Software-driven motor and solenoid controller

Claim 2

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.

Claim 3

The model train motor and solenoid control apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the controller is a computer.

Claim 4

The model train motor and solenoid control apparatus of claim 2 , wherein a said computer is a programmable computer, further comprising a menued software program that controls one of said motor driver, said solenoid driver, and said power circuit.

Claim 5

The model train motor and solenoid control apparatus of claim 3 , wherein said menued software program being user-configurable during installation and operation.

Claim 6

The model train motor and solenoid control apparatus of claim 4 , wherein said user configurability further comprises a user-adjustable solenoid pulse duration.

Claim 7

The model train motor and solenoid control apparatus of claim 3 , wherein said menued software program further comprises a parallel to serial conversion algorithm that drives an 8-bit databyte through a single dataline.

Claim 8

The model train motor and solenoid control apparatus of claim 3 , wherein said menued software program allows the storage and retrieval of pre-set data configuration files.

Claim 9

The model train motor and solenoid control apparatus of claim 7 , wherein said data configuration files enable the setting up and running of simulations of actual railroads.

Claim 10

The model train motor and solenoid control apparatus of claim 2 , wherein each of said motor driver circuit connection and said solenoid driver circuit connection are through a parallel port of said computer.

Claim 11

The model train motor and solenoid control apparatus of claim 9 , wherein said menued software program stores data existing at registers of said port at the time said menued software program is initialized, and can restore said port register data at the time said menued software program is exited, thereby enabling said port to be re-used by other processes.

Claim 12

The model train motor and solenoid control apparatus of claim 2 , wherein each of said motor driver circuit connection and said solenoid driver circuit connection are through one of a joystick port, a game port, a MIDI port, and a music port of said computer.

Claim 13

The model train motor and solenoid control apparatus of claim 11 , wherein said menued software program stores data existing at registers of said port at the time said menued software program is initialized, and can restore said port register data at the time said menued software program is exited, thereby enabling said port to be used by other processes.

Claim 14

The model train motor and solenoid control apparatus of claim 1 , wherein said power circuit further comprises a stabilizer circuit.

Claim 15

The model train motor and solenoid control apparatus of claim 13 , wherein said power circuit further comprises a transformer circuit.

Claim 16

The model train motor and solenoid control apparatus of claim 1 , wherein said motor driver circuit has pulse capability.

Claim 17

The model train motor and solenoid control apparatus of claim 1 , wherein said power circuit protects said motor drivers, said solenoid drivers, and said controller from transients and overvoltages.

Claim 18

The model train motor and solenoid control apparatus of claim 3 , wherein said menued software program permits the user to enable and disable selected portions of said motor and solenoid layout through a user-designated selection portion in coordination with a menued graphical user interface.

Claim 19

The model train motor and solenoid control apparatus of claim 3 , wherein said menued software program permits the user to zoom-view selected portions of said motor and solenoid layout through a user-designated selection portion in coordination with a menued user interface.

Claim 20

The model train motor and solenoid control apparatus of claim 3 , wherein said menued software program permits the user to edit either an entire motor and track turnout profile, a motor profile only, or a track turnout profile only.

Claim 21

The model train motor and solenoid control apparatus of claim 1 , wherein said visual user interface is further configurable so that a visual layout arrangement represented therein can include color coding and graphical representation of accessories and other user-specific layout details.

Claim 24

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.

Claim 25

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.

Claim 26

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.

Claim 27

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.

Claim 28

The menued software program of claim 23 , wherein said controller is a computer.

Claim 29

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.

Claim 30

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.

Claim 31

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.

Claim 32

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.

Claim 33

The model train motor and solenoid control apparatus of claim 20 , wherein said visual layout arrangement represented therein includes slider bars to represent' speed of said train, radio buttons to represent direction of said train, and radio buttons to represent direction of said turnouts.