Self-guided race car kit and race track
AssigneeRobomotive Laboratories LLC
InventorBrett J. Pipitone
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An unpowered downhill autonomous car kit is provided for a user to build. The kit includes a control circuit board, a servo, and a roadway detection sensor. The control circuit board is programmed by a user to interpret patterns marked on a race course that are detected by the roadway detection sensor, and then the control circuit board instructs the servo to steer the car based on the detected roadway patterns. The challenge is for the user to program the car kit in a manner such that during a race, the car will avoid vertical barriers on the race course by correctly interpreting the patterns viewed by the roadway detection sensor. The roadway patterns are intentionally not consistent as the car moves from one roadway segment to the next, so as to increase the technical challenge.
Claims22
A race car kit comprising:
- a chassis, at least one steerable wheel, a processing circuit, a memory circuit including instructions executable by said processing circuit, an input/output interface circuit, an output actuator for controlling said at least one steerable wheel, and at least one roadway detection sensor;
- wherein:
- (a) said processing circuit is configured to execute the instructions stored in said memory circuit, and said instructions stored in the memory circuit involve a level of programming difficulty from at least two possible levels of programming difficulty, such that a first algorithm is provided for a first level of programming difficulty and a second algorithm is provided for a second level of programming difficulty;
- (b) said first algorithm stored in the memory circuit is used for controlling said output actuator, based on input data received from a first type of said at least one roadway detection sensor;
- and
- (c) said second algorithm stored in the memory circuit is used for controlling said output actuator, based on input data received from a second type of said at least one roadway detection sensor.
A race car kit comprising:
- a chassis, at least one steerable wheel, a processing circuit, a memory circuit including instructions executable by said processing circuit, an input/output interface circuit which includes a communications interface circuit, an output actuator for controlling said at least one steerable wheel, and at least one roadway detection sensor;
- wherein:
- (a) said processing circuit is configured to execute the instructions stored in said memory circuit;
- and
- (b) said instructions stored in the memory circuit include at least one of:
- (i) a first algorithm for controlling said output actuator involving a first level of programming difficulty, such that:
- (A) at least one predetermined type of input parameter is provided by a user by use of said communications interface circuit, and stored in said memory circuit;
- and
- (B) said first algorithm controls the acquisition of sensor data and, using said at least one user-provided input parameter, controls said output actuator;
- and
- (ii) a second algorithm for controlling said output actuator involving a second, more difficult level of programming difficulty, such that:
- (A) said second algorithm is provided by a user by use of said communications interface circuit, and stored in said memory circuit;
- and
- (B) said second algorithm controls the acquisition of sensor data and, by itself, controls said output actuator.
-65. (canceled)
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.