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In lugnet.robotics.rcx, Mark Riley wrote:
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In lugnet.robotics.rcx, Chris Phillips wrote:
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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.
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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!
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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.
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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...
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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.
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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.
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Message is in Reply To:
 | | Re: DCC for the RCX
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| (...) 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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