Control system for, and method of, operating toy vehicles

• US 6,666,746 B2
• Filed: 05/23/2002
• Issued: 12/23/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 01/19/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Rokenbok Toy Company
• Original Assignee: Rokenbok Toy Company
• Inventors: DeAngelis, Peter C., Eichen, Paul, Barton, William H. Jr., Aldred, Daniel J.
• Primary Examiner(s): SHEWAREGED, BETELHEM
• Application Number:
  US10/155,186
• Publication Number:
  US 20030013377A1
• Time in Patent Office: 579 Days
• Field of Search: 463/3, 463/38-39, 463/40, 463/58, 463/62, 463/63, 446/431, 446/454, 446/456, 446/441, 446/444, 446/457, 446/460, 446/465, 446/470, 446/120, 446/268, 446/425
• US Class Current: 446/454
• CPC Class Codes: A63H 17/00 Toy vehicles, e.g. with self-drive; convertible into other toys A63H33/003; Cranes, winches or the like; Accessories therefor traffic games with figures moved by players A63F9/14
• CPC Class Codes: A63H 18/02 Construction or arrangement of the trackway
• CPC Class Codes: A63H 19/22 Wheels; Wheel axles; Bogies
• CPC Class Codes: A63H 30/04 using wireless transmission
• CPC Class Codes: A63H 33/3044 Loading stations, e.g. with conveyors, elevators, cranes cranes, winches or the like per se A63H17/12

Abstract

Each of first vehicles has an individual address dependent upon an insertion of a selective one of different keys into a socket in the vehicle. Each vehicle is movable in any desired direction on a first support structure formed by intercoupling male detents on first beams and female detents on other beams and on blocks. The first support structure may be, but does not have to be, intercoupled with a second support structure. The second structure may define a track on which an additional vehicle (e.g., a monorail) is movable in first and second opposite directions. Each of a plurality of manually operated pads generates signals for addressing any unaddressed vehicle and for providing movements of, and the performance of functions in, the vehicle when addressed. Each pad communicates the pad-generated signals to a connected central station. The central station communicates these signals by wireless to the vehicles.

Claims

1. In combination,

a first vehicle having first members to provide a movement of the vehicle and having first controls operable on the first members to provide for a movement of the vehicle and having a second member for performing functions other than the movement of the vehicle and having second controls operable on the second member to obtain the performance of the functions by the second member,

a support structure defining a path for the movement of the first vehicle,

a plurality of pads each having a plurality of switches controlling the addressing of the first vehicle and additional vehicles and controlling the operation of the first and second controls in the first vehicle, and

a central station responsive to the operation of the switches in the pads for providing for an operation of the first and second controls in the first vehicle when the first vehicle is addressed by any one of the pads.

2. In a combination as set forth in claim 1 wherein

the support structure defines a track and wherein

the first vehicle is constructed to move on the track.

3. In a combination as set forth in claim 2 wherein

the support structure is defined by beams and blocks having particular constructions to provide interconnections between the beams and blocks and wherein

the support structure defines a track produced from the beams and blocks having the particular constructions to provide interconnections between the beams and blocks in the track and wherein

the first vehicle rides on the track and wherein

the track produced from the interconnected beams and blocks in the support structure has characteristics for retaining the vehicle on the track.

4. In a combination as recited in claim 1 wherein

the support structure is manually assembled from beams and blocks interconnected with one another and having an identical construction of the beams and an identical construction of the blocks and wherein

the first vehicle constitutes a monorail and the interconnected beams and blocks in the structure define the track for the monorail.

5. In a combination as set forth in claim 4 wherein

the interconnected beams in the support structure include detents providing for the interconnections of the beams and the blocks in the support structure.

6. In combination,

a first vehicle constructed to move only in first and second opposite directions and having first controls for providing a movement of the first vehicle in the first and second opposite directions and having second controls for performing functions other than the movement of the first vehicle in the first and second opposite directions,

a support structure providing for the movement of the first vehicle in the first and second opposite directions,

a plurality of pads each having switches controlling the addressing of any one of the first vehicle in the plurality and additional vehicles and controlling the movement of the first vehicle, when addressed, in the first and second opposite directions and controlling the operation of the second controls in the first vehicle, when addressed, in performing the functions in the first vehicle, and

a central station responsive to the operations of the switches in each of the pads for addressing any one of the first vehicle and the additional vehicles not addressed by any of the other pads and for providing for movements of the first vehicle, when addressed, in accordance with the operation of the first controls in the first vehicle and for providing for the performance of the functions in the first vehicle, when addressed, in accordance with the operation of the second controls in the first vehicle.

7. In a combination as set forth in claim 6 wherein

the support structure is defined by beams and blocks manually interconnected in a particular relationship and wherein

the interconnection between the beams and blocks in the support structure defines a track for receiving the first vehicle and for providing for the movement of the first vehicle in the first and second opposite directions.

8. In a combination as set forth in claim 7 wherein

the support structure extends from an additional support structure for the additional vehicles, and wherein

the extension of the support structure from the additional support structure is defined by beams and blocks manually interconnected in the particular relationship.

