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 Robotics / RCX / 2117
2116  |  2118
Subject: 
Re: DCC for the RCX
Newsgroups: 
lugnet.robotics.rcx, lugnet.trains
Date: 
Mon, 9 Jun 2003 19:34:17 GMT
Viewed: 
5318 times
  
In lugnet.robotics.rcx, Mark Riley wrote:
   In lugnet.robotics.rcx, Chris Phillips wrote:
   Another possibility would be to allow an input to be configured for a train sensor (Touch Sensor or perhaps Light Sensor input type) which would stop one of the trains for a short time when it reaches the sensor. This would enable people to easily simulate a passenger stop by placing a train sensor at each station all wired in parallel to the same input on the RCX.

I remember reading a thread about determining what train just passed a sensor, so that it could be conditionally routed off the main line. I think something like that would be necessary so you could issue commands to the correct loco to stop. Maybe a simple barcode on the bottom of the train motor could be read by a light sensor as the train goes by? I know something like this was tried in the real world and failed because grime buildup prevented the codes from being read properly, but (hopefully) that’s not a problem with Lego trains!

One way is to mount one or more magnets on the underside of the train with their N-S pole oriented across the width of the train (to differentiate it from the couplers of just any old train) and then sense these specially-marked train cars with a reed switch sensor that is also oriented across the railbed.

  
   I am actually wondering now what it would take to write a program that would send IR Remote commands to the RCX to automatically start and stop trains under PC control. I am currently working on a train automation program that I could definitely add LDCC support to. Hmmm...

Yes, hmmm... :-) While I was developing LDCC and there was no user interface on the RCX, I would issue commands from the IR tower using a command line program. I used this mostly to test the various decoder programming methods. It would be nice to expand this so direct control of each loco was possible. You could do it now, but it would be a bit clumsy since you would need to simulate button presses for specific periods of time to get the loco up to the proper speed. Ideally, you would just send one packet with loco #, speed and direction information. Anyways, that would be great if you added support for LDCC in your program! Can’t wait to see what you come up with.

You read my mind! As of this morning, I am working on a new Windows program that will provide on-screen throttle controls for nine locomotives. I realized as I was composing my earlier message that LDCC as it stands today can be controlled by a PC. It is slightly awkward (and error prone) to use the existing IR remote protocol for this, but completely do-able. The computer should be able to address the different banks of trains at least as easily as I can fumble with the buttons on the remote.

It is not currently possible for the PC to know whether the train is actually doing what it is being told to do, so it might be nice to someday have some sort of direct, two-way IR protocol for controlling one or more LDCC RCXes from a PC. Taken to its extreme, this could allow locomotive setups to be edited on the computer.

But there is actually quite a bit that can be accomplished with what you already have done, so I will start there. I will let you know when I have a working prototype of this program, code name: Full Throttle!!!

-Chris.



Message is in Reply To:
  Re: DCC for the RCX
 
(...) LDCC (...) to the (...) to (...) this (...) of (...) index (...) I (...) the (...) Great, Chris, I'm glad it's working for you - and with another brand of decoder, yet! (...) worked (...) mode and (...) parameters. (...) of (...) meanings (...) (21 years ago, 9-Jun-03, to lugnet.robotics.rcx, lugnet.trains)

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