Light valve surface image and beam projector

Abstract

A lighting system and method controls light to prioritize different elements of a light beam output by a luminaire. An LCD surface acts as a color occlusion filter that provides pixel-level control over the light beam transmitted by the layer. An internal LED light source is projected perpendicular to a concave reflector that can be moved on an axis, thereby scaling to widen or narrow the light that is emitted forward as a light beam. The system also includes certain cooling features.

Description

Background Technology

[0001] Solid-state light sources have introduced designers a range of new options, but the basic form of the lamp itself hasn't changed much since the mid-2000s. Soft lights exist, defined by a flat surface of LED sources that can be diffused. However, one problem with these soft lights is the need for diffusion to avoid artifacts produced by multiple light sources arranged across the front of the fixture. These create stepped shadows visible on a flat surface.

[0002] Despite the integration of mappable LED luminaires like the Arri Skypanel, lighting for film and television has remained virtually unchanged since the 1970s. While mappable LED luminaires have existed since the mid-2000s, they haven't been regulated to overcome the limitations of relying on the multiplicity of scattering sources to avoid creating multiple shadows. The ability to map these luminaires has outweighed their disadvantages. Arri Skypanels and LED video displays are commonly used to animate light, and they are effective in near-field environments.

[0003] However, the light from these luminaires is ubiquitous. They are not easily masked because they are almost uniformly radiating in a hemispherical manner, like Lambertian sources. This is beneficial for soft lighting but less so for producing structured light. For this reason, large video projectors are sometimes used. However, video projectors can be limited because they are point sources producing single bright spots, resulting in unnatural reflections. Technicians sometimes work in the opposite direction of light engineering to produce a softer output. But these do solve the problem.

[0004] Many products use large LED displays to digitally create scenes that can be perspective-mapped to the output of a virtual camera in a game engine. These environments are called "digital twins" because they are often associated with physical locations or real-world sets. The term has been used for some time, but it has recently become more widely known due to the production of Mandalorian. In such products, a non-realistic engine is used to create digital backgrounds that can be maintained at the appropriate perspective as the camera moves to create motion parallax that adds a layer of realism to the digital entertainment. And when using lighting mapping, light sources should remain fixed relative to their positions in the digital twin. When actors move relative to the sun or artificial light sources or objects that blur light sources, the lighting on the actors should change, but this is only possible with a significant amount of work done by the production team. Creating light arrays that can be mapped in this way is complex, and lighting often requires physical adjustments shot by shot.

[0005] There are also wash lamps that may have LED light sources but are still soft, scalable light sources. There are also contours that can project light and integrate shading illumination and slide lighting to produce textured and static images.

[0006] Advances in computing and light sources, along with new demands in design and manufacturing, require novel types of lamps. These new lamps can leverage various existing technologies to provide designers with new types of dynamic control. However, to achieve this, the core technologies need to differ from how they are currently used.

[0007] Video projection is a good example. When optimizing for typical video applications, key requirements involve the performance of the screen surface. The required level of control encourages the use of very small imagers. The history of video projection has relied in part on the steady reduction in imager size, coupled with increased optical efficiency and advancements in optics and light sources. Due to the lack of alternatives, some early rear projection systems used large LCD panels.

[0008] Early LCD rear-projection displays were sometimes made using large LCD panels designed for laptops or other large-volume commercial displays. Projection systems could be created from these LCDs using large single light sources and Fresnel lenses. This survives today thanks to low-cost video projectors made by hobbyists and also using LCD displays from smartphones.

[0009] LCD displays, and the brands such as Epson and Sony built upon the work that began in the late 1960s, were well established. The first LCD-based light valves were made even earlier by Marconi, a company that (which survived through acquisitions as the English-language light valve company) produced an LCD-based product known as Starvision.

[0010] LCD displays are based on the ability of liquid crystals to modulate light by switching between two states. Light can be switched on and off using polarizers in front of and behind the liquid crystals. When the liquid crystal is aligned in one position, the screen appears black because the front polarizer blocks light of that polarity. When the liquid crystal cell is rotated 90 degrees, the polarization of the front polarizer aligns with the light, allowing the display to pass through.

[0011] Recently, LCD panels have been considered for use in the automotive industry to produce operable headlights.

[0012] Overview of the Implementation Examples

[0013] The entertainment industry requires additional elements from the LCD driving light source, including large emitting surfaces. An ideal surface could be a spherical array of light field emitters, each perfectly replicating the light output, which could originate from that point in space in both form and polarization. This computer-controlled mapped wavefront could immerse the scene in light that replicates real space, or alternatively, in light required for a digital representation of the space reconstructed in the camera for a scene in a film.

[0014] Some key components of stage lighting can be driven by this abstract target. The system described in this paper is capable of generating light at different angles and controlling the output so that only light at the desired angle is output at any given time.

[0015] Currently, stages can be illuminated using softlights, washers, and video projectors. However, none of these lights, individually or in combination, illuminate the stage in a way that allows for active light control. These stages also don't make greater use of large video display surfaces driven by real-time game engines that generate background scenes on the display panels for camera capture. Thus, what is currently captured by the camera might be a separate special effects backdrop. However, these shots are reduced because the lighting cannot accurately represent the environment of the digital scene.

