Software-driven motor and solenoid controller
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A software module for visually controlling a model train motor and solenoid apparatus, comprising:
- a motor that moves the model train on a track, said track having track turnouts;
a solenoid that controls the track turnouts;
a motor circuit that connects the train motor to a controller;
a solenoid circuit that connects the track turnout solenoid to the controller;
a power circuit for delivering power to said motor and said solenoids;
said software module being located on a computer and further comprising;
a motor module for controlling said motor circuit;
a solenoid module for controlling said solenoid to the controller; and
a menued visual interface that controls said motor and solenoid modules and said power circuit;
wherein said motor and solenoid modules are precompiled into classes;
said menued visual interface are separately customized and compiled by the user; and
said menued visual interface interfacing with said motor and solenoid modules by exercising inheritance.
0 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An apparatus and method for controlling electrical devices such as electric trains using a computer is disclosed. The invention utilizes standard ports that appear on most computers, and works with standard well-known widely commercially available train sets. The invention has customized software and circuitry for managing the speed and direction of one or more motors, and also for controlling the configuration of track turnouts. The invention can also be configured and updated by the user to fit the characteristics of a user'"'"'s specific layout.
29 Citations
29 Claims
-
1. A software module for visually controlling a model train motor and solenoid apparatus, comprising:
-
a motor that moves the model train on a track, said track having track turnouts;
a solenoid that controls the track turnouts;
a motor circuit that connects the train motor to a controller;
a solenoid circuit that connects the track turnout solenoid to the controller;
a power circuit for delivering power to said motor and said solenoids;
said software module being located on a computer and further comprising;
a motor module for controlling said motor circuit;
a solenoid module for controlling said solenoid to the controller; and
a menued visual interface that controls said motor and solenoid modules and said power circuit;
whereinsaid motor and solenoid modules are precompiled into classes;
said menued visual interface are separately customized and compiled by the user; and
said menued visual interface interfacing with said motor and solenoid modules by exercising inheritance. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
said menued visual interface permits the user to enable and disable selected portions of said motor and solenoid layout through a user-designated selection icon. -
16. The software module of claim 1, wherein said menued visual interface permits the user to zoom-view selected portions of said motor and solenoid layout through a user-designated selection icon.
-
17. The software module of claim 1, wherein said menued visual interface permits the user to edit either an entire motor and track turnout profile, a motor profile only, or a track turnout profile only.
-
18. The software module of claim 1, wherein said menued visual interface is further configurable so that a visual layout arrangement represented therein can include color coding and graphical representation of accessories and other user-specific layout details.
-
19. The software module of claim 1, wherein said solenoid module interfaces with said solenoid circuit through D-type output buffers, which are repeatedly cleared at the end of every solenoid access.
-
20. The software module of claim 1, further comprising:
said menued visual interface being implemented through a browser.
-
21. The software module of claim 2, further comprising:
said solenoid module using only the data and control registers of said I/O port to drive an individual solenoid.
-
22. The software module of claim 21, further comprising:
said motor module using the data, control, and status registers of said I/O port, where said status register is used specifically for addressing specific devices.
-
-
23. The software module of 22, claim further comprising:
said motor and solenoid modules being separated from individual motors and solenoids by tri-state buffers which are enabled by a decoder.
-
24. A method of operating a software module for visually controlling a model train motor and solenoid apparatus, comprising:
-
visually presenting a menued interface to a user;
coordinating said user input with said software module through said visual menued interface;
controlling a motor circuit through a motor module responsive to said user input;
controlling a solenoid through a solenoid module responsive to said user input;
selecting a particular solenoid to be activated;
storing the address of said solenoid;
determining whether the user has selected a solenoid duration;
either storing that duration or using a default duration;
driving a data line either low or high depending on each bit of said solenoid address;
disabling a mask pin of the solenoid belonging to said address;
enabling an activate-solenoid line;
periodically checking said duration against an internal operating system clock;
thendisabling said activate-solenoid line; and
enabling said mask pin. - View Dependent Claims (25, 26, 27, 28, 29)
precompiling said motor and solenoid modules into classes;
separately customizing and compiling said menued visual interface; and
interfacing said menued visual interface with said motor and solenoid modules by exercising inheritance.
-
-
26. The software method of claim 24, further comprising:
said motor and solenoid modules communicating with motor and solenoid circuits though a standard PC port of a computer.
-
27. The software method of claim 26, further comprising:
said motor and solenoid modules requesting the use of said PC port from an operating system resident on said computer.
-
28. The software method of claim 26, further comprising:
said motor and solenoid modules directly addressing said PC port.
-
29. The software method of claim 26, further comprising:
said motor and solenoid modules restoring the data, control, and status registers of said PC port to their initial state.
Specification