SE542792C2 - Remote controllable toy vehicle - Google Patents

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to a remote controlled toy vehicle system (1) which is switchable between different modes of operation. The system comprises a remote control (2) and a vehicle (3), where the vehicle is configured to be driven on a surface (5) and comprising driving means controllable by a processor (33) to control speed and direction of the vehicle. In a first mode of the system, the vehicle is manually controllable in speed and direction by the remote control. The vehicle is further, in a second mode of the system, configured to, by the processor, automatically control speed and direction following a path (4) provided in or on the surface, and wherein the system is switchable between the first mode and the second mode. The system provides more flexibility for the user as the user can switch between the modes at any time during operation without having to stop, move, or restart the vehicle.

Description

REMOTE CONTROLLABLE TOY VEHICLE Technical Field The present disclosure relates to a remote controlled toy vehicle, and especially to a remote controlled toy vehicle system switchable between different modes.

Background In the field of remote controlled toy vehicles, a common way to navigate the toy vehicle is by following a path where the toy is configured to follow the path electrically, optically or magnetically. Prior art solutions such as disclosed in US6783425, provide a guidance system where the intensity of a field radiated define a track for operation of the vehicle. The vehicle can be controlled automatically or by remote control by a user. A particular problem with these types of toy vehicles is the inflexibility of the navigation systems in adjusting to different modes of operation. Hence, there is a need of improved flexibility in the navigation systems of magnetically, optically, or electrically operated toy vehicles.

Summary It is an object of the present invention to provide an improved solution that alleviates the mentioned drawbacks with present devices. Furthermore, it is an object to provide a more flexible system of navigation, allowing the operator to switch between different modes of operation.

The invention is defined by the appended independent claims, with embodiments being set forth in the appended dependent claims, in the following description and in the drawings.

According to a first aspect of the invention, there is provided a remote controllable toy vehicle system comprising a remote control and a vehicle. The vehicle being configured to be driven on a surface and comprising driving means controllable by a processor to control speed and direction of the vehicle. In a first mode of the system, the vehicle is manually controllable in speed and direction by the remote control. The vehicle is further, in a second mode of the system, configured to, by the processor, automatically control speed and direction following a path provided in or on the surface, and wherein the system is switchable between the first mode and the second mode.

The first mode of the system may provide for manual control with respect to both speed and direction of the vehicle along a path on the driving surface while the second mode may provide for automatic control along a path on the driving surface with respect to both speed and direction. With this arrangement, the remote controllable system provides more flexibility for the user as the user can switch between the automatically controlled operational mode and the user controlled operational mode at any time during operation without having to stop, move, or restart the vehicle. In the automatic mode, parameters such as vehicle type, size, year of manufacture, or other parameters may determine the vehicle’s choice of direction when approaching for example an intersection. The direction may also be chosen randomly. The vehicle may be configured to electrically, magnetically, or optically follow the path.

According to another embodiment, the vehicle, in a third mode of the system, may be semi-automatically controllable in that the vehicle is configured to, by the processor, automatically control the direction following the path provided on the surface, wherein the speed of the vehicle along the path is controllable by the remote control. The system may be switchable between the first mode, the second mode, and the third mode of the system.

By semi-automatic it may be meant that the remote control controls the speed of the vehicle, but the vehicle automatically follows the path. At a crossing of the path, wherein two or more options in direction is provided by the path, a selection of direction may be made by the remote control. The third mode may thus provide the user with the option of controlling the speed and controlling the direction at intersections while the vehicle in all other ways automatically follows the path of navigation.

According to another embodiment, in a third mode of the system, the processor may be configured to automatically control the direction of the vehicle following the path until an intersection is reached in the path, and wherein the direction of the vehicle in the intersection may be manually controllable by the remote control.

The speed of the vehicle may thus be manually controlled at all instances while the direction is automatically controlled with the exception of when the vehicle approaches an intersection where the user may decide on the route of the vehicle, i e the direction at intersections may thus be manually controlled.

In another embodiment, the vehicle further, in a third mode of the system, may be semi-automatically controllable in that the vehicle is configured to, by the processor, automatically control speed and direction following the path, but at an intersection of the path, the direction of the vehicle in the intersection may be manually controllable by the remote control.

The vehicle may thus be automatically controlled in all aspects but that the user may decide on the route of the vehicle at the intersections. The third mode of the system may hence provide a semi-automatic control of the vehicle which either provide manual control of speed and automatic control of direction except at intersections, or provide automatic control of both speed and direction except at intersections.

In a further embodiment, the vehicle may be configured to, when the system is in the second mode and/or in the third mode, automatically control direction following a magnetic path in or on the surface.

A magnetic path may be provided on the surface by means of a magnetic band, tape, or strip adhered to the surface, or a painted path of magnetized magnetic paint. The magnetic path may be provided to the surface such that it is not visible on the surface. The magnetic path may be provided below a visible cover layer of the surface. The magnetic path may generate a magnetic field.

