Power supply system and method thereof

• US 20050289279A1
• Filed: 04/18/2005
• Published: 12/29/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 06/24/2004
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: City Theatrical Incorporated
• Original Assignee: City Theatrical Incorporated
• Inventors: Kleissler, Paul, Fails, Gary, Dunn, Lauren E.
• Application Number:
  US11/109,012
• Publication Number:
  US 20050289279A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 710/315
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/18 via data-bus transmission

Abstract

A system and a method for operating devices (e.g., luminaries, light dimmers, effect devices, stepper motors, and the like) used in entertainment lighting applications is disclosed. Embodiments include a power supply operating a plurality of such devices coupled to selectively addressable outputs and having a converter of an industry-standard communication protocol (e.g., DMX512, RDM, or ACN protocol) in a communication protocol compatible with such devices.

Claims

1. A power supply, comprising:

a plurality of selectively addressable outputs, each output adapted for coupling to a load of a plurality of such loads;

an input for an industry-standard communication protocol, and

a converter of the industry-standard protocol in a communication protocol compatible with the loads.

2. The power supply of claim 1 wherein each output comprises a means for providing power interface and control interface to a load.

3. The power supply of claim 1 wherein each output is assigned N data channels of the industry-standard communication protocol, where N is an integer and N≧

1.

4. The power supply of claim 1 wherein the loads are selected from a group consisting of luminaries, light dimmers, effect devices, and stepper motors.

5. The power supply of claim 4 wherein the luminaries are color-mixing light emitting diode based (LED-based) luminaries.

6. The power supply of claim 1 wherein the industry-standard communication protocol is selected from a group consisting of the DMX512 protocol, the Remote Device Management (RDM) protocol, and the Advanced Control Network (ACN) protocol.

7. The power supply of claim 6 wherein the power supply converts the industry-standard communication protocol in a communication protocol compatible with the loads.

8. The power supply of claim 6 further comprising a pass-through connector for the industry-standard communication protocol.

9. The power supply of claim 6 further comprising a means for assigning to the power supply an address compatible with the industry-standard communication protocol.

10. The power supply of claim 9 wherein the means comprises at least one BCD switch.

11. The power supply of claim 1 further comprising a means for desktop, rack, and/or rail installation for the power supply.

12. The power supply of claim 1 wherein the power supply is a portion of a power supply system further comprising a configuration unit for assigning to the power supply and/or compatible with an industry-standard communication protocol and assigning the addressable output to the loads.

13. The power supply of claim 12 wherein the configuration unit is coupled to the power supply using at least one of wired, wireless, and optical interfaces.

14. A power supply system, comprising:

a controller used with an industry-standard communication protocol;

a plurality of controllable loads; and

at least one power supply of claim 1 coupled to the controller, wherein;

each of the addressable outputs is addressed using the industry-standard communication protocol and selectively coupled to one of the loads; and

the converter converts the industry-standard communication protocol in a communication protocol compatible with the loads.

17. A power supply system, comprising:

a controller using the DMX512 communication protocol;

a plurality of LED-based luminaries; and

at least one power supply of claim 1 coupled to the controller, wherein;

each of the addressable outputs is addressed using the DMX512 communication protocol and selectively coupled to one of the luminaries; and

the converter converts the DMX512 communication protocol in a communication protocol compatible with the luminaries.

15. The power supply system of claim 15 further comprising a configuration unit assigning to the least one power supply and/or the addressable outputs thereof the addresses compatible with the industry-standard communication protocol.

16. The power supply system of claim 15 wherein the industry-standard communication protocol is selected from a group consisting of the DMX512 protocol, the Remote Device Management (RDM) protocol, and the Advanced Control Network (ACN) protocol.

18. A method for operating a plurality of controllable loads, comprising:

providing a power supply having a plurality of selectively addressable outputs, each of the outputs adapted for coupling to one of the loads;

addressing the power supply and/or the outputs using an industry-standard communication protocol;

converting the industry-standard communication protocol in a communication protocol compatible with the loads; and

selectively operating the loads using the communication protocol compatible with the loads.

19. The method of claim 18 wherein each of the outputs comprises a means for providing power interface and control interface to a load.

20. The method of claim 18 wherein each of the outputs is assigned N data channels of the industry-standard communication protocol, where N is an integer and N≧

1.

21. The method of claim 18 wherein the loads are selected from a group consisting of luminaries, light dimmers, effect devices, and stepper motors.

22. The method of claim 18 wherein the luminaries are color-mixing light emitting diode based (LED-based) luminaries.

23. The method of claim 18 wherein the industry-standard communication protocol is selected from a group consisting of the DMX512 protocol, the Remote Device Management (RDM) protocol, and the Advanced Control Network (ACN) protocol.