Apparatus and methods for realistic control of DC hobby motors and lamps

A controller apparatus for a DC motor and a lamp having a filament electrically connected in parallel with the DC motor, comprising:

• a. means for generating a DC power signal, where the DC power signal energizes the DC motor;
• b. means for generating an AC power signal;
• c. means for so adding the AC power signal to the DC power signal that the AC and DC power signals energize the filament;
• and
• d. means for so modulating the AC power signal that the total mower supplied to the filament is substantially constant over time.

A method of providing power to a scale model locomotive having a DC motor, comprising the steps of:

• a. generating a DC power signal based on a speed signal, where the DC power signal energizes the DC motor;
• b. generating an actual speed signal indicative of a speed of the locomotive, where the actual speed signal is generated by measuring a back EMF signal generated by the DC motor;
• c. adjusting the speed signal based on the actual speed signal;
• and
• d. setting a desired speed signal based on a desired speed of the locomotive;
• wherein
• e. the step of adjusting the speed control signal comprises the steps of (i) determining a difference signal corresponding to a difference between the actual Speed signal and the desired speed signal, and (ii) adding the difference signal to the desired speed signal to generate the speed signal.

A controller apparatus for a scale model locomotive comprising:

• (a) a DC motor having an armature;
• (b) a lamp having a filament electrically connected in parallel with the armature of the DC motor;
• and (c) wheels electrically connected in parallel with the armature of the DC motor, where wheels of the locomotive ride on conductive tracks, the controller-apparatus comprising:
• a. throttle control means for setting an operator control signal corresponding to a desired speed of the locomotive;
• and
• b. logarithmic expansion means for so adjusting the operator control signal that an incremental increase in the operator control signal is more gradual at lower desired speeds than at higher desired speeds;
• c. power signal generating means for generating a DC power signal based on a drive control signal, where the power signal generating means are electrically connected to the tracks to control the DC motor;
• d. switching means for periodically turning off the power signal generating means to prevent the DC power signal from controlling the DC motor;
• e. speed determining means for generating an actual speed signal indicative of a speed of the locomotive, where the actual speed signal is generated from a back EMF signal measured across the armature of the DC motor during the period in which the DC power signal is prevented from controlling the DC motor;
• f. means for determining a difference signal corresponding to a difference between the actual speed signal and the operator control signal;
• g. means for adding the difference signal to the desired speed signal to generate the drive control signal;
• h. means for generating an AC power signal;
• i. means for adding the AC power signal to the DC power signal to create a track drive signal, where the AC component of the track drive signal energizes the filament;
• and
• j. means for so modulating the amplitude of the AC power signal based on the magnitude of the DC power signal that the total power supplied to the filament by the track drive signal is substantially constant over time.