Patent ID: 7028955

Claim:
An apparatus for detecting a model vehicle on a track, comprising: a plurality of position detection elements adjacent said track; a vehicle having a vehicle ID and a vehicle transmitter for transmitting said vehicle ID; a vehicle controller; a receiver in each of said position detection elements for receiving said vehicle ID; said position detection elements being a sensor configured to determine a direction of said vehicle; a detector transmitter connected to said position detection elements and configured to transmit a vehicle direction signal and a position detection element ID to a vehicle controller when said vehicle passes a position detection element adjacent said track; said position detection elements being configured to determine a direction of said vehicle; and said detector transmitter being further configured to transmit said direction, along with a vehicle ID, to said vehicle controller; wherein said position detection elements are arranged in pairs, each pair of position detection elements being mounted in a section of said track to face upward to receive a downward directed vehicle ID transmission, and further comprising: an obstructing member mounted between said pair of position detection elements to prevent said position detection elements from receiving said vehicle ID transmission simultaneously.