9. A method of providing controlled operations, including the steps of:

providing a first vehicle having an individual address and having first controls providing for a movement of the additional vehicle when addressed and second controls providing for individual operations of the vehicle, other than movements of the vehicle, when addressed,

providing a structure on which the first vehicle is able to move in a pair of opposite directions,

providing a plurality of pads each having controls operable to address any one of the first vehicle and additional vehicles and to provide for a movement of the addressed vehicle and for individual operations of the addressed vehicle,

operating the controls in each of the pads to address any one of the first vehicle and the additional vehicles and to provide for movements of the addressed vehicle and individual operations of the addressed vehicle,

providing for a periodic activation of each of the pads to determine the addressing by the pad of any one of the first vehicle and the additional vehicles and the movement and individual operations of the addressed vehicle,

providing for a sequential transmission by the pads, upon the periodic activation of the pads, of signals addressing in each of the pads any one of the first vehicle and the additional vehicles and signals indicating the movements and individual operations to be provided in the addressed vehicle,

providing for the reception by the first vehicle and the additional vehicles of the signals indicating the addresses of the vehicles and the signals indicating the movements and individual operations to be provided in the addressed vehicles, and

providing movements and individual operations in each of the addressed vehicles in accordance with the operation of the first and second controls in the pad addressing the vehicle.

10. A method as set forth in claim 9, including the steps of:

providing in each of the first vehicle and in the additional vehicles, a visual indication individually identifying the vehicle,

providing in each of the pads indications visually identifying any individual one of the first vehicle and the additional vehicles, and

activating in each of the pads the visual indication individually identifying the vehicle addressed by the pad.

11. In a method as set forth in claim 9, the steps of:

providing for the support structure beams having an identical construction, and having detents of an identical construction, and blocks having an identical construction for interconnection between adjacent beams and blocks wherein

the blocks and the detents on the beams in the support structure operate in cooperation with one another and with the first vehicle to retain the first vehicle on the track.

12. In a method as set forth in claim 11 wherein

the first vehicle has drive rollers rotatable on the beams and the blocks to propel the additional vehicle on the track and wherein

the beams and the blocks have side surfaces and wherein

the first vehicle has guides disposable relative to the side surfaces of the beams and the blocks to retain the first vehicle on the track during the movement of the first vehicle on the track.

13. A method of providing a controlled operation of a plurality of toy vehicles and an additional vehicle, including the steps of:

providing each of the toy vehicles in the plurality an address different from the addresses provided for the other toy vehicles,

providing the additional toy vehicle with an address different from the addresses of the vehicles in the plurality,

providing a support structure for the movement of the additional vehicle on the support structure in first and second opposite directions,

providing a plurality of pads each having a first control operable to provide for an addressing of any one of the vehicles and each having second controls operable to provide for a movement, and operations other than a movement, of the addressed vehicle,

providing a central station for sequentially communicating to all of the vehicles the addresses provided by the operation of the first controls in the pads in the plurality and the movement and other operations of the addressed vehicles as represented by the operations of the second controls in the pads,

providing for an addressing by the central station of the vehicles in accordance with the addressing of the vehicles by the first controls in the pads, and

providing in the central station for a movement and other operations of each of the addressed vehicles in accordance with the operation of the second controls in the pad addressing the vehicle.

14. A method as set forth in claim 13 wherein

the central station provides for the addressing by each of the pads only of the vehicles not addressed by any of the other pads.

15. A method as set forth in claim 13 wherein

the central station has a memory for indicating the vehicle being addressed by each of the pads and wherein

the central station removes from the memory the addressing of each of the vehicles by the pad addressing the vehicle when the pad addressing the vehicle addresses another one of the vehicles or fails to address the vehicle within a particular period of time.

16. A method as set forth in claim 13 wherein

the structure defines a loop for providing a movement of the additional vehicle only in opposite directions in the loop defined by the second support structure.

17. A method as set forth in claim 16 wherein

the structure defines a single track in the loop and wherein

the additional vehicle is a monorail which rides on the single track.

18. A method as set forth in claim 17 wherein

the central station provides for the addressing by each of the pads only of the vehicles not addressed by any of the other pads and wherein

the central station has a memory for indicating the vehicle being addressed by each of the pads and wherein

the central station removes from the memory the addressing of each of the vehicles by the pad addressing the vehicle when the pad addressing the vehicle addresses another one of the vehicles or fails to address the vehicle within a particular period of time.

19. In combination,

a vehicle having an individual address and movable in a selective one of two opposite directions,

a structure for supporting the vehicle for movement of the vehicle in the selective one of the two opposite direction, and

a pad manually operable to address the vehicle and to provide commands for moving the addressed vehicle and for performing functions other than the movement of the vehicle.

20. In a combination as set forth in claim 19,

a key providing an individual address,

the additional vehicle including a socket for receiving the key and for providing an address corresponding to the address provided by the key, the vehicle being constructed to be addressed by the pad when the key is in the socket.

