A stage light system with synchronized operation of programs

Abstract

The application discloses a stage lamp system with synchronized program running, which comprises stage lamps and a controller for controlling the stage lamps. Each stage lamp is provided with a self-organizing network module. The controller controls a plurality of stage lamps to form a local area network by using the self-organizing network modules, takes one stage lamp in the local area network as a master node, takes the remaining stage lamps as a plurality of follower nodes, synchronizes the time of all the stage lamps in the local area network, and then sends the current program frame information of the master node to the follower nodes. The follower nodes adjust their own program frames according to the current program frame information of the master node. The stage lamp system with synchronized program running is provided with a self-organizing network module for each stage lamp, so that a local area network can be formed, the time consistency of all the stage lamps in the local area network is realized, then the follower nodes can adjust their own program frames according to the current program frame information of the master node, and the effect of synchronized program running of the stage lamps in the local area network is achieved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of stage lighting technology, and more specifically, to a stage lighting system for synchronized operation of a program. Background Technology

[0002] Most stage lights on the market are controlled based on the DMX512 protocol, which uses a console broadcasting method. Furthermore, the program display of the lights is executed sequentially using timers, meaning the console cannot know the status of the lights. When multiple lights need to start a program simultaneously, if one light loses a protocol packet, its program startup time will be slower than the others. This results in multiple stage lights displaying out-of-sync programs, and due to the lack of a feedback mechanism, the console cannot automatically adjust. Summary of the Invention

[0003] To overcome at least one of the defects described in the prior art, the present invention provides a stage lighting system for synchronized program operation, which can realize the synchronized operation of programs among multiple stage lights.

[0004] To solve the above-mentioned technical problems, the technical solution adopted by the present invention is: a stage lighting system for synchronized program operation, including stage lights and a controller for controlling the stage lights. Each stage light has a self-organizing network module. The controller controls multiple stage lights to form a local area network using the self-organizing network module, and designates one stage light in the local area network as the master node, and the remaining stage lights as multiple follower nodes. The controller performs time synchronization on all stage lights in the local area network, and then sends the current program frame information of the master node to the follower nodes. The follower nodes adjust their own program frames according to the current program frame information of the master node.

[0005] The stage lighting system that synchronizes program operation is configured to form a local area network (LAN) by equipping each stage light with a self-organizing network module. This allows the stage lights to communicate with each other and ensures that the time of the stage lights acting as follower nodes is consistent with the time of the stage lights acting as master nodes. This achieves consistency in the time of all stage lights within the LAN. Then, follower nodes can adjust their own program frames based on the current program frame information of the master node, thus achieving the effect of synchronized program operation of stage lights within the LAN.

[0006] Furthermore, after establishing a local area network, all follower nodes are placed in a state of pending synchronization. These follower nodes, in this state, block signals from the controller and act only according to signals from the master node. This helps the master node coordinate the consistency of the follower nodes, avoiding simultaneous reception of instructions from both the controller and the master node, which could lead to logical conflicts in the follower nodes.

[0007] Furthermore, the program data to be displayed by the stage lights is forwarded by the controller to the follower nodes through the master node. Since the program data is sent gradually by the controller during the stage lights' program display process, forwarding the program data through the master node allows for better synchronization between the follower nodes and the master node's program, and avoids interference from data sent by the controller to the follower nodes.

[0008] Furthermore, after receiving the current program frame information from the master node, the follower nodes send their own current program frame information back to the master node. The master node determines whether the time difference between the program frame of each follower node and the program frame of the master node is greater than a preset value. If so, the time of the corresponding follower node is resynchronized, and the latest program frame is displayed according to the synchronized time. Otherwise, the current program frame of each follower node remains unchanged. In this way, during the stage lighting program display, the time of the follower nodes can be adjusted in real time to keep the time difference with the master node within the preset value range, thereby facilitating the automatic maintenance of program frame consistency between the follower nodes and the master node.

