Multiparameter stage lighting apparatus with graphical output

• US 8,047,678 B2
• Filed: 01/25/2008
• Issued: 11/01/2011
• 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., Bell, Michael, Bruce, Robert Clayton, Lowe, Kevin Joseph, Dahly, David, Jurek, Brian Emerson, Peck, David Karl
• Primary Examiner(s): CARTER, WILLIAM JOSEPH
• Application Number:
  US12/020,038
• Publication Number:
  US 20090190345A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,376 Days
• Field of Search: 36224901-24903, 362/249.05, 362/249.06
• US Class Current: 362/249.02
• 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 45/20 Controlling the colour of the light
• 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 multiparameter stage lighting apparatus comprising:

a lamp housing comprising

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;

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;

a plurality of light emitting diode signaling circuit boards, one for each of the plurality of pie shaped light emitting circuit boards; and

a plurality of multiconductor cables, one for each of the plurality of pie shaped light emitting circuit boards; and

wherein each of the plurality of light emitting diode signaling circuit boards is connected to its corresponding pie shaped light emitting circuit boards by a corresponding one of the plurality of multiconductor cables;

and further comprising

a base housing;

and wherein the lamp housing is remotely positionable in relation to the base housing;

wherein each of the light emitting diodes of the plurality of sets of light emitting diodes is configured to emit light out from the lamp housing so that light from all of the light emitting diodes of the plurality of sets of light emitting diodes can be seen simultaneously by a viewer; and

further comprising;

a plurality of electronics connectors, one for each of the plurality of pie shaped light emitting circuit boards;

wherein each of the plurality of electronics connectors is mounted on a first side of its respective pie shaped light emitting circuit board;

wherein each of the plurality of sets of light emitting diodes is mounted on the first side of its respective pie shaped light emitting circuit board and is electrically connected to its respective electronics connector of the plurality of electronics connectors;

wherein each of the plurality of multiconductor cables is connected to a respective one of the plurality of electronics connectors; and

wherein each of the plurality of multiconductor cables is threaded through a gap between two or more of the plurality of pie shaped light emitting circuit boards.

2. The multiparameter stage lighting apparatus of claim 1 wherein

each of the plurality of multiconductor cables is a multiconductor flat cable.

3. The multiparameter stage lighting apparatus of claim 1 wherein

the plurality of colors include red, green and blue.

4. The multiparameter stage lighting apparatus of claim 3 wherein

the plurality of colors include amber.

5. The multiparameter stage lighting apparatus of claim 1 further comprising

a communications port;

a memory;

and wherein the communications port receives a first graphical content program and the memory stores the first graphical content program.

6. The multiparameter stage lighting apparatus of claim 5 wherein

the first graphical content program is created on a personal computer.

7. The multiparameter stage lighting apparatus of claim 5 wherein

the first graphical content program is created by a computer graphics program.

8. The multiparameter stage lighting apparatus of claim 7 wherein

the first graphical content program is created by a GIF file.

9. The multiparameter stage lighting apparatus of claim 5 wherein

the first graphical content program is comprised of a plurality of frames.

10. The multiparameter stage lighting apparatus of claim 9 wherein

each of the plurality of frames is used to control an illumination of the plurality of sets of light emitting diodes;

and wherein the control of the illumination forms a visual animation.

11. The multiparameter stage lighting apparatus of claim 1 wherein:

all of the plurality of pie shaped light emitting circuit boards are fixed in the same plane unless one or more of the plurality pie shaped light emitting circuit boards are removed from the apparatus.

12. The multiparameter stage lighting apparatus of claim 1 wherein:

all of the plurality of pie shaped light emitting circuit boards are fixed to a heat sink unless one or more of the plurality of pie shaped light emitting circuit boards are removed from the apparatus.

13. The multiparameter stage lighting apparatus of claim 11 wherein:

all of the plurality of pie shaped light emitting circuit boards are fixed to a heat sink unless one or more of the plurality pie shaped light emitting circuit are removed from the apparatus.

