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US 6,445,150 B1Granted
Software-driven motor and solenoid controller
OwnerChristopher Mark Tanner, Todd M. Halvorsoninventors
Life of this patent
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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.
Claims27
A model train motor and solenoid control apparatus, comprising:
- a motor that moves the model train on a plurality of track sections, said track sections having track turnouts;
- a solenoid that controls the track turnouts;
- a motor driver circuit that connects the train motor to a controller;
- a solenoid driver circuit that connects the track turnout solenoid to said controller;
- and
- a power circuit for delivering power to said motor through said track sections and said solenoids wherein said controller can be configured to allow a user to enter any one of motor speed, motor direction, and track configuration through a visual user interface;
- wherein said visual user interface maintains a visual representation of the operating status of said motors and track sections, said track turnouts, and said motor directions, and is configurable to visually correspond to the physical organization of said track sections within a track layout and how said track sections, turnouts, and motor directions are physically positioned with respect to each other,
- wherein said visual user interface simultaneously represents the entire overall track layout and exactly corresponds to the physical layout of said track sections, turnouts, and motor directions;
- and further wherein a user can view said physical track layout and immediately correlate specific track sections within said physical track layout to portions of said visual user interface, and wherein a user can also view said visual user interface and immediately correlate said interface to specific track sections within said overall track layout.
6 more elements
A method for controlling a plurality of model train motors and track turnouts using a controller, comprising:
- loading a menued software program on the controller;
- connecting said motors and track turnouts to a port of said controller through a motor interface circuit, a track turnout interface circuit, and a power interface circuit;
- using said menued software program to configure said port and interface circuits;
- operating said motor interface circuit, said track turnout interface circuit, and said power interface circuit connected to said port;
- configuring said controller to allow a user to enter any one of motor speed, motor direction, and track configuration through a visual user interface;
- wherein said visual user interface maintains a visual representation of the operating status of said motors, said track turnouts, and said motor directions, and is configurable to visually correspond to the physical organization of a plurality of track sections within a track layout and how said track scions, turnouts, and motor directions are physically positioned With respect to each other,
- wherein said visual user interface simultaneously represents the entire overall track layout and exactly corresponds to the physical layout of said track sections, turnouts, and motor directions;
- and further wherein a user could View said physical track layout and immediately correlate specific track sections within said physical track layout to portions of said visual user interface, and wherein a user could also view said visual user interface and immediately correlate said interface to specific track sections within said overall track layout.
5 more elements
A model train motor and solenoid control apparatus, comprising:
- a controller means having a menued software program loaded therein;
- motor driver means for connecting a plurality of said motors to said controller means;
- solenoid driver means for connecting a plurality of said solenoids to said controller means;
- power supplying means for delivering power to said motor driving means and said solenoid driver means;
- wherein said motor driver means, solenoid driver means, and power supplying means are responsive to said menued software program for which is operated by a user through a visual user interface;
- wherein said visual user interface maintains a visual representation of the operating status of said motors, said track turnouts, and said motor directions, and is configurable to visually correspond to the physical organization of a plurality of track sections within a track layout and how said track sections, turnouts, and motor directions are physically positioned with respect to each other,
- wherein said visual user interface simultaneously represents the entire overall track layout and exactly corresponds to the physical layout of said track sections, turnouts, and motor directions;
- and further wherein a user could view said physical track layout and immediately correlate specific track sections within said physical track layout to portions of said visual user interface, and wherein a user could also view said visual user interface and immediately correlate said interface to specific track sections within said overall track layout.
5 more elements
A menued software program for controlling a model train motor and solenoid, comprising:
- a controllable motor that moves the model train;
- a controllable solenoid that controls track turnouts;
- a motor driver circuit that connects the train motor to a controller;
- a solenoid driver circuit that connects the track turnout solenoid to a controller,
- a power circuit for delivering power to said motors and solenoids;
- wherein
- said menued software program is stored in a memory in a controller, and said controller can be configured to allow a user to enter any one of motor speed, motor direction, and track configuration through a visual user interface which corresponds to the physical organization of a plurality of track sections within a track layout and how said track sections, turnouts, and motor directions are physically positioned with respect to each other,
- wherein said visual user interface simultaneously represents the entire overall track layout and exactly corresponds to the physical layout of said track sections, turnouts and motor directions;
- and further wherein a user could view said physical track layout and immediately correlate specific track sections within said physical track layout to portions of said visual user interface, and wherein a user could also view said visual user interface and immediately correlate said interface to specific track sections within said overall track layout.
6 more elements
A model train motor and solenoid control 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 driver circuit that connects the train motor to a controller;
- a solenoid driver circuit that connects the track turnout solenoid to the controller;
- and
- a power circuit for delivering power to said motor and said solenoids,
- said controller being configurable to allow a user to enter any one of motor speed, motor direction, track configuration, and user adjustable solenoid pulse duration through a visual user interface which corresponds to the physical organization of a plurality of track sections within a track layout and how said track cdtions, turnouts, and motor directions are physically positioned with respect to each other,
- wherein said visual user interface simultaneously represents the entire overall track layout and exactly corresponds to the physical layout of said track sections, turnouts, and motor directions;
- and further wherein a user could view said physical track layout and immediately correlate specific track sections within said physical track layout to portions of said visual user interface, and wherein a user could also view said visual user interface and immediately correlate said interface to specific track sections within said overall track layout.
6 more elements
A model train motor and solenoid control 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 driver circuit that connects the train motor to a controller;
- a solenoid driver circuit that connects the track turnout solenoid to the controller;
- and
- a power circuit for delivering power to said motor and said solenoids,
- wherein said controller is a programmable computer further comprising a menued software program that controls one of said motor driver, said solenoid driver, and said power circuit,
- said controller being configurable to allow a user to enter any one of motor speed, motor direction, and track configuration through a graphical user interface;
- and
- said menued software program maintains a visual representation of the operating status of said motors, said track turnouts, and said motor directions which corresponds to the physical organization of a plurality of track sections within a track layout and how said track sections, turnouts, and motor directions are physically positioned with respect to each other,
- wherein said visual user interface simultaneously represents the entire overall track layout and exactly corresponds to the physical layout of said track sections, turnouts, and motor directions;
- and further wherein a user could view said physical track layout and immediately correlate specific track sections within said physical track layout to portions of said visual user interface, and wherein a user could also view said visual user interface and immediately correlate said interface to specific track sections within said overall track layout.
9 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.