Automation and motion control system

• US 9,295,922 B2
• Filed: 04/30/2015
• Issued: 03/29/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 05/21/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Tait Towers Manufacturing, LLC
• Original Assignee: Tait Towers Manufacturing, LLC
• Inventors: Fisher, Scott
• Primary Examiner(s): HARTMAN JR, RONALD D
• Application Number:
  US14/700,678
• Publication Number:
  US 20150231524A1
• Time in Patent Office: 334 Days
• Field of Search: 700/17, 700 19- 20, 700/53, 700/56, 700 60- 61, 700/83, 318/34
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A63J 1/028 Means for moving hanging scenery
• CPC Class Codes: A63J 99/00 Subject matter not provided for in other groups of this subclass
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 15/02 electric
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/052 Linking several PLC's
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/4061 Avoiding collision or forbidden zones
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/23416 Enter application program into I-O module, like motion program, servo program
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/33114 Configure motion controller to drive any kind of motor type connected
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/33116 Configuration of motion control
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/33273 DCS distributed, decentralised controlsystem, multiprocessor
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/35585 Motion command profile
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/36036 Motion, graphical motion control language gmcl
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/36171 Edit velocity, motion profile, graphic plot of speed as function of time, position
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/43173 Synchronize motion with scenery, sound
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/45008 Theatre

Abstract

An automation and motion control system for theatrical objects, such as theatrical props, cameras, stunt persons, lighting, scenery, drapery or other similar types of devices or items, is provided to coordinate the movement of the objects on a large scale and/or to control the operation of the objects.

Claims

1. An automation and motion control system to control a plurality of theatrical objects, the control system comprising:

a plurality of nodes in communication with each other over a real time network, wherein each node of the plurality of nodes corresponds to at least one item of equipment used to control at least one of the theatrical objects;

each node of the plurality of nodes comprising a microprocessor and a memory device;

the memory device comprising a node process and at least one control process executable by the microprocessor;

the at least one control process being used to control an operation of the at least one item of equipment; and

the at least one control process having one or more of cues, rules and actions to generate one or more control instructions to control the operation of the at least one item of equipment;

wherein a space device is implemented into at least one node of the plurality of nodes to simulate a motion routine of an object to be moved by the at least one node in a predefined space prior to implementation of the motion routine.

2. The automation and motion control system of claim 1 wherein each node of the plurality of nodes has a unique network address.

3. The automation and motion control system of claim 1 wherein the space device controls both a position and an orientation of the object to be moved in the predefined space.

4. The automation and motion control system of claim 1 wherein the plurality of nodes correspond to one or more of machinery, input/output devices, external systems, safety systems, remote stations and operator consoles.

5. The automation and motion control system of claim 1 wherein the space device evaluates a possibility of a collision during a simulation of the motion routine of the object to be moved.

6. The automation and motion control system of claim 5 wherein the space device reports the possibility of the collision to an operator.