[0009] Furthermore, when the time difference between a program frame of a following node and a program frame of the master node exceeds a preset value, the following node first synchronizes and displays the corresponding program frame according to the current program frame information of the master node, then resynchronizes the time of the following node, and displays the latest program frame according to the synchronized time. First, synchronizing and displaying the corresponding program frame according to the current program frame information of the master node allows the following node to catch up with the master node's pace as quickly as possible. Then, resynchronizing the time of the following node and displaying the latest program frame according to the synchronized time ultimately achieves complete consistency of program frames between the following node and the master node.

[0010] Furthermore, during time synchronization, the time of the master node is used as the reference. Since all the follower nodes can receive information from the master node, using the master node's time as the reference facilitates the control of the time of all follower nodes, thereby ensuring time consistency across the entire local area network.

[0011] Furthermore, the self-organizing network module is either a Wi-Fi module or a Bluetooth module. These are common self-organizing network modules with stable performance and mature technology.

[0012] Furthermore, it also includes a networking module, through which the local area network connects to the Internet. This allows the stage lighting status and effects lights to be uploaded to the Internet, or to receive commands from the Internet, thus enhancing the performance of the stage lighting system.

[0013] Furthermore, when the controller controls multiple stage lights to form a local area network (LAN) using the self-organizing network module, it sends a networking flag to the corresponding stage light. Upon receiving the networking flag, the corresponding stage light automatically flashes and forms the LAN using the self-organizing network module. The stage light that receives the networking flag automatically flashes to indicate to the user whether the LAN formation is incorrect.

[0014] Furthermore, the master node is determined based on the RSSI signal strength. This ensures that the selected stage light, as the master node, has the best overall signal strength with all the following nodes compared to other stage lights as the master node, which is beneficial for data transmission.

[0015] Furthermore, the program frame information refers to a program time point. That is, the program frame information transmitted between the master node and the follower node is the time point of the program, indicating which stage the program has reached.

[0016] Furthermore, the controller is a DMX512 console. Without modifying the existing console, simply by configuring the self-organizing network module on the stage lights, information exchange between all the stage lights can be achieved, and the programs of the stage lights can be synchronized.

[0017] Furthermore, the controller connects to multiple links, each link is equipped with at least one stage light, and each stage light is equipped with the self-organizing network module. The stage lights forming the local area network can come from multiple links, or all of them can come from one link. The master node can be located on a different link than any of the follower nodes, or it can be located on the same link as all of the follower nodes. Attached Figure Description

[0018] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the stage lighting system for synchronous operation of the program according to the present invention.

[0019] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the operation process of the stage lighting system for synchronous operation of the program in this invention.

[0020] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram illustrating the process of adjusting the timing of the following nodes in real time for the stage lighting system that synchronizes with the program in this invention.

[0021] In the picture:

[0022] 100. Controller; 200. Stage lights; 300. Self-organizing network module; 400. Local area network; 410. Master node; 420. Follower node; 500. Networking module. Detailed Implementation

[0023] The accompanying drawings are for illustrative purposes only and should not be construed as limiting this patent. To better illustrate this embodiment, some components in the drawings may be omitted, enlarged, or reduced, and do not represent the actual dimensions of the product. It is understandable to those skilled in the art that some well-known structures and their descriptions may be omitted in the drawings. The positional relationships described in the drawings are for illustrative purposes only and should not be construed as limiting this patent.

[0024] like Figures 1 to 2 This invention provides a stage lighting system for synchronized program operation, including stage lights 200 and a controller 100 for controlling the stage lights 200. Each stage light 200 has a self-organizing network module 300. The controller 100 controls multiple stage lights 200 to form a local area network 400 using the self-organizing network module 300. One stage light 200 in the local area network 400 is designated as a master node 410, and the remaining stage lights 200 are designated as multiple follower nodes 420. The controller synchronizes the time of all stage lights 200 in the local area network 400. Then, the current program frame information of the master node 410 is sent to the follower nodes 420, and the follower nodes 420 adjust their own program frames according to the current program frame information of the master node 410.

