WIRELESS UNIVERSAL INTERFACE DEVICE FOR THEATRICAL EFFECTS

• US 20150177715A1
• Filed: 12/19/2013
• Published: 06/25/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 05/14/2013
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: James David Smith
• Original Assignee: James David Smith
• Inventors: Smith, James David
• Application Number:
  US14/134,515
• Publication Number:
  US 20150177715A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/19 via wireless transmission

Abstract

Provided is a system for controlling theatrical effects. The system comprises a main console and one or more battery-powered wireless controller devices. The console can transmit DMX data wirelessly to the wireless controller devices. The controller devices convert DMX data into different formats using a protocol converter. The converted data can be made available to external devices via different hardware ports and outputs. Another controller device can control an H-bridge powered dimmer. The H-bridge can be selected to operate either as an AC inverter or a bidirectional DC motor driver. User-adjustable parameters may be available to select the functional mode and characteristics of operation in each mode.

Claims

1. A battery-powered radio-controlled device for controlling theatrical effects, the device comprising:

a receiver, the receiver being configured to receive a control data via a radio network;

a protocol converter, the protocol converter being configured to receive the control data from the receiver; and

hardware outputs.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein the control data comprise one of the following:

DMX data, ACN data, MIDI data or data in a communication protocol used in entertainment industry.

3. The device of claim 1, wherein at least one of the hardware outputs includes Inter-Integrated Circuit (I²C) port and wherein the protocol converter is configured to emulate the control data as a memory peripheral having 512 addresses.

4. The device of claim 1, wherein at least one of hardware outputs includes a Serial Peripheral Interface (SPI) output port and the protocol converter is configured to emulate the control data as a memory peripheral having 512 addresses.

5. The device of claim 1, wherein one of the hardware outputs is an open collector and the protocol converter is configured to:

convert the control data to output parameters; and

provide the output parameters to the open collector.

6. The device of claim 1, wherein at least one of the hardware outputs is a 0-10V control voltage output and the protocol converter is configured to:

convert the control data to output parameters; and

provide the output parameters to the 0-10V control voltage output.

7. The device of claim 1, wherein at least one of hardware outputs is a Pulse Modulation output and the protocol converter is configured to:

convert the control data to output parameters; and

provide the output parameters to Pulse Modulation output.

8. The device of claim 1, wherein at least one of hardware outputs is a MIDI output and the protocol converter is configured to

convert the control data to a MIDI note message;

and

provide the MIDI note message to the MIDI output.

9. The device of claim 1, wherein at least one of the hardware outputs is a DMX output and the protocol converter is configured to provide the control data to the DMX output.

10. The device of claim 1, wherein at least one of the hardware outputs is a dimmer output and the protocol converter is configured to set a level of the dimmer output based on the control data.

11. A system for controlling theatrical effects, the system comprising:

a console; and

at least one battery-powered radio-controlled device, the device comprising;

a receiver, the receiver being configured to receive a control data via a radio network;

a protocol converter, the protocol converter being configured to receive the control data from the receiver; and

hardware outputs.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the console is configured to:

receive DMX, MIDI, ACN or other communications protocol commonly used in the entertainment industry;

convert the received data into control data in a proprietary format;

transmit the control data in the proprietary format via a radio network.

13. The system of claim 11, wherein at least one of hardware outputs includes I²C output port and the protocol converter is configured to emulate the control data as a memory peripheral having 512 addresses.

14. The system of claim 11, wherein at least one of hardware outputs includes a SPI output port and the protocol converter is configured to emulate the control data as a memory peripheral having 512 addresses.

15. The system of claim 11, wherein one of hardware outputs is an open-collector transistor output and the protocol converter is configured to provide parameters to the open-collector based on the control data.

16. The system of claim 11, wherein at least one of hardware outputs includes a 0-10V control voltage output and the protocol converter is configured to:

convert the control data to output parameters; and

provide output parameters current to the 0-10V control voltage output.

17. The system of claim 11, wherein at least one of hardware outputs is a Pulse Modulation output and the protocol converter is configured to:

convert the control data to output parameters; and

provide the output parameters to Pulse Modulation output.

18. The system of claim 11, wherein at least one of hardware outputs is a MIDI output and the protocol converter is configured to:

convert the control data into a MIDI note message; and

provide the MIDI note message to the MIDI output.

19. The system of claim 11, wherein at least one of the hardware outputs includes a DMX output and the protocol converter is configured to provide the control data to the DMX output.

20. The system of claim 11, wherein at least one of the hardware outputs is a dimmer output and the protocol converter is configured to set a level of the dimmer output based on the control data.

21. A method for controlling theatrical effects, the method comprising

receiving, by a console, control data, the control data comprising on of the following:

DMX data, ACN data, MIDI data or data in a communication protocol used in entertainment industry;

converting, by a console, the control data to data in a proprietary format;

transmitting via radio network, by a console, the data in a proprietary format to a battery-powered radio-controlled device, the device comprising;

a receiver;

a protocol converter; and

hardware outputs wherein each of the hardware outputs being one of the following;

an I²C output port;

an SPI output port;

an open-collector transistor output;

an 0-10V control voltage output;

an Pulse Modulation output;

an MIDI output;

a dimmer output; and

a DMX output;

receiving, by the receiver, data in the proprietary format;

converting, by the receiver, the data in the proprietary format into the control data;

providing, by the receiver, the control data to the protocol converter;

generating, by the protocol converter, based on the control data, output data; and

providing the output data to the hardware outputs.