Computer system for the timed firing of pyrotechnic devices that uses a closed or open ethernet network.

Abstract

Some of the most advanced fireworks displays incorporate music, video, lights, and other special effects. For the seamless operation of these displays, the presence of computerized firing systems on the market can be greatly appreciated. In addition to entertainment value, the abilities of initiating a fireworks display from a distance and being able to stop a display at any time has made shooting fireworks displays safer than ever. However, because of the expense of this hardware, these elaborate displays can be far out of reach for anyone who has a lower budget. The idea outlined in this patent will help solve that issue by suggesting an asynchronous computerized firing system. This system can be initiated using a personal computer without any proprietary hardware with the exception of low cost modules.

Description

DEFINITIONS FOR TERMS USED[0001]Pyrotechnic Devices: Devices used in the commercial fireworks industry such as aerial shells, mines, comets, fountains, gerbs, etc.[0002]Pyro-Musical: A pyrotechnic display that uses pyrotechnic devices synchronized to music.[0003]Personal Computer: A computer readily available such as a laptop, desktop, tablet, or any other form of disk operated system.[0004]E-match: The electrical triggering device used to trigger pyrotechnic devices.[0005]Firing Computer: The computer used as the direct controller for the firing of pyrotechnic devices. *The terms firing computer, computer, system, and controller are all used interchangeably.[0006]Network: A number of digital devices that interconnected using a data transfer protocol native to personal computers.[0007]Module: A slave device that converts the firing code to electrical signals that trigger pyrotechnic devices.[0008]Firing Code: The digital code that is used by the firing computer to trigger pyrotechni...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0028]Due to the nature of the network transfer protocol, the entire process of triggering the devices can be performed or monitored from a remote location using a secure web-server. The very significant advantage of this is that outside events can be controlled from any distance, given an adequate internet connection. A display that requires remote speakers to broadcast music to an audience can do so via the internet. A display that has multiple firing locations that would be impractical to connect by wire can be linked on a closed network and fired wirelessly either from a single firing computer or a remote location, such as with the audience.

Problems solved by technology

Because of the proprietary hardware that the current synchronous systems require, they can be quite costly.

Because of these advances, transmission delays over these types of networks have become imperceptible at close ranges with these delays being as low as a few milliseconds.

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