In yet another embodiment, the vehicle may comprise at least one sensor configured to detect the magnetic field generated by the magnetic path and to provide an input signal to the processor. The processor may be configured to use the input signal to control the direction of the vehicle to follow the path.

The at least one sensor may continuously detect the presence of the magnetic path by detecting the magnetic field. If the level of detected magnetic field changes, the input signal to the processor may be changed. The processor may then determine how to control the driving means in order to change direction to follow the path. A threshold value of the detected magnetic field may be set, providing the processor to change the direction of the vehicle when the detected magnetic field is below said threshold.

In a further embodiment, at least one sensor may be a hall sensor. A hall sensor may provide a reliable, simple, and effective way of detecting the path. The magnetic path may provide a constant magnetic field. The hall sensor may detect a constant magnetic field at a fixed distance from the path. When the distance and/or angle from the path to the hall sensor changes, a change in direction of the path may be detected.

In another embodiment, the vehicle may comprise two hall sensors arranged symmetrically on the vehicle relative to a longitudinal central axis of the vehicle.

For each of the hall sensors, an increased detected magnetic field may be provided when the path changes direction towards the respective sensor. At the same time, the other sensor may detect a decreased magnetic field. This may provide a way of determining in which way the direction of the path changes. The two sensors may provide a way of determining whether the path turns to the left or to the right, and which provides the processor with the necessary input to control the driving direction of the vehicle. By arranging the two sensors symmetrically relative to the longitudinal central axis of the vehicle, the vehicle’s position relative to the path when driving along the path may be controlled.

In another embodiment, the path along which the vehicle is configured to automatically control direction may be a passive magnetic path.

The vehicle may be configured to detect a path provided by a passive magnetic material. Such path may be provided by a band, tape, strip, or the like of magnetic material adhered to the surface, or by a painted path of magnetized magnetic paint.

In yet another embodiment, the system may be switchable between different modes via the remote control.

During driving of the vehicle, manually, automatically, or semi-automatically, according to any of the three modes of the system, the mode of the system may be changed via the remote control. A user driving the vehicle manually with the system in the first mode may at any point switch to the second mode or, if available, the third mode to start following the path on the driving surface. During use of the first mode, the second mode may be shut off such that the vehicle is not affected by the magnetic field and can be driven manually also on the magnetic path. In an alternative embodiment, the change of mode may be made on the vehicle.

Brief Description of the Drawings The invention will in the following be described in more detail with reference to the enclosed drawings, wherein: Fig. 1 shows a schematic view of the remote controllable vehicle system. Fig. 2 illustrates a schematic view of an intersection of the magnetic path. Fig. 3 is a schematic view of the vehicle.

Fig. 4 illustrates a schematic view of different positions of the vehicle, Description of Embodiments The present invention will be described more fully hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which preferred embodiments of the invention are shown. This invention may, however, be embodied in many different forms and should not be construed as limited to the embodiments set forth herein; rather, these embodiments are provided so that this disclosure will be thorough and complete, and will fully convey the scope of the invention to those skilled in the art. In the drawings, like numbers refer to like elements.

The remote controllable toy vehicle system 1 according to the invention is schematically illustrated in figure 1. The remote controllable toy vehicle system 1 comprises a path 4 on a surface 5 on which one or more vehicles 3 are navigated. The path 4 may be magnetic such that the vehicle 3 navigates automatically on the path in relation to both speed and direction. The navigation can also be performed by a remote control 2 through which one or more vehicles 3 may be controlled manually by a user and where the automatic function is shut off. The vehicle 3 can thus be navigated on the magnetic path 4 without disturbance from the magnetic field. The system 1 can also be navigated by a semi-automatic mode where the user controls the vehicle speed and/or direction at potential intersections on the path while the direction at all other instances are automatically controlled. The user may use either the remote control 2 or a switch on the vehicle 3 to, at any time, switch between automatic mode, semi-automatic mode or manual mode without having to remove the vehicle from the magnetic path 4, stop or restart the vehicle 3.

Fig. 2 illustrates an intersection of the path 4 along which the vehicle 3 travels. The intersection itself does not comprise a magnetic path 4, but is indicated by a sensor or a stronger magnetic field in the surface 5 as the vehicle 3 approaches an intersection without a magnetic path 4. The route the vehicle 3 follows at the intersection is preprogrammed depending on the vehicle shape, size, or speed. In the manual or semi-automatic mode of the system 1, the user can choose the direction of travel at the intersection, while in the automatic mode, the system is in no need of user input but the system makes a choice automatically based on a pre-programmed route, by chance, in relation to other vehicles 3 navigating in the same system 1, or based on parameters such as size, type, year of manufacture, etc.

Figure 3 is a schematic illustration of the vehicle 3 comprising wheels 31, sensors 32, and a processor 33. The sensors are preferably located on the bottom of the vehicle and placed symmetrically relative a central longitudinal axis A of the vehicle 3 and such that, in the case of two sensors, the sensors are located on each side of the magnetic path 4 when the magnetic path 4 is centered under the longitudinal axis A of the vehicle 3. The sensors 32 are located in a front portion of the vehicle 3 in order to detect the magnetic field and provide information thereof to the processor 33, preferably located inside the vehicle, instantly when the direction of the path changes.