[0025] The stage lighting system that enables synchronized operation of the program is configured by equipping each stage light 200 with a self-organizing network module 300, thereby forming a local area network 400. This allows the stage lights 200 to communicate with each other and ensures that the time of the stage light 200 acting as a follower node 420 is consistent with the time of the stage light 200 acting as the master node 410. This achieves time consistency for all stage lights 200 within the local area network 400. Then, the follower node 420 can adjust its own program frame based on the current program frame information of the master node 410, achieving the effect of synchronized operation of the stage lights 200 within the local area network 400.

[0026] It should be noted that the synchronous operation of the stage lights 200 programs within the local area network 400 described in this invention refers to the stage lights 200 displaying their programs at a unified time, not that the program frames of each stage light 200 are the same at the same time. Because within a single program, the program frames of each stage light 200 can be the same or different at the same time, but they must be displayed sequentially according to a predetermined order to achieve the intended effect, and cannot be displayed earlier or later, thus deviating from the intended effect.

[0027] Of course, the local area network 400 can also be composed of stage lights 200 that are all equipped with the self-organizing network module 300.

[0028] In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the program frame information refers to a program time point. That is, the program frame information transmitted between the master node 410 and the follower node 420 is the time point of the program, indicating which stage the program has reached.

[0029] Optionally, the program time can be a custom time within a local area network of 400, or it can be Beijing time or the official time of any place in the world.

[0030] The program frame information can also be parameters of the lighting effects displayed in the program frame, and the program time point can be indirectly calculated through the parameters of the lighting effects.

[0031] In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, after establishing the local area network 400, all the follower nodes 420 are placed in a state of waiting for synchronization. The follower nodes 420 in this state shield themselves from signals sent by the controller 100 and only act according to signals from the master node 410. This facilitates the master node 410 in coordinating the consistency of the follower nodes 420, avoiding simultaneous reception of instructions from both the controller 100 and the master node 410, which could lead to logical conflicts in the follower nodes 420. In fact, the signals sent by the controller 100 are continuously sent to all stage lights 200 within the local area network 400.

[0032] The specific operation to put all the following nodes 420 into a state of waiting for synchronization is as follows: the controller 100 sends a waiting-to-synchronize command to all the stage lights 200 in the local area network 400, and the following nodes 420 are in a state of waiting for synchronization. The master node 410 knows that the following nodes 420 have entered the state of waiting for synchronization based on the waiting-to-synchronize command.

[0033] After all the follower nodes 420 are in the state of waiting for synchronization, when the master node 410 issues a synchronization command (the controller 100 sends a synchronization command to all stage lights 200 in the local area network 400, but only the master node 410 responds and sends the synchronization command to the follower nodes 420), the follower nodes 420 begin to adjust their own program frames according to the current program frame information of the master node 410, so as to achieve the effect of synchronized operation of the stage lights 200 programs in the local area network 400.

[0034] In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the program data to be displayed by the stage lights 200 is forwarded by the controller 100 to the follower nodes 420 through the master node 410. Since the program data is gradually sent by the controller 100 during the program display process of the stage lights 200, forwarding the program data through the master node 410 allows for better synchronization between the follower nodes 420 and the master node 410's program, and avoids interference from data sent by the controller 100 to the follower nodes 420.

