Multiparameter stage lighting apparatus with graphical output

• US 8,063,906 B2
• Filed: 05/20/2008
• Issued: 11/22/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 01/25/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Electronic Theatre Controls Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Barco Lighting Systems, Inc.
• Inventors: Grimes, Thomas Edward, Belliveau, Richard S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Wu; Xiao M.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Ma; Tize
• Application Number:
  US12/123,514
• Publication Number:
  US 20090190346A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,281 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 345/473
• 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;

a lamp housing;

a base housing; and

a plurality of light emitting diodes including a first light emitting diode including a first color, a second light emitting diode including a second color, and a third light emitting diode including a third color, wherein the first color, the second color and the third color are different from each other;

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

wherein a plurality of graphical content programs, each comprised of a plurality of frames of data, are stored in the memory; and

wherein the processor is programmed to select a first frame of data of a plurality of frames of data of a first graphical content program of the plurality of graphical content programs if a first DMX value supplied by an operator of a theatrical control system on a first DMX channel is within a first range of DMX values, and the processor is programmed to use the first frame of data to cause;

the first light emitting diode to be illuminated to a first percent illumination;

the second light emitting diode to be illuminated to a second percent illumination; and

the third light emitting diode to be illuminated to a third percent illumination;

wherein the first percent illumination, the second percent illumination, and the third percent illumination are different from each other; and

wherein the processor is programmed to select a second frame of data of the plurality of frames of data of the first graphical content program of the plurality of graphical content programs if the first DMX value supplied by the operator of the theatrical control system on the first DMX channel is within a second range of DMX values, wherein the first range is different from the second range, the second frame of data is different from the first frame of data, and the processor is programmed to use the second frame of data to cause;

the first LED to be illuminated to a fourth percent illumination;

the second LED to be illuminated to a fifth percent illumination; and

a third light emitting diode to be illuminated to a sixth percent illumination; and

wherein the fourth percent illumination, the fifth percent illumination, and the sixth percent illumination are different from each other.

2. The stage lighting apparatus of claim 1 wherein

the first range of DMX values and the second range of DMX values together make up all the possible DMX values for the first DMX channel.

3. The stage lighting apparatus of claim 2 wherein

there is no overlap between the first range of DMX values and the second range of DMX values.

4. The stage lighting apparatus of claim 1 wherein

the first DMX value is supplied by the operator by use of an input device.

5. The stage lighting apparatus of claim 4 wherein the input device is a slider.

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

remotely positioning a lamp housing of the stage lighting apparatus in relation to a base housing of the stage lighting apparatus, wherein the lamp housing includes therein a plurality of light emitting diodes, which include a first light emitting diode including a first color, a second light emitting diode including a second color, and a third light emitting diode including a third color, wherein the first color, the second color, and the third color are different;

storing a plurality of graphical content programs in a memory of the stage lighting apparatus;

receiving at a processor, a first DMX value on a first DMX channel from an operator of a theatrical control system;

using the processor to determine if the first DMX value is within a first range of DMX values;

if the first DMX value is within the first range of DMX values, using the processor to select a first frame of data of a plurality of frames of data of a first graphical content program of the plurality of graphical content programs in memory, and if the first DMX value is within the first range of DMX values, using the first frame of data to cause;

the first light emitting diode to be illuminated to a first percent illumination;

the second light emitting diode to be illuminated to a second percent illumination; and

the third light emitting diode to be illuminated to a third percent illumination;

wherein the first percent illumination, the second percent illumination, and the third percent illumination are different from each other; and

further comprising

using the processor to determine if the first DMX value is within a second range of DMX values;

if the first DMX value is within the second range of DMX values, using the processor to select a second frame of data of the plurality of frames of data of the first graphical content program of the plurality of graphical content programs, wherein the first range is different from the second range, the second frame of data is different from the first frame of data, and further comprising

if the first DMX value is within the second range of DMX values using the second frame of data to cause;

the first light emitting diode to be illuminated to a fourth percent illumination;

the second light emitting diode to be illuminated to a fifth percent illumination; and

a third light emitting diode to be illuminated to a sixth percent illumination; and

wherein the fourth percent illumination, the fifth percent illumination, and the sixth percent illumination are different from each other.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein

the first range of DMX values and the second range of DMX values together make up all the possible DMX values for the first DMX channel.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein

there is no overlap between the first range of DMX values and the second range of DMX values.

9. The method of claim 6 wherein

the first DMX value is received from an input device.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein

the input device is a slider.