Method and system of controlling media devices configured to output signals to surrounding area

• US 20070055389A1
• Filed: 08/23/2005
• Published: 03/08/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 08/23/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ronald Paul Harwood
• Original Assignee: Ronald Paul Harwood
• Inventors: Harwood, Ronald
• Granted Patent: US 7,630,776 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 700/19
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2227/003 Digital PA systems using, e.g. LAN or internet
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 27/00 Public address systems circuits for preventing acoustic reaction H04R3/02; circuits for distributing signals to loudspeakers H04R3/12; monitoring or testing arrangements for public address systems H04R29/007; amplifiers H03F

Abstract

A system of controlling media devices configured for outputting signals to a surrounding area. The system including a control strategy for controlling operation of the media devices to execute operations according to a common schedule and a communications strategy for use in communicating the control strategy between the media devices in such a manner as to facilitate distribution of the control strategy to the media devices desired to operate according to the common timeline.

Claims

1. A system of controlling media devices configured for outputting signals to a surrounding area, the system comprising:

a control strategy for controlling operation of the media devices;

a communications strategy for coordinating communication between the media devices;

a source configured to distribute the control strategy and the communications strategy to at least one of the media devices; and

wherein the communications strategy specifies communication of the control strategy from at least one of the media devices to another of the media devices.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein the communications strategy specifies instructions for transporting the control strategy from at least one of the media devices to another of the media devices not receiving the control strategy from the source.

3. The system of claim 1 wherein the communications strategy specifies a distribution plan for distributing the control strategy from the media devices receiving the control strategy from the source to the other media devices.

4. The system of claim 1 wherein at least a portion of the media devices are lighting fixtures and the control strategy is configured to control operations of the lighting fixtures.

5. The system of claim 1 wherein at least a portion of the media devices are audio units and the control strategy is configured to control operations of the audio units.

6. The system of claim 5 wherein the control strategy includes controlling playback of audio tracks stored on each media device.

7. The system of claim 6 further comprising an audio distribution source configured to distribute the audio tracks to one or more of the media devices.

8. The system of claim 7 wherein the communications strategy includes instructions for communicating the audio tracks from at least one media devices to another media device.

9. The system of claim 1 wherein at least a portion of the media devices is a video unit configured to displaying images and emit sounds.

10. The system of claim 1 wherein at least one of the media devices includes an initialization strategy for obtaining the control and communications strategies from another one of the media devices.

11. The system of claim 10 wherein the initialization strategy is activated when the media devices execute an initialization operation.

12. The system of claim 11 wherein the source is configured to instruct the media devices to execute the initialization operation.

13. The system of claim 1 wherein at least one of the media devices includes a network integrity strategy for monitoring integrity of one or more of the other media devices.

14. The system of claim 1 wherein the control strategy includes features for operating the media devices in a concerted fashion in order to execute a show strategy.

15. A system of controlling media devices configured for outputting signals to a surrounding area, the system comprising:

a control strategy for controlling operation of the media devices to execute operations according to a common schedule; and

a communications strategy for use in communicating the control strategy between the media devices in such a manner as to facilitate distribution of the control strategy to the media devices desired to operate according to the common timeline.

16. The system of claim 15 wherein the media devices are lighting fixtures and the control strategy is configured to execute operations of the lighting fixtures.

17. The system of claim 15 wherein the media devices are audio units and the control strategy is configured to execute operations of the audio units.

18. The system of claim 17 wherein the control strategy includes controlling playback of audio tracks stored on each media device.

19. The system of claim 18 further comprising an audio distribution strategy to facilitate distributing audio tracks stored on one or more of the media devices to another one of the media devices.

20. A method of controlling media devices, the method comprising:

configuring the media devices to output signals to a surrounding area according to instructions included within a control strategy; and

electronically distributing the control strategy to the media devices through a network communication medium.

21. The method of claim 20 further comprising distributing the control strategy from a network programming source to the media devices.

22. The method of claim 20 further comprising distributing the control strategy from one media devices to another media device.

23. The method of claim 20 further comprising distributing different control strategies to one or more media devices.

24. The method of claim 20 further comprising providing a network communication strategy for coordinating communications between the media devices so as to facilitate the distribution of the control strategy.

25. The method of claim 24 further comprising configuring the network communication strategy to automatically identify media devices attempting access to a network associated with the network communication medium and to distribute the control strategy thereto.