[0035] like Figure 3 In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, after receiving the current program frame information from the master node 410, the follower node 420 feeds back its own current program frame information to the master node 410. The master node 410 determines whether the time difference between the program frame of each follower node 420 and the program frame of the master node 410 is greater than a preset value. If so, the time of the corresponding follower node 420 is resynchronized, and the latest program frame is displayed according to the synchronized time. Otherwise, the current program frame of each follower node 420 remains unchanged. Since the stage lights 200 typically rely on their own crystal oscillators for time indication during operation, but the accuracy of the crystal oscillators in a typical stage light 200 is limited, the deviation between them after a period of operation will significantly affect the synchronization of program frames between different stage lights 200 (the crystal oscillator error is generally around 10µs to 1ms, while the naked eye can perceive asynchrony above 20ms). Therefore, the follower nodes 420 feed back their current program frame information to the master node 410 and calculate the program frame time difference with the master node 410. In this way, during the program display process of the stage lights 200, the time of the follower nodes 420 can be adjusted in real time to keep the time difference with the master node 410 within a preset range, thereby facilitating the automatic maintenance of program frame consistency between the follower nodes 420 and the master node 410.

[0036] Optionally, the preset value is preferably 5ms.

[0037] In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, when the time difference between a program frame of a follower node 420 and a program frame of a master node 410 is greater than a preset value, the follower node 420 first synchronously displays the corresponding program frame according to the current program frame information of the master node 410, then resynchronizes the time of the follower node 420, and displays the latest program frame according to the synchronized time, i.e., the program frame corresponding to the synchronized time. Firstly, synchronously displaying the corresponding program frame according to the current program frame information of the master node 410 allows the follower node 420 to catch up with the rhythm of the master node 410 as quickly as possible. Then, resynchronizing the time of the follower node 420 and displaying the latest program frame according to the synchronized time ultimately achieves complete consistency of program frames between the follower node 420 and the master node 410.

[0038] like Figures 1 to 2 In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the time of the master node 410 is used as the reference during time synchronization. Since all the follower nodes 420 can receive information from the master node 410, using the time of the master node 410 as the reference facilitates the control of the time of all the follower nodes 420, thereby ensuring time consistency across the entire local area network 400.

[0039] It should be noted that during time synchronization, the controller 100 broadcasts the time to all stage lights 200 within the local area network 400, but only the master node 410 responds, and then the master node 410 sends the time to the follower node 420.

[0040] The self-organizing network modules 300 can be connected wirelessly or via wired connections. In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the self-organizing network module 300 is a WIFI module or a Bluetooth module, reducing the number of cables connecting the stage lights 200. This is a common self-organizing network module 300, with stable performance and mature technology.

[0041] In this embodiment, the stage light 200 and the self-organizing network module 300 communicate via the RS485 protocol.

[0042] In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, a networking module 500 is also included, through which the local area network 400 is connected to the Internet. This allows the status and effects of the stage lights 200 to be uploaded to the Internet, or to receive instructions from the Internet, thereby enhancing the performance of the stage lights 200 system.

[0043] Preferably, the networking module 500 is connected to the self-organizing network module 300 of the master node 410.

[0044] In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, when the controller 100 controls multiple stage lights 200 to form a local area network 400 using the self-organizing network module 300, it sends a networking flag bit to the corresponding stage light 200. Upon receiving the networking flag bit, the corresponding stage light 200 automatically flashes and uses the self-organizing network module 300 to form the local area network 400. The stage light 200 that receives the networking flag bit automatically flashes to indicate to the user whether the local area network 400 has been correctly formed.

[0045] In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the master node 410 is determined based on RSSI signal strength. This ensures that the selected stage light 200, as the master node 410, has the best overall signal strength compared to other stage lights 200 as the master node, which is beneficial for data transmission. Determining the master node 410 based on RSSI signal strength involves comparing the signal strength between any two stage lights 200 and calculating the optimal solution; this is prior art and will not be elaborated upon here.

[0046] Preferably, the processing power of the stage light 200 of the master node 410 is greater than that of the stage light 200 of the follower node 420, thereby facilitating data processing.

[0047] In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the controller 100 is a DMX512 console. Without modifying the existing console, simply by configuring the self-organizing network module 300 on the stage lights 200, information exchange between all the stage lights 200 can be realized, and the programs of the stage lights 200 can be synchronized.

[0048] In this embodiment, the DMX512 console is wired to the stage light 200 via a cable.

