if the car location is within a range of acceptable positions for initiating the process; the control circuitry including circuitry for determining if the car velocity is less than a predetermined threshold velocity; and the control circuitry also including circuitry for conditioning approval of initiation of the train process if both the car location is acceptable and the car velocity is acceptable. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A method for determining if a model railroad car is in an appropriate position for initiating a process comprising the steps of:
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determining the location of a model railroad car relative to a predetermined position on a track with a sensor; and approving initiation of a model train process if the car location is within a range of acceptable positions for initiating the process; and the step of approving further comprising approving initiation of the process if both the car location is acceptable and the car velocity is acceptable. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14)
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15. Apparatus for indicating the position of a model railroad car on a track comprising:
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a controller; a velocity sensor responsive to the passage of the car in communication with said controller, said controller adapted to determine if the velocity of said car relative to said velocity sensor is less than a predetermined threshold velocity; a position sensor in communication with said controller responsive to the presence of the car; a position indicator in communication with said controller, said position indicator adapted to indicate if said car location is within a range of acceptable positions, said controller enabling said position indicator if said car velocity sensed by said velocity sensor is less than a predetermined threshold velocity. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19)
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Specification