Intelligent light fixture with manual follow spot function

• US 8,449,141 B1
• Filed: 04/13/2010
• Issued: 05/28/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 06/18/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Harman Professional Denmark ApS. (Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Martin Professional A/S (Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.)
• Inventors: Hinrichs, Matthias
• Primary Examiner(s): DZIERZYNSKI, EVAN P
• Application Number:
  US13/378,184
• Publication Number:
  US 20130120984A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,141 Days
• Field of Search: 362/235, 362/277, 362/268, 362/282
• US Class Current: 362/235
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 21/14 Adjustable mountings
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 21/15 specially adapted for power operation, e.g. by remote control
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 21/30 Pivoted housings or frames
• CPC Class Codes: F21W 2131/406 for theatres, stages or film studios
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/155 Coordinated control of two or more light sources
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/17 Operational modes, e.g. switching from manual to automatic mode or prohibiting specific operations

Abstract

The present invention relates to entertainments systems comprising a light controller connected to at least one moving head light fixture through a communication channel and to moving head light fixtures, where a moving head comprises switching means for switching said moving head between a normal mode of operation and a follow spot mode of operation, said follow spot mode of operation being characterized in that at least said first rotating means or said second rotating means being deactivated. In is thus possible to use the moving head as both an automatic moving head an as a manual moved follow spot. The moving head comprises also position encoding means determining to position of the moving head and other moving heads in the entertainment system thus be controlled based on the position of the first moving head.

Claims

1. A moving head light fixture comprising:

a base

a yoke rotatable connected to said base,

a head rotatable connected to said yoke, said head comprises at least one light source generating a light beam,

first rotating means for rotating said yoke in relation to said base,

second rotating means for rotating said head in relation to said yoke,

controlling means adapted to control said light effect means based on an input signal, said input signal indicative of at least one light effect parameter,

controlling means adapted to control said at least said first rotating means or said second rotating means based on said input signal, said input signal being further indicative of at least one position parameter, said position parameter is indicative of at least one position parameter, said position parameter is indicative of at least a position of said yoke in relation to said base or a position of said head in relation to said yoke,

wherein that said moving head further comprises switching means for switching said moving head between a normal mode of operation and a follow spot mode of operation, said follow spot mode of operation being characterized in that at least said first rotating means or said second rotating means being deactivated while said controlling means adapted for control said light effect means remains at least partially activated.

2. A moving head light fixture according to claim 1 wherein that said follow spot mode further being characterized in that at least said yoke manually can be moved in relation to said base or said head manually can be moved in relation to said yoke.

3. A moving head light fixture according to claim 1 wherein characterized in that said switching means deactivates said at least first rotating means or said second rotating means in said follow spot mode by deactivating said controlling means adapted to control said at least said first rotating means or said second rotating means.

4. A moving head light fixture according to claim 3 wherein that said controlling means controlling said at least said first rotating means or said second rotating means is adapted to ignore said position parameter.

5. A moving head light fixture according to claim 1 wherein that said switching means in said follow spot mode is adapted to reduce electrical power supplied to at least said first rotating means or said second rotating means.

6. A moving head light fixture according to claim 1 wherein that said switching means deactivates said at least said first rotating means or said second rotating means in said follow spot mode by disconnecting electrical power supplied to at least said first rotating means or said second rotating means.

7. A moving head light fixture according to claim 1 wherein that said moving head light fixture comprises user interacting means connected to said switching means, said user interacting means is adapted to activate said switching means.

8. A moving head light fixture according to claim 1 wherein that said switching means responds to said input signal and in that said input further indicative of at least one mode of operation parameter.

9. A moving head light fixture according to claim 1 wherein that said moving head further comprises communication means adapted to send at least one output signal through a communication channel.

10. A moving head light fixture according to claim 1 wherein that said moving head further comprises position encoding means determining at least the position of said yoke in relation to said base or the position of said head in relation the yoke.

11. A moving head light fixture according to claim 1 wherein that said controlling means controlling said light effect means is adapted to ignore at least one of said light effect parameters of said input signal.

