Method and apparatus for automatic and semi-automatic control of track-guided toys and model vehicles

A system for control of track-guided toys, comprising:

• at least one memory component readable by non-contact, disposed in or at selected components of a track system, and that contains stored information specifying a type of associated structure and a unique individual identification code;
• at least one memory-reading device in a track-guided toy that comprises a data-transmission unit configured to communicate contents acquired while travelling over or reaching the at least one memory component;
• and
• a superordinate central control and memory unit configured to determine a position and velocity of the track-guided toy.

Method of controlling a toy with at least one track-guided toy configured to be driven along a roadway comprising:

• (a) assigning at least one identification-code carrier, which can be read by non-contact and includes an unmistakable identifier, to at least one of the toy components;
• (b) assigning at least one reading device for the identification-code carrier;
• (c) constructing a data-transmission unit between the reading device and an evaluation unit;
• (d) moving the track-guided toy along a roadway such that there is relative movement between the at least one reading device and the at least one identification-code carrier;
• (e) detecting the identifier in each identification-code carrier and transmitting the identifier to the evaluation unit;
• (f) correlating functions and type-specifying data with each individual identifier;
• (g) determining a momentary position of each of the toy components that are movable relative to one another, such that with reference to prescribed functions at least the movement of one toy component with respect to other toy components is monitored and influenced.

Method of determining a position of a track-guided toy and obtaining information about a course of a roadway, comprising:

• (a) assigning at least one identification-code carrier, which can be read by non-contact and includes an identifier of at least one of the toy components;
• (b) assigning at least one reading device for the identification-code carrier;
• (c) constructing a data-transmission means between the reading device and an evaluation unit;
• (d) moving the track-guided toy along a roadway such that there is relative movement between the at least one reading device and the at least one identification-code carrier;
• (e) detecting the identifier in each identification-code carrier and transmitting each identifier to the evaluation unit;
• (f) correlating functions and type-specifying data with each individual identifier;
• (g) producing or calculating a representation of the roadway that corresponds to at least one of the detected identifiers, the relative position of the track-guided toy;
• and
• (h) displaying at least the roadway representation and the relative position of the track-guided toy on an output device belonging to the evaluation unit.

A system for control of track-guided toys, comprising:

• at least one identification-code carrier that can be read by non-contact and is disposed on a toy component, such that the identifier in the identification-code carrier specifies a type of an associated toy component;
• at least one reading device in a toy component, which includes or is connected to a data-transmission unit configured to communicate contents detected while traveling over or reaching the identification-code carrier;
• and
• a superordinate central evaluation unit configured to determine at least one of a the position and a velocity of the track-guided toy relative to a roadway.

A system for electronically operated track-guided toys, comprising:

• at least one identification-code carrier configured to be read by non-contact means and disposed in roadway components with an exception of roadway components that are constructed for a straight direction of travel, such that an identifier in the identification-code carrier specifies a type of associated roadway component;
• at least one reading device for detecting the identifier in the identification-code carrier in the track-guided toy,
• at least one distance-measuring device in the track-guided toy;
• a data-transmission unit in the track-guided toy to communicate the detected identifiers and distance measurements;
• and
• a superordinate central evaluation unit configured to determine a position and velocity of the track-guided toy.