[0049] In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the controller 100 connects to multiple links, each link is equipped with at least one stage light 200, and each stage light 200 is equipped with the self-organizing network module 300. The stage lights 200 that form the local area network 400 can come from multiple links, or all of them can come from one link. The master node 410 may not be located on the same link as any of the follower nodes 420, or it may be located on the same link as all of the follower nodes 420.

[0050] Obviously, the above embodiments of the present invention are merely examples for clearly illustrating the present invention, and are not intended to limit the implementation of the present invention. Those skilled in the art will recognize that other variations or modifications can be made based on the above description. It is neither necessary nor possible to exhaustively describe all embodiments here. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions, and improvements made within the spirit and principles of the present invention should be included within the scope of protection of the claims of the present invention.

Claims

1. A stage lighting system for synchronized program operation, characterized in that, The system includes stage lights (200) and a controller (100) for controlling the stage lights (200). Each stage light (200) has a self-organizing network module (300). The controller (100) controls multiple stage lights (200) to form a local area network (400) using the self-organizing network module (300). One stage light (200) in the local area network (400) is designated as the master node (410), and the remaining stage lights (200) are designated as multiple followers. The node (420) synchronizes the time of all stage lights (200) within the local area network (400), and then sends the current program frame information of the master node (410) to the follower node (420). The follower node (420) adjusts its own program frame according to the current program frame information of the master node (410). After the local area network (400) is established, all the follower nodes (420) are in a state of waiting for synchronization. The follower nodes (420) in the state of waiting for synchronization shield the control The signal sent by the controller (100) is used to perform actions only according to the signal of the master node (410). After receiving the current program frame information of the master node (410), the follower node (420) feeds back its own current program frame information to the master node (410). The master node (410) determines whether the time difference between the program frame of each follower node (420) and the program frame of the master node (410) is greater than a preset value. If so, the time of the corresponding follower node (420) is resynchronized, and the latest program frame is displayed according to the synchronized time. Otherwise, the current program frame of each follower node (420) remains unchanged. When the time difference between the program frame of a follower node (420) and the program frame of the master node (410) is greater than the preset value, the follower node (420) first synchronizes and displays the corresponding program frame according to the current program frame information of the master node (410), then resynchronizes the time of the follower node (420), and displays the latest program frame according to the synchronized time.

2. The stage lighting system for synchronized program operation according to claim 1, characterized in that, The program data to be displayed by the stage lights (200) is forwarded by the controller (100) to the follower node (420) through the master node (410).

3. The stage lighting system for synchronized program operation according to claim 1, characterized in that, When performing time synchronization, the time of the master node (410) is used as the reference.

4. The stage lighting system for synchronized program operation according to claim 1, characterized in that, The self-organizing network module (300) is a WIFI module or a Bluetooth module.

5. The stage lighting system for synchronized program operation according to claim 1, characterized in that, It also includes a networking module (500), through which the local area network (400) connects to the Internet.

6. The stage lighting system for synchronized program operation according to claim 1, characterized in that, When the controller (100) controls multiple stage lights (200) to form a local area network (400) using the self-organizing network module (300), it sends a networking flag bit to the corresponding stage light (200). Upon receiving the networking flag bit, the corresponding stage light (200) automatically flashes and forms a local area network (400) using the self-organizing network module (300).

7. The stage lighting system for synchronized program operation according to claim 1, characterized in that, The master node (410) is determined based on the RSSI signal strength.

8. The stage lighting system for synchronized program operation according to claim 1, characterized in that, The program frame information refers to the program time point.

9. The stage lighting system for synchronized program operation according to claim 1, characterized in that, The controller (100) is a DMX512 console.

10. The stage lighting system for synchronized program operation according to claim 1, characterized in that, The controller (100) connects to multiple links, each link is equipped with at least one stage light (200), and each stage light (200) is equipped with the self-organizing network module (300).

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