14. A multiparameter stage lighting apparatus comprising:

a lamp housing comprising a plurality of light emitting diodes including a first light emitting diode and a second light emitting diode;

wherein there is a number of light emitting diodes in the plurality of light emitting diodes;

wherein the first light emitting diode is comprised of a first red light emitting diode die, a first green light emitting diode die, and a first blue light emitting diode die;

wherein each of the first red, green and blue light emitting diode dies emits its light from a first aperture;

wherein the second light emitting diode is comprised of a second red light emitting diode die, a second green light emitting diode die, and a second blue light emitting diode die;

wherein each of the second red, green and blue light emitting diode dies emits its light from a second aperture;

a base housing;

and wherein the base housing is remotely positionable in relation to the lamp housing;

and further comprising a memory;

wherein the memory contains a plurality of graphical content programs including a first graphical content program;

wherein the first graphical content program alters the first red light emitting diode die to a first intensity level that emits a first light and the second red light emitting diode die to a second intensity level that emits a second light; and

wherein the first light is at a substantially different intensity level than the second light; and

wherein each of the plurality of graphical content programs is a reduced data modification of a computer file, wherein each reduced data modification is created by a conversion computer software program that reduces data in a computer file based at least in part on a number of light emitting diodes of the plurality of light emitting diodes.

15. The multiparameter stage lighting apparatus of claim 14 wherein

the plurality of graphical content programs includes a second graphical content program that alters the first green light emitting diode die to a third intensity level that emits a third light and the second green light emitting diode die to a fourth intensity level that emits a fourth light;

wherein the third light is at a substantially different intensity level than the fourth light.

16. The multiparameter stage lighting apparatus of claim 14 wherein

the plurality of graphical content programs includes a second graphical content program that alters the first red light emitting diode die to a fifth intensity level that emits a fifth light and the second red light emitting diode die to a sixth intensity level that emits a sixth light;

wherein the fifth light is at a substantially different intensity level sixth light and the fifth light is at a substantially different intensity level than the first or second lights.

17. The multiparameter stage lighting apparatus of claim 14 wherein

the plurality of graphical content programs are stock content.

18. The multiparameter stage lighting apparatus of claim 14 wherein

the plurality of graphical content programs include a first set of graphical content programs and a second set of graphical content programs;

and

wherein the first set of the plurality of graphical content programs are stock content and the second set of the plurality of graphical content programs are user content.

19. The multiparameter stage lighting apparatus of claim 18 further comprising

a communications port;

and

a processor;

and wherein the processor, upon receiving a first command from the communications port, evokes a first graphical content program from the first set of the plurality of graphical content programs; and

wherein the processor upon receiving a second command from the communications port, evokes a second graphical content program from the second set of the plurality of graphical content programs.

20. The multiparameter stage lighting apparatus of claim 14 wherein

each of the plurality of graphical content programs are created by a computer graphics program together with the conversion computer software program.

21. The multiparameter stage lighting apparatus of claim 14 wherein

the plurality of graphical content programs are created, at least in part, by a GIF file.

22. The multiparameter stage lighting apparatus of claim 14 wherein

the plurality of graphical content programs are created, at least in part, by a video file.

23. The multiparameter stage lighting apparatus of claim 20 further comprising

a communications port;

and wherein and the plurality of graphical content programs are uploaded to the memory from data communications received by the communications port.

24. The multiparameter stage lighting apparatus of claim 23 wherein

the data communications are compliant with the Universal Serial Bus communications scheme.

25. The multiparameter stage lighting apparatus of claim 23 wherein

the data communications are compliant with Ethernet.

26. The multiparameter stage lighting apparatus of claim 19 wherein

the first command is compliant with DMX protocol.

