Mars unit lamp driver

• US 7,081,829 B2
• Filed: 12/04/2003
• Issued: 07/25/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 12/04/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Lionel LLC
• Original Assignee: Lionel LLC
• Inventors: Pierson, Martin D.
• Primary Examiner(s): TRIEU, VAN THANH
• Application Number:
  US10/729,089
• Publication Number:
  US 20040178736A1
• Time in Patent Office: 964 Days
• Field of Search: 340/815.4, 340/815.45, 340/815.47, 340/815.5, 340/815.53, 246/4, 246/167.R, 246/187.A, 404/33, 405/47, 426/91, 426/103, 426/104, 446/431
• US Class Current: 340/815.47
• CPC Class Codes: A63H 19/20 Illuminating arrangements

Abstract

An apparatus for a model toy train includes a circuit configured to supply an output signal to energize at least one stationary light to simulate a light having movement like a mars unit light display.

Claims

1. An apparatus for a model train operating on a model track to simulate movement of an oscillating light unit, comprising:

a lamp display having at least one stationary light;

a circuitry configured to energize the at least one stationary light and having a processor that comprises;

an input for receiving a first signal; and

an output for supplying a processor output signal that is indicative of the first signal; and

at least one lamp controller that is in electrical communication with the processor and the lamp display, and receives the processor output signal and converts the processor output signal into a controller output signal to energize the at least one stationary light intermittently to simulate the movement of the oscillating light unit without requiring actual movement of the lamp display.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the first signal comprises a serial communication signal.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first signal provides an instruction to the circuitry selected from the group consisting of:

turn on, turn off, and react to DC offset.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the circuitry output signal being provided as a pulse width modulation signal.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first signal is indicative of an operating condition of the model toy train car.

6. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the operating condition of the model train is selected from the group consisting of:

forward direction, reverse direction, speed, and neutral.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a connector having a first pin that is in electrical communication with the input of the processor to provide the first signal during operation of the model train.

8. The apparatus of claim 7, further comprising a user control box that is in electrical communication with the connector and converts an AC signal to supply a voltage signal to the model track and the connector, the connector having a second pin for transmitting the voltage signal to the circuitry.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the user control box converts the AC signal to supply a DC offset to the voltage signal in response to a user input.

10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the user control box includes a user input device selected from the group consisting of:

(a) a button on the control box for receiving user input, and (b) a remote control for receiving the user input and transmitting the input to the control box.

11. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein:

a serial communication signal is pre-programmed into the processor; and

the processor output signal is indicative of the serial communication signal.

12. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the controller output signal energizes the at least one stationary light intermittently with varying brightness.

13. The apparatus of claim 12, further comprising a fiber optic conductor having a base connected to the at least one stationary light and an end that emits light from the at least one stationary light with visibly varying brightness.

14. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the controller output signal sequentially energizes at least intermittently a first set of lights and a second set of lights to simulate light movement, wherein the first set includes one or more stationary lights and the second set includes one or more stationary lights.

15. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the controller output signal energizes at least one light with visibly varying brightness to simulate moving light.

16. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the second set includes at least one light adjacent the first set of lights.

17. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the second set further includes at least one light included in the first set.

18. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the controller output signal is sufficient to energize at least one of the lights in the first and second sets.

19. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein:

the lamp display includes a plurality of stationary lights each in electrical communication to receive the controller output signal; and

the controller output signal sequentially energizes the first set of stationary lights and the second set of stationary lights to simulate moving light.

20. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the stationary lights are fixedly mounted in a pattern selected from the group consisting of:

a circle configuration, and a figure-eight configuration.

21. The apparatus of claim 19, further comprising a fiber optic conductor corresponding to an individual light of the stationary lights, the fiber optic conductor having a base connected to the individual light and an end that visibly emits light with varying brightness to simulate moving light.