12. A moving head light fixture according to claim 11 wherein that said head light fixture comprises user interacting means adapted to provide an input signal substituting said ignored light effect parameters.

13. An entertainment system comprising a light controller connected to at least one moving head light fixture through a communication channel, said moving head light fixtures comprise:

a base

a yoke rotatable connected to said base

a head rotatable connected to said yoke, said head comprises at least one light source generating a light beam,

light effect means adapted to modify said light beam,

first rotating means for rotating said yoke in relation to said base,

second rotating means for rotating said head in relation to said yoke,

controlling means adapted to control said light effect means based on an input signal, said input signal indicative of at least one light effect parameter,

controlling means adapted to control said at least said first rotating means or said second rotating means based on said input signal, said input signal being further indicative of at least one position parameter, said position parameter is indicative of at least a position said yoke in relation to said base or a position of said head in relation to said yoke, said light controller controls said at least one moving head light fixture by sending said input signal to said moving head light fixture through said communication channel.

wherein that at least a first moving head light fixtures comprises switching means for switching said moving head between a normal mode of operation and a follow spot mode of operation, said follow spot mode of operating being characterized in that at least said first rotating means of second rotating means being deactivated while said controlling means adapted for control said light effect means remains activated.

14. An entertainment system according to claim 13 wherein that said follow spot mode further being characterized in that at least said yoke manually can be moved in relation to said base or said head manually can be moved in relation to said yoke.

15. An entertainment system according to claim 13 wherein that said first moving head light fixture comprises user interacting means connected to said switching means, said user interacting means is adapted to activate said switching means.

16. An entertainment system according to claim 13 wherein that said switching means responds to said input signal and in that said input signal further is indicative of at least one mode of operation parameter.

17. An entertainment system according to claim 13 wherein that said moving head further comprises communication means adapted to send at least one output signal through said communication channel.

18. An entertainment system according to claim 13 wherein that said first moving head further comprises position encoding means determining at least the position of said yoke in relation to said base or the position of said head in relation the yoke.

19. An entertainment system according to claim 17 wherein that said output signal is indicative of at least said position of said yoke in relation to said base or said position of said head in relation the yoke.

20. An entertainment system according to claim 19 wherein that said entertainment system comprises at least a second moving head and in that at least said first rotating means or said second rotating means of said second moving head light fixture being controlled based on at least said output signal.

21. A method of controlling a moving head light fixture, said moving head light fixture comprising:

a base,

a yoke rotatable connected to said base,

a head rotatable connected to said yoke, said head comprises at least one light source generating a light beam,

light effect means adapted to modify said light beam,

first rotating means for rotating said yoke in relation to said base,

second rotating means for rotating said head in relation to said yoke,

controlling means adapted to control said light effect means based on an input signal, said input signal indicative of at least one light effect parameter,

controlling means adapted to control said at least said first rotating means or said second rotating means based on said input signal, said input signal being further indicative of at least one position parameter, said position parameter is indicative of position of at least said yoke in relation to said base or position of said head in relation to said yoke,

switching means for switching said moving heads between a normal mode of operation and a follow spot mode of operation, said follow spot mode of operation being characterized in that at least said first rotating means or said second rotating means being deactivated while said controlling means adapted for control said light effect means remains activated;

said method comprises the step of switching said switching means between said normal mode of operation and said follow spot mode of operation, said follow spot mode of operation being characterized in that at least said first rotating means or said second rotating means being deactivated while said controlling means adapted for control said light effect means remains at least partially activated.

22. A method according to claim 21 wherein that said method comprises at least one of the steps of:

manually moving said yoke in relation to said base or

manually moving said head in relation to said yoke.

23. A method of claim 21 wherein that said method comprises at least one of the steps of:

controlling at least one of said light effect means based on said an light effect parameter of said input signal.

24. A method according to claim 23 wherein that said method comprises at least one of the steps of:

ignoring at least one of said light effect parameters of said input signal;

manually controlling at least one of said light effect means controlled by said ignored light effect parameters.