Lighting controller

• US 7,227,075 B2
• Filed: 08/06/2004
• Issued: 06/05/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 08/06/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Erik Stauber, Henry Chang
• Original Assignee: Erik Stauber, Henry Chang
• Inventors: Stauber, Erik, Chang, Henry
• Primary Examiner(s): Donovan; Lincoln
• Assistant Examiner(s): RUSSELL, CHRISTINA MARIE
• Application Number:
  US10/913,081
• Publication Number:
  US 20060027081A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,033 Days
• Field of Search: 846/45, 844/77.R, 847/23, 846/72, 844/832, 844/64.R, 844/64.A, 362/562, 362/85, 386/97, 386/54, 345/73, 340/815.46
• US Class Current: 84/645
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 1/0008 Associated control or indicating means
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 2220/066 Colour, i.e. indications with two or more different colours

Abstract

In the present invention, a lighting controller is provided to provide illumination based upon the playing of musical instruments. The lighting controller is programmed with lighting profiles which control the lights on a device. When musical instrument is played, a note (event) is detected by a transducer and based upon which event has been detected, a signal is sent to the lighting controller to determine which lighting profile to send to the device. Upon determining the proper lighting profile. a signal is sent from the lighting controller to the device causing the device to illuminate.

Claims

1. A method of controlling the illumination of lights on a plurality of musical instruments, the method comprising the steps of:

a user programming a plurality of lighting profiles into a lighting controller to control the lights on the plurality of musical instruments;

the lighting controller detecting notes being played on the plurality of musical instruments by separate transducers on each of the plurality of musical instruments;

the lighting controller determining which lighting profile to use with each of the lights on each of the musical instruments; and

illuminating the lights on each of the musical instruments according to the user programmed lighting profiles selected by the lighting controller.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the lights are LEDs and wherein at least one musical instrument is a drum.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the first signal is sent to a signal processor before being sent to the lighting controller.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one musical instrument is a multi-channel instrument.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one musical instrument has multiple notes to be played.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one lighting profile correlates to a song.

7. A system for controlling the illumination of a plurality of lights with a plurality of musical instruments, the system comprising:

a separate transducer on each of a plurality of musical instruments;

a user-programmable lighting controller for receiving signals from each of the separate transducers on each of the plurality of musical instruments as the musical instruments are being played, for storing a plurality of user-programmed lighting profiles therein, and for selecting a particular user-programmed lighting profile for each of the signals received from each of the separate transducers, the user-programmable lighting controller comprising;

at least one drive circuit, the drive circuit comprising;

a series of op amps driven by a digital to analog converter; and

a power transistor connected to the output of the series of op amps, the power transistor drives the current of the at least one drive circuit;

a microcontroller for writing to the digital to analog converter; and

a complex programmable logic device for addressing the digital to analog converter.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the microcontroller comprises an internal timer that updates the at least one drive circuit every 0.01 second creating a visual impression that the lights react instantly.

9. The system of claim 7 further comprising a musical digital interface connection for receiving trigger events.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the trigger events are the playing of the plurality of musical instruments.

11. The system of claim 7, wherein three drive circuits are combined into a single connector.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the single connector is attached to a cable connected to red, green, and blue lights.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the lights are LEDs.

14. The system of claim 7, wherein the lighting controller is programmed with at least one lighting profile corresponding to at least one song.

15. The system of claim 7, wherein at least one lighting profile is assigned to each of the at least one drive circuits.