Lighting control console for controlling a lighting system

• US 8,452,426 B2
• Filed: 07/02/2010
• Issued: 05/28/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 07/02/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: MA Lighting Technology GmbH (MA Lighthing)
• Original Assignee: MA Lighting Technology GmbH (MA Lighthing)
• Inventors: Adenau, Michael, Cordes, Hartmut
• Primary Examiner(s): Ali, Mohammad
• Assistant Examiner(s): WHITTINGTON, ANTHONY T
• Application Number:
  US12/829,431
• Publication Number:
  US 20120004745A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,061 Days
• Field of Search: 700/83, 386/231, 315/312
• US Class Current: 700/83
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1616 with folding flat displays, e.g. laptop computers or notebooks having a clamshell configuration, with body parts pivoting to an open position around an axis parallel to the plane they define in closed position
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1643 the display being associated to a digitizer, e.g. laptops that can be used as penpads details related to the relative motion of the display enclosure with respect to the body enclosure, e.g. to move between laptop and tablet PC configuration G06F1/1615
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/155 Coordinated control of two or more light sources
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/175 by remote control

Abstract

A lighting control console for controlling a lighting system, wherein digital adjustment commands are generated in the lighting control console and can be transmitted to the lighting devices of the lighting system via data connections includes at least one digital processor and at least one digital memory for generating, managing and storing the adjustment commands, and at least one display unit. Graphical elements can be displayed graphically for the operator at the display unit on a display surface. The display unit is made of an at least partially transparent material in the region of the display surface, wherein the display unit can be switched between a transparency mode and a display mode, and wherein the display unit (06) is partially transparent upon activation of the transparency mode in the region of the display surface and enables the operator to look through the display surface. The display unit enables the graphical representation of graphical elements on the display surface for the operator upon activation of the display mode in the region of the display surface.

Claims

1. A lighting control console for controlling a lighting system, wherein digital adjustment commands are generated in the lighting control console and are transmitted to the lighting devices of the lighting system via data connections, and wherein the lighting control console comprises:

at least one digital processor and at least one digital memory for generating, managing and storing the adjustment commands; and

at least one display unit including a display surface made of an at least partially transparent material, wherein the display unit is switchable between a transparency mode and a display mode, and wherein in the transparency mode, the display unit is at least partially transparent in a region of the at least partially transparent material of the display surface allowing an operator to look through the display surface, and wherein in the display mode, the display unit displays graphical elements on the display surface, wherein the at least one display unit is formed by a projection unit having at least one projector and at least one projection surface including the display surface, wherein the at least one projection surface is switchable between a transparent state and an intransparent state, and wherein when the projection surface is switched into the intransparent state, the graphical elements are projected onto the at least one projection surface by the at least one projector.

2. The lighting control console according to claim 1, wherein the display surface of the at least one display unit is formed by a transparent LED display.

3. The lighting console according to claim 1, wherein graphical elements are projected by the at least one projector from behind onto a side of the projection surface that faces away from an operator viewing the display surface.

4. The lighting console according to claim 3, wherein the at least one projector is disposed on a rear side of a housing of the lighting control console.

5. The lighting console according to claim 1, wherein the at least one projection surface is electro-chromatic glass having a transparency that is modifiable by varying the electrical voltage applied.

6. The lighting console according to claim 1, wherein the at least one projection surface is a transparent glass carrier having a transparent film disposed thereon, wherein the film includes a plurality of holographic optical elements (HOE), and wherein each holographic optical element (HOE) deflects light passing through the film and the glass carrier.

7. The lighting console according to claim 1, wherein the display unit is mounted relative to housing so as to be pivotable about a swiveling axis and is pivotable between a swiveled-back rest position and a swiveled-up operating position.

8. The lighting console according to claim 7, wherein a drive unit is engaged between the housing and the display unit for enabling motor-driven displacement of the display unit between the rest position and the operating position.

9. The lighting console according to claim 8, wherein the drive unit comprises a gear rim fastened to the display unit and an electric motor fastened to the housing, wherein the drive pinion of the electric motor is in engagement with toothed gearing of the gear rim.

10. The lighting console according to claim 8, wherein the at least one projector for projecting the graphical elements onto the at least one projection surface is disposed at a portion of the drive unit for motor-driven displacement of the at least one display unit and is displaced synchronously with the display unit upon actuation of the display unit.

11. The lighting control console according to claim 10, wherein the at least one projector for projecting the graphical elements onto the at least one projection surface is disposed at a gear rim of the drive unit.

12. The lighting control console according to claim 1, wherein the display surface of the at least one display unit is a touch-sensitive touch-screen, wherein operator inputs are entered by touching operating elements displayed on the display surface.

13. The lighting control console according to claim 1, wherein the graphical elements are displayed on the display surface in a three-dimensional representation.

14. A lighting control console for controlling a lighting system including lighting devices, said lighting control console comprises:

a display unit including a display surface, wherein the display unit is switchable between a transparency mode and a display mode, and wherein in the transparency mode, the lighting devices are at least partially viewable through the display surface, and wherein in the display mode, the display unit displays graphical elements on the display surface and at least partially blocks a view of the lighting devices, wherein the display surface includes a transparent glass carrier having a transparent film disposed thereon, wherein the film includes a plurality of holographic optical elements (HOE), and wherein each holographic optical element (HOE) deflects the light passing through the film and the glass carrier.

15. The lighting control console according to claim 14, wherein the display surface of the display unit is a transparent LED display.

16. The lighting console according to claim 14, wherein the display surface includes electro-chromatic glass having a transparency that is modifiable by varying the electrical voltage applied.

17. The lighting console according to claim 14, wherein the display unit includes at least one projector that projects the graphical elements onto the display surface of the display unit.

18. The lighting console according to claim 14, wherein the display unit is mounted as to be pivotable about a swiveling axis and is pivotable between a swiveled-back rest position and a swiveled-up operating position.