Abstract: Each of first vehicles has an individual address dependent upon an insertion of a selective one of different keys into a socket in the vehicle. Each of the first vehicles is movable in any desired direction on a first support structure formed by intercoupling male detents on first beams and female detents on other beams, all of them having the same construction, and by intercoupling the male detents on the beams to female detents on blocks, all having an identical construction. The first support structure may be, but does not have to be, intercoupled with a second support structure formed by intercoupling beams and blocks of the same type as the b3eams and blocks in the first structure. The second structure defines a track on which an additional vehicle (e.g., monorail) addressable in the same manner as the first vehicles is movable in first and second opposite directions.

Abstract: Each of first vehicles has an individual address dependent upon an insertion of a selective one of different keys into a socket in the vehicle. Each vehicle is movable in any desired direction on a first support structure formed by intercoupling male detents on first beams and female detents on other beams and on blocks. The first support structure may be, but does not have to be, intercoupled with a second support structure. The second structure may define a track on which an additional vehicle (e.g., a monorail) is movable in first and second opposite directions. Each of a plurality of manually operated pads generates signals for addressing any unaddressed vehicle and for providing movements of, and the performance of functions in, the vehicle when addressed. Each pad communicates the pad-generated signals to a connected central station. The central station communicates these signals by wireless to the vehicles.

Abstract: Each of first vehicles has an individual address dependent upon an insertion of a selective one of different keys into a socket in the vehicle. Each vehicle is movable in any desired direction on a first support structure formed by intercoupling male detents on first beams and female detents on the beams and on blocks. The first support structure may be, but does not have to be, intercoupled with a second support structure. The second structure may define a track on which an additional vehicle (e.g., a monorail) is movable in first and second opposite directions. Each of a plurality of manually operated pads generates signals for addressing any unaddressed vehicle and for providing movements of, and the performance of functions in, the vehicle when addressed. Each pad communicates the pad-generated signals to a connected central station. The central station communicates these signals by wireless to the vehicles.

Abstract: Each of first vehicles has an individual address dependent upon an insertion of a selective one of different keys into a socket in the vehicle. Each vehicle is movable in any desired direction on a first support structure formed by intercoupling male detents on first beams and female detents on other beams and on blocks. The first support structure may be, but does not have to be, intercoupled with a second support structure. The second structure may define a track on which an additional vehicle (e.g., a monorail) is movable in first and second opposite directions. Each of a plurality of manually operated pads generates signals for addressing any unaddressed vehicle and for providing movements of, and the performance of functions in, the vehicle when addressed. Each pad communicates the pad-generated signals to a connected central station. The central station communicates these signals by wireless to the vehicles.

Abstract: Each of first vehicles has an individual address dependent upon an insertion of a selective one of different keys into a socket in the vehicle. Each vehicle is movable in any desired direction on a first support structure formed by intercoupling male detents on first beams and female detents on other beams and on blocks. The first support structure may be, but does not have to be, intercoupled with a second support structure. The second structure may define a track on which an additional vehicle (e.g., a monorail) is movable in first and second opposite directions. Each of a plurality of manually operated pads generates signals for addressing any unaddressed vehicle and for providing movements of, and the performance of functions in, the vehicle when addressed . Each pad communicates the pad-generated signals to a connected central station. The central station communicates these signals by wireless to the vehicles.

Abstract: Each of first vehicles has an individual address dependent upon an insertion of a selective one of different keys into a socket in the vehicle. Each of these vehicles is movable in any desired direction on a first structure formed by intercoupling beams of identical construction and blocks of identical construction. The first structure may be intercoupled with a second structure formed from the beams and the blocks. The second structure defines a track on which a monorail addressable in the same manner as the first vehicles is movable in first and second opposite directions. The monorail has rollers for driving it on the track and positioning rollers contiguous to the side surfaces of the track for retaining the monorail on the track during its movement. Each of a plurality of manually operated pads generates signals for addressing any unaddressed vehicle and for operating the vehicle.

Abstract: Each of first vehicles has an individual address dependent upon an insertion of a selective one of different keys into a socket in the vehicle. Each vehicle is movable in any desired direction on a first support structure formed by intercoupling male detents on first beams and female detents on other beams, all of an identical construction, and by intercoupling the male detents to female detents on blocks, all of an identical construction. The first support structure may be, but does not have to be, intercoupled with a second support structure formed by intercoupling beams and blocks of the same types as the beams and blocks in the first structure. The second structure defines a track on which an additional vehicle (e.g., a monorail) addressable as discussed above is movable in first and second opposite directions. The additional vehicle has rollers for driving the vehicle on the track and has guides (e.g.

Abstract: When manually closed, switches in pads select toy vehicles and the operation of motors for moving the vehicles forwardly, rearwardly, leftwardly and rightwardly and moving upwardly and downwardly (and rightwardly and leftwardly) a receptacle for holding transportable elements (e.g. marbles). When sequentially and cyclically interrogated by a central station, each pad sends through wires to the station signals indicating the switch closures in such pad. Such station produces first binary signals addressing the vehicle selected by such pad and second binary signals identifying the motor control operations in such vehicle. Thereafter the switches identifying in such pad the motor control operations in such selected vehicle can be closed without closing the switches addressing such vehicle. The signals for each vehicle are transmitted by wireless to all of the vehicles at a common carrier frequency modulated by the binary signals.

Abstract: When manually closed, switches in pads select toy vehicles and the operation of motors for moving the vehicles in different directions and moving upwardly and downwardly (and rightwardly and leftwardly) a receptacle for holding transportable elements (e.g. marbles). When interrogated by a central station, each pad sends through wires to the station signals indicating the switch closures in such pad. Such station produces first binary signals addressing the vehicle selected by such pad and second binary signals identifying the motor control operations in such vehicle. Thereafter the switches identifying in such pad the motor control operations in such selected vehicle can be closed without closing the switches identifying such vehicle. The first and second signals for each vehicle are transmitted by wireless to all of the vehicles at a common carrier frequency modulated by the first and second binary signals.

Abstract: A key in a vehicle socket closes contacts to reset a vehicle microcontroller to a neutral state. Ribs disposed in a particular pattern in the key operate switches in a particular pattern in the vehicle to provide an address for the vehicle with the vehicle inactive but powered. When the vehicle receives such individual address from a pad within a first particular time period thereafter, the vehicle is operated by commands from the pad. The pad operates the vehicle as long as the vehicle receives commands from the pad within the first particular period after the previous command from the pad. During this period, the vehicle has a first illumination to indicate that it is being operated. When the pad fails to provide commands to the vehicle within such first particular time period, the vehicle becomes inactive but powered and provides a second illumination. While inactive but powered, the vehicle can be addressed and subsequently commanded by any of the pads including the pad previously addressing the vehicle.