Focus assistance for rotating luminaire based on measurements by independently rotating distance sensor

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12523355-B2
Application number	US-202318193903-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 31, 2023
Priority date	Mar 31, 2023
Publication date	Jan 13, 2026
Grant date	Jan 13, 2026

Abstract

A lighting system capable of providing automated focus assistance for a rotatable lighting fixture thereof. In one example, an independently rotatable distance-measurement device located in the same theater-stage or light-show environment as the rotatable lighting fixture operates to measure a distance to the projection surface and transmits the measurement to an electronic controller. The electronic controller uses the measurement and a suitable algorithm to determine a focus parameter value for the projection optics of the rotatable lighting fixture. The determined focus parameter value is encoded in a control signal, which is then used to command a motor to move the corresponding component of the projection optics, thereby bringing and/or keeping in focus a pertinent edge of the illuminated area on the projection surface. An example method for automated focus assistance supports cue stack programming, single shot focus assistance, and continuous focus assistance.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A lighting system, comprising:
a first lighting fixture including a first optical assembly configured to project a first light beam onto a projection surface, the first optical assembly being rotatable with respect to the projection surface and including a first lens, a second lens, and a third lens arranged along an optical axis of the first optical assembly, the second lens and the third lens being independently translatable with respect to the first lens to different positions along the optical axis of the first optical assembly; a first distance measurement device mounted on a first pan-and-tilt apparatus and configured to provide a measure of a distance between the first distance measurement device and the projection surface, the first distance-measurement device being rotatable with respect to the projection surface by operation of the first pan-and-tilt apparatus, the first distance-measurement device and the first optical assembly being rotatable independent of one another; and a control circuit configured to determine an estimated position of the third lens with which an edge of an area illuminated by the first light beam on the projection surface is in focus, the estimated position being determined based on the measure and further based on an axial position of the second lens in the first optical assembly.

2 . The lighting system of claim 1 , wherein the lighting system comprises a control console configured to:
receive the measure from the first distance measurement device via a first communication channel; obtain respective angular orientation parameters for the first optical assembly and for the first distance measurement device; and compute an estimated throw value for the first lighting fixture based on the measure and the respective angular orientation parameters, wherein the control circuit is configured to determine the estimated position of the third lens based on the estimated throw value.

3 . The lighting system of claim 2 , wherein the control console is further configured to communicate the estimated throw value to the control circuit via a second communication channel.

4 . The lighting system of claim 3 ,
wherein the first lighting fixture comprises a first motor configured to translate the third lens along the optical axis of the of the first optical assembly; and wherein the first lighting fixture is configured to operate the first motor to place the third lens into the estimated position.

5 . The lighting system of claim 4 , wherein the first lighting fixture further comprises a second motor configured to translate the second lens along the optical axis of the of the first optical assembly to change the axial position.

6 . The lighting system of claim 1 , further comprising a second lighting fixture configured to project a second light beam onto the projection surface,
wherein the second lighting fixture includes the first pan-and-tilt apparatus; and wherein the first pan-and-tilt apparatus is configured to pan and tilt the second light beam.

7 . The lighting system of claim 6 , wherein the second lighting fixture includes a second optical assembly configured to project the second light beam onto the projection surface, the second optical assembly being mounted on the first pan-and-tilt apparatus to rotate together with the first distance measurement device and including a fourth lens, a fifth lens, and a sixth lens arranged along an optical axis of the second optical assembly, the fifth lens and the sixth lens being independently translatable with respect to the fourth lens to different positions along the optical axis of the second optical assembly.

8 . The lighting system of claim 7 , wherein the control circuit is further configured to determine an estimated position of the sixth lens with which an edge of an area illuminated by the second light beam on the projection surface is in focus, the estimated position of the sixth lens being determined based on the measure and further based on an axial position of the fifth lens in the second optical assembly.

9 . The lighting system of claim 1 , further comprising a second lighting fixture configured to project a second light beam onto the projection surface, the second lighting fixture including a second pan-and-tilt apparatus configured to pan and tilt the second light beam.

10 . The lighting system of claim 9 , further comprising a second distance measurement device mounted on the second pan-and-tilt apparatus and configured to provide a measured value representing a distance between the second distance measurement device and the projection surface, the second distance-measurement device being rotatable with respect to the projection surface by operation of the second pan-and-tilt apparatus,
wherein the first optical assembly, the first distance-measurement device, and the second distance-measurement device are rotatable independent of each another.

11 . The lighting system of claim 10 , wherein the second lighting fixture includes a second optical assembly configured to project the second light beam onto the projection surface, the second optical assembly being mounted on the second pan-and-tilt apparatus to rotate together with the second distance measurement device and including a fourth lens, a fifth lens, and a sixth lens arranged along an optical axis of the second optical assembly, the fifth lens and the sixth lens being independently translatable with respect to the fourth lens to different positions along the optical axis of the second optical assembly.

12 . The lighting system of claim 11 , wherein the control circuit is further configured to determine an estimated position of the sixth lens with which an edge of an area illuminated by the second light beam on the projection surface is in focus, the estimated position of the sixth lens being determined based on the measured value and further based on an axial position of the fifth lens in the second optical assembly.

13 . The lighting system of claim 10 , wherein the control circuit is further configured to determine the estimated position of the third lens based on the measured value.

14 . The lighting system of claim 13 , wherein the lighting system comprises a control console configured to:
receive the measure from the first distance measurement device via a first communication channel; receive the measured value from the second distance measurement device via a second communication channel; obtain respective angular orientation parameters for the first optical assembly, for the second optical assembly, and for the first distance measurement device; and compute an estimated throw value for the first lighting fixture based on the measure, the measured value, and the respective angular orientation parameters, wherein the control circuit is configured to determine the estimated position of the third lens based on the estimated throw value.

15 . The lighting system of claim 14 ,
wherein the control console is further configured to communicate the estimated throw value to the control circuit via a third communication channel;
wherein the first lighting fixture comprises a first motor configured to translate the third lens along the optical axis of the of the first optical assembly; and
wherein the first lighting fixture is configured to operate the first motor to place the third lens into the estimated position.

16 . The lighting system of claim 15 , wherein the first lighting fixture further comprises a second motor configured to translate the second lens along the optical axi

Assignees

• Electronic Theatre Controls Inc

Inventors

• Schweiner Maxwell
• Gnam Evan
• Stoner Matthew
• Meltzer Noah

Classifications

• G02B7/28

  Systems for automatic generation of focusing signals · CPC title

• F21W2131/406

  for theatres, stages or film studios · CPC title

• F21V23/0471

  the sensor detecting the proximity, the presence or the movement of an object or a person · CPC title

• F21V14/06 Primary

  by movement of refractors {(in vehicle head lamps F21S41/635)} · CPC title

• F21V5/008

  Combination of two or more successive refractors along an optical axis · CPC title