MULTIPARAMETER STAGE LIGHTING APPARATUS WITH GRAPHICAL OUTPUT

• US 20090190346A1
• Filed: 05/20/2008
• Published: 07/30/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 01/25/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Electronic Theatre Controls Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Barco Lighting Systems, Inc.
• Inventors: Belliveau, Richard S., Grimes, Thomas Edward
• Granted Patent: US 8,063,906 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 362/231
• 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: H05B 47/155 Coordinated control of two or more light sources

Abstract

A multiparameter stage lighting apparatus is provided comprising a lamp housing, which may include a plurality of sets of light emitting diodes, each set of light emitting diodes having a plurality of colors, the plurality of sets of light emitting diodes forming an additive color mixing system. The multiparameter stage lighting apparatus may further include a plurality of pie shaped light emitting circuit boards, one light emitting circuit board for each set of the plurality of sets of light emitting diodes, each set of the plurality of sets of light emitting diodes mounted to its respective light emitting circuit board. The multiparameter stage lighting apparatus may further include a plurality of light emitting diode signaling circuit boards, one for each of the plurality of pie shaped light emitting circuit boards. Each of the plurality of light emitting diode signaling circuit boards may be connected to its corresponding pie shaped light emitting circuit boards by a corresponding one of a plurality of multiconductor cables.

Claims

1. A stage lighting apparatus comprising:

a communications port;

a processor;

a memory;

wherein a plurality of graphical animation files, each comprised of a plurality of frames, are stored in the memory;

wherein the plurality of graphical animation files includes a first graphical animation file and a second graphical animation file;

wherein the processor is programmed to substantially scale a plurality of frames of the first graphical animation file in relation to a range of values of a first DMX channel;

wherein the processor is programmed to substantially scale a plurality of frames of the second graphical animation file in relation to the range of values of the first DMX channel;

wherein the first graphical animation file has a first total number of frames;

wherein the second graphic animation has a second total number of frames;

wherein the first total number of frames is less than half of the second total number of frames;

and wherein the range of values of the first DMX channel can be altered by an operator of a theatrical control system.

2. The stage lighting apparatus of claim 1 further comprising

a lamp housing and a base housing;

and

wherein the lamp housing is remotely positionable in relation to the base housing.

3. The stage lighting apparatus of claim 2 further comprising

a plurality of LEDs;

and

wherein the processor is programmed to illuminate one or more of the plurality of LEDs in response to the first graphical animation file or the second graphical animation file.

4. The stage lighting apparatus of claim 3 wherein

the processor is programmed to evoke the first or the second graphical animation files in response to a second DMX channel controlled by the operator of the theatrical control system.

5. The stage lighting apparatus of claim 1 wherein

the range of values of the first DMX channel are can be altered in response toan input device.

6. The stage lighting apparatus of claim 5 wherein the input device is a slider.

7. A method of operating a stage lighting apparatus comprising:

storing a plurality of graphical animation files, each comprised of a plurality of frames, in a memory of the stage lighting apparatus, wherein the plurality of graphical animation files includes a first graphical animation file and a second graphical animation file;

programming a processor of the stage lighting apparatus to substantially scale a plurality of frames of the first graphical animation file in relation to a range of values of a first DMX channel;

programming the processor to substantially scale a plurality of frames of the second graphical animation file in relation to the range of values of the first DMX channel;

wherein the first graphical animation file has a first total number of frames;

wherein the second graphic animation has a second total number of frames;

wherein the first total number of frames is less than half of the second total number of frames;

and further comprising altering the range of vales of the first DMX channel in response to an operator of a theatrical control system.

8. The method of claim 7 further comprising

remotely positioning a lamp housing of the stage lighting apparatus in relation to a base housing of the stage lighting apparatus.

9. The method of claim 8 further comprising

programming the processor to illuminate one or more of a plurality of LEDs of the stage lighting apparatus in response to the first graphical animation file or the second graphical animation file.

10. The method of claim 9 further comprising

programming the processor to evoke the first or the second graphical animation files in response to a second DMX channel controlled by the operator of the theatrical control system.

11. The method of claim 7 further comprising

altering the range of values of the first DMX channel in response to an input device.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein

the input device is a slider.