In the automatic or semi-automatic mode of the system 2, the magnetic field measured by the sensors 32 is sent to the processor 33 which processes the data and may change the position of the vehicle 3 by sending control signals to a step motor or similar which adjusts the angle of the wheels 31 . Sensing the magnetic field, processing the data, and adjusting the angle of the wheels is performed continuously such that the position of the vehicle 3 is continuously adjusted to be centered over the magnetic path 4 with the sensors 32 experiencing equal strength form the magnetic field of the magnetic path 4 as the vehicle 3 is navigated along the path 4.

In the manual mode of the system, any information from the sensors 32 is not used by the processor 33 for the control signals for the wheel angles. The registration of sensor data may either be shut off or if the registration is not shut off, the data may be stored and used for evaluation purposes. The angle of the wheels 31 are thus not adjusted by the control signals from the processor 33 based on information from the sensors, but rather control signals from the processor 33 based on signals from the remote control 2.

Figure 4 illustrates the automatic adjustments of the vehicle 3 made in the automatic or semi-automatic modes of the system 1. In a first situation 4a, the magnetic field detected from the magnetic path 4 by the sensors 32 on the vehicle 3 on the respective side of the magnetic path 4 is equal. The processor 33 thus does not send control signals to the step motor to adjust the angles of the wheels 31 at this instant but the vehicle 3 continues to travel in the current direction of the angle of the wheels 31.

In the second situation 4b, the vehicle 3 has deviated to either side of the magnetic path and the signals received by the processor 33 from the sensors 32 indicate that the magnetic field differs in strength between the respective sides of the vehicle 3. The processor 33 thus sends control signals such that the angles of the wheels 31 are adjusted in order to re-center the vehicle 3 over path 4 such that the magnetic field is equally strong at the location of the respective the sensors 32.

In the third situation 4c, the vehicle 3 has deviated to either side of the magnetic path such that the whole vehicle is outside of the path 4. The signals received by the processor 33 from the sensors 32 thus indicates that the magnetic field differs in strength between the respective sides of the vehicle 3. The processor 33 sends control signals such that the angles of the wheels 31 are adjusted in order to re-center the vehicle 3 over the path 4 such that the magnetic field is equally strong at the location of the respective the sensors 32.

In the drawings and specification, there have been disclosed preferred embodiments and examples of the invention and, although specific terms are employed, they are used in a generic and descriptive sense only and not for the purpose of limitation, the scope of the invention being set forth in the following claims.

Claims (8)

1. A remote controllable toy vehicle system (1) comprising: a remote control (2), a vehicle (3) configured to be driven on a surface (5) and comprising driving means controllable by a processor to control speed and direction of the vehicle, wherein the vehicle, in a first mode of the system, is manually controllable in speed and direction following a magnetic path (4) provided in or on the surface, by the remote control, characterized in that the vehicle, in a second mode of the system, is configured to, by the processor, automatically control speed and direction following a magnetic path provided in or on the surface, wherein the system is switchable between the first mode and the second mode, wherein the vehicle comprises at least one sensor (32) configured to detect the magnetic path and to provide an input signal to the processor, wherein the processor is configured to use the input signal to control the direction of the vehicle to follow the magnetic path, and wherein said at least one sensor is a hall sensor.

2. The remote controllable toy vehicle system (1) according to claim 1, wherein the vehicle (3) further, in a third mode of the system, is semi-automatically controllable in that the vehicle is configured to, by the processor (33), automatically control the direction following the magnetic path (4) provided on the surface (5), wherein the speed of the vehicle along the magnetic path is controllable by the remote control (2), and wherein the system is switchable between the first mode, the second mode, and the third mode.

3. The remote controllable toy vehicle system (1) according to claim 2, wherein the processor (33) is configured to automatically control the direction of the vehicle (3) following the magnetic path (4) until an intersection is provided in the magnetic path, and wherein the direction of the vehicle in the intersection is manually controllable by the remote control (2).

4. The remote controllable toy vehicle system (1) according to claim 1, wherein the vehicle (3) further, in a third mode of the system, is semi-automatically controllable in that the vehicle is configured to, by the processor, automatically control speed and direction following the magnetic path (4), but at an intersection of the magnetic path, the direction of the vehicle in the intersection is manually controllable by the remote control (2).

5. The remote controllable toy vehicle system (1) according to claim 2, wherein the vehicle (3) is configured to, when the system is in the third mode, automatically control direction following a magnetic path (4) in or on the surface (5).

6. The remote controllable toy vehicle system (1) according to claim 1, wherein the vehicle (3) comprises two hall sensors arranged symmetrically on the vehicle relative to a longitudinal central axis (A) of the vehicle.

7. The remote controllable toy vehicle system (1) according to claims 1, wherein the magnetic path (4) along which the vehicle (3) is configured to automatically control direction is a passive magnetic path (4).

8. The remote controllable toy vehicle system (1) according to any of the preceding claims, wherein system is switchable between different modes via the remote control (2).