21. In a combination as set forth in claim 20,

the structure being constructed to be formed from a plurality of first elements each having first and second detents and second elements each having the second detents to provide for an intercoupling of the first detents on the first elements with the second detents on the second elements,

the vehicle including a motor and rollers driven by the motor for rotation on the track,

the first and second elements having side surfaces defining the width of the track,

the vehicle including guides disposed relative to the side surfaces of the track for maintaining the vehicle on the track during the movement of the vehicle on the track, and

the guides constituting second rollers closely spaced relative to the side surfaces of the tracks and rotatable in the same direction as the movement of the vehicle on the track.

22. In a combination as set forth in claim 19,

the structure being constructed to be formed from a plurality of first elements each having first and second detents and second elements each having the second detents to provide for an intercoupling of the first detents on the first elements with the second detents on the second elements.

23. In a combination as set forth in claim 22,

the vehicle including a motor and rollers driven by the motor for rotation on the track,

the first and second elements having side surfaces defining the width of the track,

the vehicle including guides disposed relative to the side surfaces of the track for maintaining the vehicle on the track during the movement of the vehicle on the track.

24. A method of providing a controlled operation of a first toy vehicle, including the steps of:

providing an address for the first toy vehicle, providing for the first toy vehicle characteristics for movement in a selective one of two opposite directions,

providing for a first intercoupling of first individual ones of first elements and first individual ones of second elements to form a first structure for holding additional toy vehicles for movement in any desired direction,

providing for an intercoupling of individual ones of the first elements and individual ones of second elements to form a structure for holding the first toy vehicle for movement at each instant in a selective one of the first and second opposite directions, and

providing for the transmission to each of the first toy vehicle and the additional toy vehicles of signals indicating the address of the vehicle and indicating the desired movement of the addressed vehicle and indicating the performance of functions by the vehicle other than the movement of the vehicle.

25. A method as set forth in claim 24, including the steps of,

providing a key indicating an individual address,

the first toy vehicle and the additional toy vehicles being constructed to receive the key and to operate in conjunction with the key to provide the individual address indicated by the received key.

26. A method as set forth in claim 24 wherein

each of the first elements constitutes a beam having male and female detents and each of the second elements constitutes a block having the female detents and wherein the male detents in the first elements releasably intercouple with the female detents in the second elements.

27. A method of providing a controlled operation of a toy vehicle, including the steps of:

providing for the toy vehicle an individual address,

providing for the toy vehicle characteristics for movement in a selective one of two opposite directions,

providing a structure for holding the toy vehicle for movement at each instant in a selective one of the first and second opposite directions,

providing a pad constructed to address the vehicle,

providing for an operation of the pad to produce, for transmission, first signals addressing the vehicle and second signals providing for a movement of the addressed vehicle in accordance with the characteristics of the second signals and the characteristics provided for the addressed vehicle and third signals for providing for an operation of the vehicle other than the movement of the vehicle, and

providing for the reception of the transmitted signals by the vehicle and for the movement of the addressed vehicle in accordance with the characteristics of the second signals and the characteristics provided for the addressed vehicle and providing for the operation of the vehicle, other than the movement of the vehicle, in accordance with the characteristics of the third signal.

28. A method as set forth in claim 27, including the steps of:

providing a key with ribs in an individual pattern indicating an individual address, and

providing for a disposition of the key in a socket in the toy vehicle to provide for the toy vehicle an address represented by the ribs in the key.

29. A method as set forth in claim 28 wherein

the vehicle is constructed to transfer play elements to and from the vehicle.

30. A method of providing a controlled operation of a toy vehicle, including the steps of:

providing an address for the first toy vehicle,

providing for the toy vehicle characteristics for movement in a selective one of two opposite directions,

providing a structure for holding the toy vehicle for movement at each instant in a selective one of the first and second opposite directions,

providing a key indicating an individual address,

the vehicle being constructed to receive the key and to operate in conjunction with the key to provide the individual address indicated by the key, and

providing for a disposition of the key in the vehicle to provide for the vehicle the address indicated by the key.

31. A method as set forth in claim 30, including the step of:

forming the structure from a plurality of the beams each having male and female detents intercoupled with a plurality of the blocks each having the female detents, the structure constituting a track and the vehicle constituting a monorail movable on the track.

32. A method as set forth in claim 31, including the steps of:

providing the vehicle with rotary members movable on the track,

the beams and the blocks having a pair of spaced side walls defining the width of the track, and

disposing guides in closely spaced relationship to the side walls of the beams and the blocks to maintain the vehicle on the track during the movement of the vehicle on the track.

33. A method as set forth in claim 32, wherein

the guides constitute rollers disposable against the side surfaces of the track and rotatable against the side surfaces of the track in accordance with the rotation of the rotary members on the track, the rollers being normally spaced from the side surfaces of the track.

34. A method as set forth in claim 32 wherein

the guides constitute rollers, and wherein

the additional vehicle is provided with rotary members movable on the track, and wherein

the beams and the blocks have a pair of spaced side walls defining the width of the track, and wherein

guides are disposed in closely spaced relationship to the side walls of the beams and the blocks to maintain the vehicle on the track during the movement of the vehicle on the track, and wherein

 

the guides are rollers movable in the same direction as the direction of movement of the vehicle on the track.