Other

Qs Industries, Inc.

Frederick E Severson

Patrick A Quinn

Pat Quinn

Patrick Allen Quinn

A model train and layout control system based on on-board sound and locomotive modules, new signaling methods, bi-directional communication, environmental sound, turnout control, train location methods, computer interaction and accessory control, by adding components to existing technology. AC power signal waveforms are variously altered to convey digital command words.

Signaling and remote control train operation

Remote objects, which may include cars and locomotives, rolling stock and or fixed objects in a model railroad layout, convey sound and/or other digital information to a Sound and Control Centers, Local Sound and Control Units and or walk-around throttles to produce sound and operations that enhances the model train experience. Preferably, remote objects may communicate with the sound and control center by wireless means, and over separate communication channels. Sound information and related data from the separate channels can be processed, combined, enhanced or used to fetch additional sounds from memory, in order to drive at least one speaker that is separate from the remote objects. The speaker(s) may be especially advantageous to produce or enhance low frequency audio sounds coordinated with activity at the remote object(s).

Low frequency audio sound effects in model railroading

On-board model railroad speaker enclosure designs are presented that allow maximum sized speakers, improve impedance matching of sound to the outside of the locomotive, and isolate back and front speaker waves while maintaining the standard horizontal drive-train in model train locomotives.

Sound systems for model railroad locomotives

On-board model railroad speaker enclosure designs are presented that isolate back and front speaker waves. In one example, a first speaker may be disposed inside of a model steam locomotive tender, and a second speaker disposed inside of the model steam locomotive. Bass sounds and mid-range sounds may be separately directed to the first and second speakers, and isolated from mixing with one another.

Electronic circuits and methods are provided for remote control of a locomotive in a model railroad layout having an interruptible DC power supply coupled to the railroad track. The locomotive motor is isolated from the track so as to allow use of polarity reversals on the track power signal for controlling remote effects in the locomotive such as sound effects. An on-board electronic state generator is provided in the locomotive for maintaining one at a time of a predetermined set of states, at least one of the states having a corresponding remote effect associated therewith. Remote control signals such as a reverse in polarity of the DC track power signal are used to clock the state generator to a desired state, thereby permitting control of a plurality of remote effects using only the traditional DC power supply interface. The locomotive motor is controlled by a motor reverse unit so that the motor direction is controllable independently of the polarity of the DC power signal applied to the track. Accordingly, both motor direction and remote effects are controllable using only the throttle and polarity reversal switch which are available in known DC model railroad power supplies.

Signaling techniques for DC track powered model railroads

A model railroad remote object comprises a proximity detector, an on-board accessory, and an on-board processor. The proximity detector changes state based on proximity of the detector to a proximity source. The accessory, which is located on or within the remote object, exhibits a behavior based on a parameter. The processor, which is operatively connected to the proximity detector and the accessory, affects the value of the parameter of the accessory based on the state of the proximity detector. By way of illustration and not limitation, the on-board accessory may be an audio device, the behavior may be emission of sound, and the parameter may be sound volume.

Proximity control of on-board processor-based model train sound and control system

Non-looped continuous sound made up of random sequencing of digital sound segments is generated by taking several short segments of an otherwise continuous sound and forming independent records of those short segments. The stored segments are re-assembled into a sound sequence of arbitrary length based on selecting the next sound segment according to some statistical algorithm. The selected algorithm may be simply a random or pseudo-random selection, or it may provide a probability weighting to emphasize some sound records over others, or some combination of factors also affected by external stimuli such as light, heat or operator input. Apparatus for generating random sequenced digital sound are disclosed. Another aspect of the invention is logical sequence sound in which the selection of sound segments proceeds according to a logical sequence which is programmable.

Continuous sound by concatenating selected digital sound segments

An electronic control system for model railroads incorporates a motor control unit, an electronic state generator that generates particular operating state signals responsive to multiple reset conditions. A first reset condition initiates sequencing of motor control states and a second super reset condition independently controls system initialization conditions increasing the overall number and accessibility of controller generated operating states.

Method and apparatus for storing and utilizing a unique power down state

Electronic circuits and methods are disclosed for remote control of a locomotive in a model railroad layout having an interruptible DC power supply coupled to the railroad track. The locomotive motor is isolated from the track so as to allow use of polarity reversals on the track power signal for controlling remote effects in the locomotive such as sound and visual effects. An on-board electronic state generator is provided in the locomotive for maintaining one at a time of a predetermined set of states, at least one of the states having a corresponding remote effect associated therewith. Remote control signals such as a pulsed reversal in polarity of the DC track power signal (PRP) or high voltage pulse (HVP) are used to clock the state generator to a desired state, thereby permitting control of a plurality of remote effects using only the traditional DC power supply interface. Further remote effects can be controlled by using the amount of DC voltage superimposed over the AC track signed to indicate, for instance, a desired pitch for the train horn. Alternately, the length in time at which a remote signal is applied to the track can itself serve as coded instructions to an on-board remote control selection memory.

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Beaverton, OR, United States of America

Frederick E Severson