Remote Focusing Unit

• US 20090144646A1
• Filed: 11/30/2007
• Published: 06/04/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 12/01/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Production Resource Group LLC
• Original Assignee: Production Resource Group LLC
• Inventors: Reese, Charles
• Granted Patent: US 9,158,439 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/771
• CPC Class Codes: F21L 4/027 the light sources being a LED
• CPC Class Codes: F21W 2131/406 for theatres, stages or film studios
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04842 Selection of displayed objects or displayed text elements G06F3/0482 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04847 Interaction techniques to control parameter settings, e.g. interaction with sliders or dials
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0488 using a touch-screen or digitiser, e.g. input of commands through traced gestures
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04883 for inputting data by handwriting, e.g. gesture or text
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04886 by partitioning the display area of the touch-screen or the surface of the digitising tablet into independently controllable areas, e.g. virtual keyboards or menus
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 17/02 using a radio link
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/155 Coordinated control of two or more light sources
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/19 via wireless transmission
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/1965 using handheld communication devices

Abstract

A remote-control device which allows remotely controlling parameters of a light via a console. The console actually does the controlling, but the remote-control device enables control of the light parameters by sending the information to the console. For example, the remote can be used to control preset values or to control other aspects of the console. The console may store presets associated with focus, and those presets can be changed from the remote.

Claims

1. A device, comprising:

a handheld unit, having at least a user interface and a display, said user interface having a capability of selecting items on said user interface, said handheld unit also including a processor that runs a stored program that produces a user interface display, and wherein said user interface display is formed with a plurality of tabs, each tab bringing up a complete separate screen, and each screen adapted for controlling a different aspect on a remote console that controls a plurality of moving lights,

and at least one of said tabs including a display of a controlling encoder, that can be rotated to change a control amount of a function on said remote console, to correspondingly change said control amount on a controlled light.

2. A device as in claim 1, wherein said program also enables controlling plural different preset amounts for plural different controlled lights.

3. A device as in claim 2, wherein said preset amounts can be controlled by a user, and allow presetting a parameter on controlled lights, and controls said controlled lights to the preset value after said preset.

4. A device as in claim 1, wherein said encoder can be rotated using controls on the user interface to rotate the position of the encoder.

5. A device as in claim 4, wherein said rotating comprises selecting a specified portion of the encoder that controls rotating, and enabling rotating the encoder after selecting that portion.

6. A device as in claim 5, wherein said rotating comprises moving a stylus across a screen of the handheld unit in a circular motion including a first circular motion for a first direction of operation of the encoder and a second circular motion for a second operation of the encoder.

7. A device as in claim 4, further comprising changing a mode of control of the encoder, and wherein an x,y mode of the controller and the encoder is possible where the encoder can be dragged in an x-direction and in a y direction.

8. A method, comprising:

controlling a plurality of lights using a lighting console which has controls for the plurality of lights including control of focus of the lights and control of movement of the lights in orthogonal directions;

communicating between a remote control device and said lighting console wirelessly;

running a program on said remote control device that enables controlling a plurality of lights by setting values in the lighting console that is used to control said lights;

wherein at least one of said controls includes preset focus values for said lights that can be controlled by control from the remote device.

9. A method as in claim 8, wherein at least one of said controls is controlled by providing a picture of an encoder on a user interface, and enabling rotation of the encoder to change a value associated with the lights.

10. A method as in claim 8, wherein said program on said remote control device includes plural different features in tabs that can each be selected, each tab enabling a separate screen to carry out functions associated with the specified tab.

11. A method as in claim 8, further comprising enabling a function which allows some of the controls to be used and others of the controls to be unused.

12. A method as in claim 9, further comprising enabling disabling other functions on the screen, and controlling the encoder by touching areas on the screen previously associated with said other functions on the screen.

13. A method as in claim 8, further comprising storing focus controls entered on said remote control.

14. A method, comprising:

storing a plurality of focus values for a plurality of remote lights in a commanding console;

wirelessly communicating with said controlling console from a standalone remote control device;

from location remote from said console, enabling setting a preset value for at least one of said focus controls using said remote control; and

from said console, using said focus control set from said remote location as a preset value for said lights.

15. A method as in claim 14, wherein said enabling setting comprises displaying a user interface picture of an encoder, and allowing the user to rotate the encoder on the remote-control device.