WIDE AREA LIGHTING APPARATUS AND EFFECTS SYSTEM

• US 20050083704A1
• Filed: 02/01/2005
• Published: 04/21/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 09/07/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Litepanels Limited (Vitec Group PLC)
• Original Assignee: Litepanels LLC (Litepanels)
• Inventors: Grosswendt, Pat, Pohlert, Rudy, Fisher, Ken S., Baxter, Kevin
• Granted Patent: US 7,318,652 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 362/494
• CPC Class Codes: F21K 9/65 specially adapted for changing the characteristics or the distribution of the light, e.g. by adjustment of parts
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 9/02 the power supply being a battery or accumulator
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 14/06 by movement of refractors in vehicle head lamps F21S41/635
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 19/001 the light sources being semiconductors devices, e.g. LEDs
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 21/0885 for portable lighting devices
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 21/116 Fixing lighting devices to arms or standards F21V21/002 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F21W 2131/406 for theatres, stages or film studios
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2115/10 Light-emitting diodes [LED]
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 15/02 Illuminating scene
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 15/03 Combinations of cameras with lighting apparatus; Flash units
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 15/05 Combinations of cameras with electronic flash apparatus; Electronic flash units
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 2215/0517 Housing
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 2215/0539 Ringflash
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 2215/056 Connection with camera, e.g. adapter
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/56 provided with illuminating means
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 45/00 Circuit arrangements for operating light-emitting diodes [LED]
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 45/20 Controlling the colour of the light
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/155 Coordinated control of two or more light sources
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 362/80 Light emitting diode

Abstract

A lighting effects system comprises an arrangement of lamp elements, such as light-emitting diodes (LEDs) or other light elements, on a panel or frame. The panel or frame may be relatively lightweight, and may include one or more circuit boards for direct mounting of the lamp elements. The panel or frame may have an opening through which a camera can view. A mounting bracket and assembly may be used for attaching the panel or frame to a camera. The lamp elements may be electronically controllable so as to provide differing intensity levels, collectively, individually, or in designated groups, and may be strobed, dimmed or otherwise controlled according to manually selected or programmable patterns. Different color lamp elements may be mounted on the same panel/frame, and, in particular, daylight and tungsten colored lamp elements may be mounted on the same panel/frame and their relative intensities selectively controlled by control circuitry.

Claims

1. A lighting system suitable to provide proper illumination for lighting of a subject in film or video, comprising:

a portable frame having a panel including a mounting surface;

a plurality of semiconductor light elements disposed on said mounting surface, said semiconductor light elements emitting light within a color temperature range suitable for image capture, at least one of said semiconductor light elements emitting light in a daylight or tungsten color temperature range; and

a focusing element for adjusting the focus and/or direction of the light emitted by said semiconductor light elements;

wherein said portable frame is adapted for being mounted to and readily disengaged from a stand.

2. The lighting system of claim 1, wherein said focusing element comprises a lens or filter.

3. The lighting system of claim 1, wherein said focusing element comprises a funnel-shaped focusing lens.

4. The lighting system of claim 1, wherein said focusing element comprises an integrated focal lens.

5. The lighting system of claim 1, wherein said focusing element increases the directivity of light emitted by said semiconductor light elements.

6. The lighting system of claim 1, wherein said focusing element is attachable to and detachable from the portable frame.

7. The lighting system of claim 1, wherein said portable frame further comprises a stand adapter bracket configured to be mounted to and readily disengaged from said stand.

8. The lighting system of claim 7, wherein said stand adapter bracket comprises a yoke, and wherein said portable frame is configured to swivel and/or tilt when mounted to said yoke.

9. The lighting system of claim 8, wherein said yoke is substantially C-shaped, said portable frame being mounted between two arms of the yoke such that the portable frame may be tilted and locked into position at different angles.

10. The lighting system of claim 7, wherein said stand adapter bracket comprises a ball-and-socket mechanism, and wherein said portable frame is configured to swivel and/or tilt when mounted to said ball-and-socket mechanism.

11. The lighting system of claim 1, wherein said semiconductor light elements comprise light emitting diodes (LEDs).

12. The lighting system of claim 11, wherein said LEDs are high output.

13. The lighting system of claim 12, wherein the rated wattage of said high output LEDs is at least one watt.

14. The lighting system of claim 12, wherein the rated wattage of said high output LEDs is at least approximately five watts.

15. The lighting system of claim 1, wherein said semiconductor light elements emit light at a color temperature range of approximately 5500 degrees Kelvin.

16. The lighting system of claim 1, wherein said color temperature range includes approximately 5500-7500 degrees Kelvin.

17. The lighting system of claim 1, wherein said semiconductor light elements emit light at a color temperature of approximately 3200 degrees Kelvin.

18. The lighting system of claim 1, wherein all of said semiconductor light elements emit light at substantially the same color temperature.

19. The lighting system of claim 1, wherein substantially all of said semiconductor light elements emit light at a similar color temperature.

20. The lighting system of claim 1, further including a color lens or color filter to adjust the color temperature of the light emitted from said semiconductor light elements.

21. The lighting system of claim 1, further including a diffusion lens or diffusion filter.

22. The lighting system of claim 1, further comprising an intensity control circuit in electrical communication with the semiconductor light elements, for adjusting the intensity of light output by the semiconductor light elements.

23. The lighting system of claim 22, wherein the illumination level of said semiconductor light elements is controlled using pulse width modulation.

24. The lighting system of claim 22, further including switch controls to separately control the intensity levels of at least two groups of semiconductor light elements.

25. The lighting system of claim 1, wherein said panel comprises a circuit board, and wherein said semiconductor light elements are mounted thereto.

26. The lighting system of claim 25, wherein said circuit board is thermally connected to heat dissipating fins.

27. The lighting system of claim 1, wherein said semiconductor light elements provide a continuous source of illumination.

28. The lighting system of claim 1, wherein said portable frame further includes a power source.

29. The lighting system of claim 28, wherein said power source is contained within or attached to said frame or stand adapter bracket.

30. The lighting system of claim 28, wherein said integrated power source comprises a battery.

31. The lighting system of claim 1, wherein said semiconductor light elements are arranged in at least one row.

32. The lighting system of claim 1, wherein said frame is substantially flat.

33. The lighting system of claim 1, wherein the shape of said frame is selected from the group consisting of:

square;

rectangular

round;

oval;

ring-shaped

hexagonal;

octagonal;

other polygonal; and

partially polygonal.

34. The lighting system of claim 1, further including switch controls to separately control the on/off state of at least two groups of semiconductor light elements.