Michael P Reagan

US Patent:

6616505, Sep 9, 2003

Filed:

Sep 3, 1999

Appl. No.:

09/389255

Inventors:

Michael P. Reagan - Boardman OH 44512
Louis H. Niederlander - Richfield OH

Assignee:

Michael P. Reagan - Boardman OH

International Classification:

A63H 1902

US Classification:

446467, 446454

Abstract:

The present invention is a model train sound board interface for making model trains compatible with the LIONEL TRAINMASTERÂ Command Control system. The model train sound board interface is comprised of circuitry which interprets serial digital data received from the LIONEL TRAINMASTER Command Control transmitter to determine what command the user is sending to the model train engine. Once the command is interpreted the circuitry provides the appropriate output signal to carry out the command. The circuitry of the preferred embodiment includes a microprocessor for interpreting serial data from the LIONEL TRAINMASTER Receiver, negative 5 and approximately negative 9 volt power supplies for providing consistent and filtered power to external sound boards, an H-bridge triac motor driver optically coupled to the microprocessor and DC offset circuitry made up of variable voltage regulators, again optically coupled to the microprocessor. The DC offset circuitry provides positive and negative DC offsets required by many popular aftermarket sound boards for model trains which provide life-like sound effects.