Computer controlled car racing game

A method of operating a car racing game including a plurality of race cars each selectively controllable by a player through a control station, the race cars being movable along a continuous race track, the method comprising the steps of:

• providing a computer controller operable to generate either a player control command or a computer control command to each of the race cars to control the operation of the race car;
• determining the number of active players for a race, wherein each active player controls the operation of one of the cars through one of the control stations;
• determining the number of computer controlled race cars for the race, wherein the computer controlled race cars include all of the race cars that are not player controlled;
• upon the beginning of the race, relaying the player control commands to each of the active race cars based upon player input from the control station associated with the race car;
• generating a car directional beam along the direction of race car travel as each race car travels along the race track;
• positioning a plurality of lane sensors along an outer boundary of the race track, each lane sensor being coupled to the computer controller;
• detecting the car directional beam from each race car at least one of the lane sensors;
• determining the position of the race car based upon which lane sensor detects the car directional beam;
• and
• relaying computer generated computer control commands to the computer controlled race cars based upon the detected position of the race car from the lane sensors to cause the computer controlled race cars to move along the race track such that all of the race cars move along the race track during a race.

A car racing game for use by a number of players to simulate a race, the game comprising:

• a plurality of self-propelled race cars each selectively controllable by one of the players;
• a plurality of control stations each associated with one of the race cars, each station including a steering wheel and a throttle for allowing one of the players to actively control the movement of one of the plurality of race cars during the race;
• a continuous race track;
• a computer controller coupled to each of the control stations and operable to relay player control commands to each of the race cars being actively controlled by the players during the race, the player control commands being based on the position of the steering wheel and the throttle as controlled by one of the players at one of the control stations such that the players can actively control the race car associated with the control station;
• a plurality of inner directional LEDs spaced along an inner boundary of the race track, each inner directional LED being operable by the computer controller to generate a reference beam;
• and
• a front directional sensor, a back directional sensor, a left directional sensor and a right directional sensor positioned on each race car, each directional sensor being operable to selectively receive the reference beams from the inner directional LEDs depending on the orientation of the race car relative to the reference beams, wherein the response signal from each of the race cars reports which of the directional sensors of the race car detects the reference beam such that the computer controller can determine the orientation of the race car,
• wherein the computer controller is operable to automatically generate computer control commands to control the movement of the race cars not being actively controlled by one of the players to direct the race cars not being actively controlled by one of the players along the race track such that all of the plurality of race cars are active during each race.

A method of operating a car racing game including a plurality of race cars each selectively controllable by a player through a control station, the race cars being movable along a continuous race track, the method comprising the steps of:

• providing a computer controller operable to generate either a player control command or a computer control command to each of the race cars to control the operation of the race car;
• determining the number of active players for a race, wherein each active player controls the operation of one of the cars through one of the control stations;
• determining the number of computer controlled race cars for the race, wherein the computer controlled race cars include all of the race cars that are not player controlled;
• upon the beginning of the race, relaying the player control commands to each of the active race cars based upon player input from the control station associated with the race car;
• and
• relaying computer generated computer control commands to the computer controlled race cars to cause the computer controlled race cars to move along the race track such that all of the race cars move along the race track during a race;
• generating a plurality of reference beams along an inner boundary of the race track;
• positioning a plurality of directional sensors on each race car, wherein each directional sensor is operable to detect the reference beams generated along the inner boundary of the race path;
• and
• including the number of directional sensors that detect the reference beams in the response signal from the race car such that the computer controller can determine the direction of operation of the race car on the race track.