Abstract: The invention is an induction-based lighting system designed to provide power to model displays and other similar application, including a method of manufacturing a primary winding that interacts with secondary windings placed inside display components to provide lighting effects, such as one finds in model Christmas villages. The electrical characteristics of the primary winding can be controlled by a microcontroller to make lights in the models blink or change as a user desires.

Abstract: The invention is an induction-based lighting system designed to provide power to model displays and other similar applications. The first part of the system is the wireless Power Mat that is placed under the model houses and used as the base for the village, and contains a primary winding that interacts with secondary windings placed inside display components to provide lighting effects, such as one finds in model Christmas villages. The electrical characteristics of the primary winding can be controlled by a microcontroller to make lights in the models blink or change as a user desires.

Abstract: Communications between a central station and plural nodes is managed at the central station. The central station has an answer channel, a number of data channels, and a data channel manager. A node transmits a channel request, which is received by the answer channel. The answer channel queries the data channel manager, which determines if a data channel is available. If so, then the answer channel passes the node's request to the open data channel, which then communicates with the node. The answer channel is freed to handle channel requests from other nodes. The node is unaware of the passing off as the node does not change the address for the central station. A data channel is freed to communicate with other nodes by either receiving a disconnect message from the node or by timing out the connection.

Abstract: A vehicle has an engine and an on-board computer that controls the function of the engine. The on-board computer also provides diagnostic information, including instantaneous vehicle speed. The vehicle has an odometer that is present in the passenger compartment. The invention samples the instantaneous vehicle speed from the on-board computer and determines the distance traveled by the vehicle. The sampling rate can be adjusted depending on the speed of the vehicle. The odometer information can be sent off the vehicle by way of a transceiver.