Method For Operating A Lighting Control Console And Lighting Control Console

• US 20090190327A1
• Filed: 04/02/2008
• Published: 07/30/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 01/28/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: MA Lighting Technology GmbH (MA Lighthing)
• Original Assignee: MA Lighting Technology GmbH (MA Lighthing)
• Inventors: Adenau, Michael
• Granted Patent: US 7,995,040 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 362/85
• 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: H05B 47/18 via data-bus transmission

Abstract

A method for operating a lighting control console for controlling a lighting system includes generating digital adjustment commands in the lighting control console. The digital adjustment commands are transmittable via data connections to lighting devices of the lighting system. The lighting control console includes at least one digital processor and at least one digital memory for generating, managing and storing the adjustment commands. The lighting control console further includes at least one display unit, and wherein graphical elements can be displayed graphically for the operator on the display unit. The display unit includes a touch-sensitive sensor surface, wherein touching the touch-sensitive sensor surface in the area of a contact surface on the display unit enables an operator input associated with each of these contact surfaces to be selected. Detection of contact with the touch-sensitive sensor surface in the area of a first contact surface associates a first operator input with the first contact surface. Detection of simultaneous touching of the touch-sensitive sensor surface in the area of at least a second contact surface associates a second operator input with the second contact surface. The first and second operator inputs are then processed further.

Claims

1. A method for operating a lighting control console for controlling a lighting system, wherein digital adjustment commands are generated in the lighting control console and are able to be transmitted to lighting devices of the lighting system via data connections, and wherein the lighting control console includes at least one digital processor and at least one digital memory for generating, managing and storing the adjustment commands, and wherein the lighting control console includes at least one display unit, and wherein graphical elements are able to be displayed graphically for the operator on the display unit, wherein the display unit includes a touch-sensitive sensor surface, wherein touching the touch-sensitive sensor surface in the area of a contact surface on the display unit enables an operator input associated with each of these contact surfaces to be selected, and wherein

a) contact with the touch-sensitive sensor surface in the area of a first contact surface is detected, wherein a first operator input is associated with the first contact surface;

b) simultaneous touching of the touch-sensitive sensor surface in the area of at least a second contact surface is detected, wherein a second operator input is associated with the second contact surface;

c) the first and second operator inputs are processed further.

2. The method as recited in claim 1, in which several control elements are displayed on the display unit and

a) contact with the touch-sensitive sensor surface in the area of a first control element is detected, wherein a first operator input is associated with the first control element;

b) simultaneous touching of the touch-sensitive sensor surface in the area of a second control element is detected, wherein a second operator input is associated with the second control element;

c) the first and second control elements are processed further.

3. The method as recited in claim 2, in which multiple buttons can be displayed as control elements on the display unit at the same time, wherein an operator input is associated with each button.

4. The method as recited in claim 2, in which multiple slide controls and/or rotary knobs are displayed as control elements on the display unit, wherein an adjustment range is assigned to each slide control and/or rotary knob, and wherein the position of the contact surfaces on the various slide controls and/or rotary knobs is detected progressively, particularly at regular time intervals.

5. The method as recited in claim 2, in which an operating command is assigned to at least two control elements wherein the operating commands belong to different menu levels.

6. The method as recited in claim 2, in which touching a first control element selects a functional element of the lighting system, particularly a lighting device, and touching at least one other control element adjusts a parameter of the selected functional element.

7. The method as recited in any claim 1, in which a contiguous display area delimited in two dimensions appears on the display unit, wherein a partial display area is selected by touching a first contact surface in the display area and touching at least a second contact surface in the display area, and wherein the selected partial display area is then displayed enlarged on the display unit.

8. The method as recited in claim 7, in which the partial display area is rectangular, wherein the position of two non-adjacent end points of the rectangular partial display area is defined by the position of the contact surfaces in the display area.

9. The method as recited in claim 1, in which a color palette is displayed on the display unit, wherein a color distance to be selected is defined by the position of the contact surfaces of the color palette.

10. The method as recited in claim 1, in which a time bar is displayed on the display unit, wherein a time interval to be selected is defined by the position of the contact surfaces in the display area.

11. The method as recited in claim 1, in which a diaphragm aperture of a lighting device is displayed as a symbol on the display unit, wherein the position of a diaphragm slider that partially shutters the diaphragm aperture of the lighting device is defined by the position of the contact surfaces.

12. The method as recited in claim 1, in which a curve is displayed on the display unit, wherein the course of the curve can be changed by the position of the contact surfaces in the display area.

13. The method as recited in claim 1, in which an object is shown in three dimensions on the display unit, wherein the position and/or size of the objects can be changed by the position of the contact surfaces in the display area.

14. A lighting control console for controlling a lighting system, wherein digital adjustment commands are generated in the lighting control console and are able to be transmitted to the lighting devices of the lighting system via data connections, and wherein the lighting control console includes at least one digital processor and at least one digital memory for generating, managing and storing the adjustment commands, and wherein the lighting control console includes at least one display unit, and wherein graphical elements are able to be displayed graphically for the operator on the display unit, wherein

the display unit includes a touch-sensitive sensor surface, wherein touching the touch-sensitive sensor surface in the area of contact surfaces on the display unit enables an operator input associated with each of these contact surfaces to be selected, and wherein touching in the area of at least two contact surfaces simultaneously can be detected on the lighting control console for performing the method according to claim 1, and wherein an operator input is associated with each contact surface and is selectable by touching in the area of this contact surface.

15. A method of operating a lighting control console for controlling a lighting system, said method comprising:

generating digital adjustment commands in the lighting control console;

transmitting said digital adjustment commands to lighting devices of the lighting system via data connections, said lighting control console including at least one digital processor and at least one digital memory for generating, managing and storing the adjustment commands, and said lighting control console further including at least one display unit;

displaying graphical elements graphically on the display unit, said display unit including a touch-sensitive sensor surface, wherein touching the touch-sensitive sensor surface in the area of a contact surface on the display unit enables an operator input associated with each of these contact surfaces to be selected;

associating a first operator input with a first contact surface of the touch-sensitive sensor surface upon detecting contact with the touch-sensitive sensor surface in the area of the first contact surface;

associating a second operator input with a second contact surface of the touch-sensitive sensor surface upon detecting simultaneous touching of the touch-sensitive sensor surface in the area of the first contact surface and the second contact surface; and

processing the first and second operator inputs further.