System for automatically tracking a moving toy vehicle

Abstract

A system is provided comprising an automatic toy tracking system adapted to track an infrared signal emitted by a remotely controlled toy vehicle. The tracking system has a series of infrared receivers and is adapted to pivot and rotate in response to the relative intensity of the infrared signal received by each receiver. When the tracking system has positively ascertained the location of the infrared emitter, the tracking system can be adapted to fire at least one projectile at the toy vehicle.

1 . A toy motion tracking kit, the kit comprising:
 a movable toy, the toy being adapted to emit a signal pulse; and   a movable tracking system separate from the movable toy, said movable tracking system comprising:
 at least one pair of signal receivers, wherein each of the at least one pair of signal receivers comprises a first directional receiver and a second directional receiver, and wherein each of the at least one pair of signal receivers defines a first direction pointing from the second directional receiver to the first directional receiver and a second direction pointing from the first directional receiver to the second directional receiver; and 
 a microprocessor programmed to direct the motion of the movable tracking system; 
   wherein, for each of the at least one pair of signal receivers, the signal pulse is adapted to activate the first directional receiver for a first length of time and to activate the second directional receiver for a second length of time, and the microprocessor is adapted to record the first length of time and the second length of time; and   wherein, for each of the at least one pair of signal receivers:
 when the first length of time is greater than the second length of time by an amount greater than a predetermined amount, the microprocessor is programmed to direct the movable tracking system to move in the first direction; 
 when the first length of time is less than the second length of time by an amount greater than the predetermined amount, the microprocessor is programmed to direct the movable tracking system to move in the second direction; and 
 when the first length of time is about equal to the second length of time, the microprocessor is programmed to direct the movable tracking system to be motionless in the first direction and in the second direction. 
   
     
     
         2 . The toy motion tracking kit of  claim 1  wherein the signal pulse is an infrared signal pulse. 
     
     
         3 . The toy motion tracking kit of  claim 2  wherein the infrared signal pulse is emitted at a modulation frequency of 38 kHz. 
     
     
         4 . The toy motion tracking kit of  claim 1  wherein the signal pulse comprises a period of analog decay. 
     
     
         5 . The toy motion tracking kit of  claim 1  further comprising a projectile launch system, wherein the microprocessor is programmed to direct the projectile launch system to launch a projectile when the first length of time is about equal to the second length of time for each of the at least one pair of signal receivers. 
     
     
         6 . The toy motion tracking kit of  claim 1  wherein each of the at least one pair of signal receivers is oriented in a plane of alignment comprising a first line of sight normal to the first directional receiver and a second line of sight normal to the second directional receiver, such that the first line of sight and the second line of sight describe a dihedral angle of about 0 degrees. 
     
     
         7 . The toy motion tracking kit of  claim 6  wherein, for each of the at least one pair of signal receivers, the first directional receiver is oriented at an angle of between 60 degrees and 120 degrees to the second directional receiver within the plane of alignment. 
     
     
         8 . The toy motion tracking kit of  claim 7  wherein, for each of the at least one pair of signal receivers, the first directional receiver is oriented at an angle of about 90 degrees to the second directional receiver within the plane of alignment. 
     
     
         9 . The toy motion tracking kit of  claim 6  wherein said movable tracking system comprises a first pair of signal receivers defining a first plane of alignment and a second pair of signal receivers defining a second plane of alignment. 
     
     
         10 . The toy motion tracking kit of  claim 9  wherein the first plane of alignment is oriented orthogonally to the second plane of alignment. 
     
     
         11 . The toy motion tracking kit of  claim 1  wherein said movable toy is a toy vehicle. 
     
     
         12 . The toy motion tracking kit of  claim 11  wherein said toy vehicle is a toy helicopter. 
     
     
         13 . A movable tracking system for tracking the motion of a movable toy, the movable toy being adapted to emit a signal pulse, the movable tracking system comprising:
 at least one pair of signal receivers, wherein each of the at least one pair of signal receivers comprises a first directional receiver and a second directional receiver, and wherein each of the at least one pair of signal receivers defines a first direction pointing from the second directional receiver to the first directional receiver and a second direction pointing from the first directional receiver to the second directional receiver; and   a microprocessor programmed to direct the motion of the movable tracking system;   
       wherein, for each of the at least one pair of signal receivers, the first directional receiver is adapted to be activated by the signal pulse for a first length of time and the second directional receiver is adapted to be activated by the signal pulse for a second length of time, and the microprocessor is adapted to record the first length of time and the second length of time; and 
       wherein, for each of the at least one pair of signal receivers:
 when the first length of time is greater than the second length of time by an amount greater than a predetermined amount, the microprocessor is programmed to direct the movable tracking system to move in the first direction; 
 when the first length of time is less than the second length of time by an amount greater than the predetermined amount, the microprocessor is programmed to direct the movable tracking system to move in the second direction; and 
 when the first length of time is about equal to the second length of time, the microprocessor is programmed to direct the movable tracking system to be motionless in the first direction and in the second direction. 
 
     
     
         14 . A movable toy capable of motion trackable by a movable tracking system having at least one pair of signal receivers, each of the at least one pair of signal receivers comprising a first directional receiver and a second directional receiver, wherein the movable toy is adapted to emit a signal pulse adapted to activate the first directional receiver for a first length of time and to activate the second directional receiver for a second length of time.