27. The multiparameter stage lighting apparatus of claim 14 further comprising

a plurality of light emitting circuit boards, each of the plurality of light emitting circuit boards having a corresponding set of a plurality of light emitting diodes, so that there are a plurality of sets of light emitting diodes for the plurality of light emitting circuit boards;

wherein each of the light emitting diodes of the plurality of sets of light emitting diodes is fixed to its respective light emitting circuit board; and

further comprising a plurality of light emitting diode signaling boards, one for each of the plurality of light emitting circuit boards; and

wherein each of the plurality of light emitting diode signaling boards provide variable power to their corresponding light emitting circuit board and to the set of light emitting diodes located thereon.

28. The multiparameter stage lighting apparatus of claim 27 further comprising

a plurality of multiconductor flat cables, one for each of the plurality of light emitting circuit boards;

wherein each of the plurality of multiconductor flat cables conduct variable power between one of the plurality of light emitting diode signaling circuit boards and its corresponding one of the plurality of light emitting circuit boards.

29. The multiparameter stage lighting apparatus of claim 28 wherein

each of the multiconductor flat cables is a multiconductor ribbon cable.

30. A multiparameter stage lighting apparatus comprising:

a lamp housing comprising a plurality of light emitting diodes

wherein the plurality of light emitting diodes are comprised of a first set of red light emitting diodes, a second set of green light emitting diodes and a third set of blue light emitting diodes;

further comprising a base housing;

and wherein the base housing is remotely positionable in relation to the lamp housing;

a memory;

wherein the memory contains a plurality of graphical content programs, including a first graphical content program;

wherein a first frame of the first graphical content program alters a first red light emitting diode of the first set of red light emitting diodes to a first intensity level that emits a first light and a second red light emitting diode of the first set of red light emitting diodes to a second intensity level that emits a second light;

wherein the first light is at a substantially different intensity level than the second light;

wherein a second frame of the first graphical content program alters a third red light emitting diode of the first set of red light emitting diodes to a third intensity level that emits a third light and a fourth red light emitting diode of the first set of red light emitting diodes to a fourth intensity level that emits a fourth light; and

wherein the first intensity level, the second light intensity level, the third light intensity level and the fourth light intensity level are all substantially different; and

wherein each of the plurality of graphical content programs is a reduced data modification of a computer file, wherein each reduced data modification is created by a conversion computer software program that reduces data in a computer file based at least in part on the number of light emitting diodes of the plurality of light emitting diodes.

31. The multiparameter stage light of claim 30 wherein

the first graphical content program alters any one of the plurality of light emitting diodes to two hundred fifty-eight different intensity levels.

32. The multiparameter stage light of claim 30 wherein

a first set of the plurality of graphical content programs are factory graphical content programs and a second set of the plurality of graphical content programs are user graphical content programs.

33. The multiparameter stage light of claim 32 further comprising

a communications port;

and

a processor;

and wherein the processor, upon receiving a first command from the communications port, evokes a first graphical content program from the first set of the plurality of graphical content programs; and

wherein the processor upon receiving a second command from the communications port, evokes a second graphical content program from the second set of the plurality of graphical content programs.

34. The multiparameter stage light of claim 33 wherein

the first command and the second command are compliant with DMX protocol.

35. The multiparameter stage light of claim 30 wherein

a set of the plurality of graphical content programs are GIF files.

36. The multiparameter stage light of claim 30

wherein a set of the plurality of graphical content programs are created by a GIF file.

37. The multiparameter stage light of claim 30 further comprising

a communications port;

and wherein a set of the plurality of graphical content programs are stored in the memory and are uploaded to the communications port over a communication system compliant with the Universal Serial Bus communications scheme.

38. The multiparameter stage light of claim 30 further comprising

a communications port;

and wherein a set of the plurality of graphical content programs stored in the memory are uploaded to the communications port over a communication system compliant with Ethernet.

39. The multiparameter stage light of claim 30 further comprising

a communications port;

and wherein a set of the plurality of graphical content programs are stored in the memory and are uploaded to the communications port over a communication system compliant with DMX.