BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a segment of a racetrack of a slot track management system according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 2 is a top view of the racetrack segment as in FIG. 1;
FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a slot track management system according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 4 is an isolated view on an enlarged scale taken from FIG. 3;
FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing the logic performed by the processor according to the present invention; and
FIG. 6 is a block diagram illustrating the electronic components of the present invention.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
A slot track management system 100 for use with at least one racecar 10 according to the present invention will now be described in detail with reference to FIGS. 1 through 6 of the accompanying drawings. More particularly, a slot track management system 100 according to the current invention includes a track 110 having a plurality of slots 112 that form at least a part of a raceway 115 (FIG. 3).
As shown in FIG. 1, a metal strip 113 is adjacent each slot 112 for conveying electrical current to the racecars 10, and a starting line 116 is generally perpendicular to the slots 112. Various displays 120, audio devices 130, and input devices 140 may be integral with (FIG. 1) or separate from the track 110. As shown in FIG. 1, a start display 120a may correspond to each respective slot 112, and one or more information displays 120b may be included. The start displays 120a are shown as series of lights that are commonly referred to in the art as being in a “Christmas-tree configuration”.
At least one sensor 150 may be adjacent each slot 112 for detecting the presence of a racecar 10 at a particular location (i.e., a start and/or finish line) along the raceway 115. As shown in FIG. 4, at least two south-pole sensors 150 (also known as “Hall effect sensors”) may be adjacent each slot 112 for detecting the presence of a racecar along the raceway 115. Other sensors may alternately be used, however, including mechanical switches, Reed switches, and others.
A processor 160 (FIG. 6) may be in integral with or separate from the track 110, and the processor 160 may be in data communication with the start displays 120a, the information display(s) 120b, the audio device(s) 130, the input device(s) 140, and the sensors 150. The processor 160 may have programming for distinguishing between the at least one racecar 10 based on data from the sensors 150, which may be particularly useful if the raceway 115 includes an odd number of crossovers 115a (FIG. 3); an odd number of crossovers 115a allows racecars 10 to be in different slots 112 when crossing the start/finish line 116 for different laps. To distinguish between the at least one racecar 10, a first racecar 10a may have a magnetically-south side 11 and a magnetically-north side 12 and a second racecar 10b may have a magnetically-south side 11 and a magnetically-north side 12; the magnetically-south side 11 of the first racecar 10a may correspond to the magnetically-north side 12 of the second racecar 10b (FIG. 4). If south-pole sensors 150 are used as discussed above, the processor 160 may distinguish between the first and second racecars 10a, 10b by relating data from the sensors 150 to the respective magnetically-south sides 11 of the first and second racecars 10a, 10b. In other words, if sensors 150a or 150c detect a magnetically-south side 11, the processor 160 may determine that the second racecar 10b has passed the respective sensor 150; if sensors 150b or 150d detect a magnetically-south side 11, the processor 160 may determine that the first racecar 10a has passed the respective sensor 150.
The processor 160 may have programming for determining a start time, actuating the start displays 120a to display start information that includes the start time, determining if a racecar 10 crossed the starting line 116 before the start time, and actuating at least one of the displays 120 to display a false start signal if a racecar 10 crossed the starting line 116 before the start time. Data from the sensors 150 may be used to determine if a racecar 10 crossed the starting line 116 before the start time. The start time may be determined randomly, may follow a predictable pattern, or may be based on handicapping information and/or race length information. The handicapping information and/or the race length information may be provided to the processor 160 through the input device(s) 140. The race length information may include, for example, track distance data and a number of laps.
The processor 160 may have programming for calculating race performance information and actuating at least one information display 120b to display the race performance information. The processor 160 may actuate the audio device(s) 130 to audibly present the race performance information and/or other appropriate sounds (e.g., sounds that would be heard at a racetrack). Data from the sensors 150 may be used to calculate the race performance information. The race performance information may include, for example, a number of laps completed for each respective racecar 10, a number of laps remaining for each respective racecar 10, lap speed information for each respective racecar 10, and comparison data for each respective racecar 10. The comparison data may compare race performance information for racecars 10 currently racing, and/or the comparison data may compare race performance information for racecars 10 currently racing to racecars 10 that have previously raced. Race performance information for racecars 10 that have previously raced may be referred to as prior race performance information.
Some exemplary logic used by the processor 160 is shown in FIG. 5. Following the logic presented in FIG. 5 may allow the processor 160 to perform an audible countdown function comparing a current race performance to a prior race performance. At step S1, a user may choose a mode of operation, and the logic continues to step S2. At step S2, the processor 160 determines if prior race performance information exists. If not, the logic proceeds to step S3, where the processor starts a race (e.g., by determining the start time, actuating the start displays 120a to display the start information that includes the start time, determining if a racecar 10 crossed the starting line 116 before the start time, and actuating at least one of the displays 120 to display a false start signal if a racecar 10 crossed the starting line 116 before the start time). If prior race performance information does exist, the logic proceeds to step S4, where the processor starts a race in the same manner as described in reference to S3; the logic then continues to step S5. At step S5, the processor 160 calculates race performance information that includes comparison data comparing race performance information for racecars 10 currently racing to racecars 10 that have previously raced. At step S6, the processor 160 waits a predetermined amount of time before a predetermined event (e.g., the best race time in the prior race performance information). In other words, if the prior race performance information indicates that the race was previously finished in 60 seconds, the processor 160 may wait, for example, until 50 seconds have passed in the current race. The logic then proceeds to step S7. At step S7, the processor 160 actuates the audio device(s) 130 to present the race performance information (e.g., the final ten seconds that remain until the race was previously finished).
In use, the racecar(s) 10 may be coupled to the slots 112 as is known in the art. The user may provide the processor 160 with the handicapping information or the race length information to make competition more fair and/or enjoyable, and the processor 160 may determine the start information, actuate the start displays 120a, and check for false starts as described above. The processor 160 may calculate the race performance information using data from the sensors 150, and the processor 160 may actuate the information display(s) 120b and/or the audio device(s) 130 as described above.
It is understood that while certain forms of this invention have been illustrated and described, it is not limited thereto except insofar as such limitations are included in the following claims and allowable functional equivalents thereof.
Patent Application
20070293324