[0016] By using a novel variation of an LCD lighting system designed to revolve around the quality of light generated by a light projector rather than around a video image, the inventors have created a variety of virtual light sources (the general term for light source here can be "light source," but other terms used for light sources are also used). Such light sources, capable of changing beam angles and softening or sharpening light, can be used in large arrays to create dynamic virtual light sources. Examples of these could include the sun moving behind a building; the sun moving behind hills or trees; a headlamp moving across a building along the path of sunlight shining through an open window on an airplane.

[0017] This can be virtually created in a display with a game engine like Unity (though called a game engine, this content generation engine can only create video output unrelated to the game). Digital lighting for the scene can be used to create the output of large virtual light sources. This can be integrated with ray tracing by determining what light can come from the positioning of the luminaires. This can then be used as a video signal along with video signals for all the other luminaires as a composite 4K frame output. Since each light can have a specific position and orientation in 3D space, the output of each luminaire can be different. Instead of being a subset of a large image, each luminaire presents light that can be reconstructed from the position of that luminaire. In some ways, this is a light field display.

[0018] Light field arrays can be part of the system here and work with these displays and game engines. Individual lamp units within the light source of the entire system have many interesting capabilities, but the ability to integrate them into a 3D array and reproduce complex lighting from within a digital 3D scene using existing technologies in the same way as volumetric capture is challenging.

[0019] To achieve this, the interactive World Wide Web needs to be managed within the system.

[0020] First, some lighting information is available within the game engine, meaning the game engine itself can have a program for setting lighting and effects.

[0021] Second, this lighting information can be supplemented by multiple components in the game engine that also exist in physical space.

[0022] Third, the lighting units in the physical space can be part of a larger mapping system that includes not only the virtual space but also other physical elements within the scene, including display walls, the physical properties of the environment, and performers in the living environment. This can be integrated across multiple computer servers and can include elements of the system in the cloud. The timing between all these elements can be precise and synchronized with any cameras used to capture the scene.

[0023] This system allows for accurate illumination of the performers within the volume while removing unwanted stray light that could impair the performance of the large display, which has incorporated digital elements for illuminating the performers.

[0024] The lighting array described in this article can become a virtual source of natural and artificial lighting elements that replicate an environment. In a simplified description, the array of lights can represent a light source as it moves relative to the object being illuminated.

[0025] These system components can support multifocal output by integrating different groups of LEDs within the center of the reflector. The movement of the different groups can be unified or segmented, so that half of the lighting fixtures are in one beam angle and the other half are in another beam angle.

[0026] In this way, the system can illuminate natural scenes and match computer-generated lighting in digital scenes. This can be applied to other aspects of lighting that allow for dynamic cyclorama and footlights. The ability to motorize and move the light source to adjust its position relative to the reflector allows for control over the beam angle and focus, which is equally noteworthy in cyclorama (cyc) lights or footlights.

[0027] An additional feature could be the system's ability to track performers in a scene. This is important for two reasons. Cameras (or spectators) are typically focused on the performers, and the scene's lighting can be determined based on how the performers are illuminated. However, the total amount of resolution available for this function is often limited. To focus on the performers, it might be desirable to attenuate lighting in the scene that isn't focused on them. Thus, a single 4K (3840x2160) output could dedicate 1920x1920 to the performers while using the remaining resolution to drive the lighting of the rest of the scene. And this 1920x1920 region of interest might want to track the performers, meaning that lights receiving high-resolution information and lights receiving low-resolution information might dynamically change as the scene progresses.

[0028] In addition, digital masks that prevent light from hitting the large displays used in virtual production can be composited in the high-resolution areas of interest, while the areas outside the mask can typically contain low-resolution information of light that is heading towards but not hitting the performer. For smooth tracking, the light needs to operate in the 240-480Hz range, but it's possible to mask the light to follow the performer in the 240-480Hz range, while the high-resolution content on the performer is only rendered in the 60-120Hz range. This improves the appearance of the tracking and the masking of light leaving the display.

[0029] The mask can be locally created at a fixed luminaire using sensors integrated into the lamp (sometimes referred to as the light source here). The system can create a 2D mask that defines the effective and ineffective areas of the projected light source. Using the same sensor data or generating additional available data in a second content engine, a lighting texture map representing the projected light field is generated. The latency and frame rate of both layers can be unlocked, meaning the 2D mask can be updated at a higher refresh rate with lower latency, while the texture map updates with slightly more latency at a lower frame rate. The output of the luminaire can be a composite of these two feeds, where the mask tracks the object with low latency, while the projected content lags slightly. The resulting lighting effect is superior to current options because it minimizes light on the LED walls while more accurately reproducing light in the scene, allowing the camera to capture a more holistic representation of the director's vision as a filmmaker / creative individual.

[0030] The sensor used here can be external, however, it can also be integrated into the center of the lamp, in front of or behind the light modulation surface in front of the lamp.

[0031] The lamp may also include a polarizing filter, and when used with various mirror materials and polarizing filters, the filter can be adjusted to improve the lamp's performance.

[0032] To use lamps in a planar mapping array, it may be necessary to match colors between the lamps. This is possible for calibration because both the color temperature of the light source and the color characteristics of the front light modulator can theoretically be known, and they can be determined during manufacturing in a closed-loop calibration system and as part of the lamp's service and maintenance.

[0033] The system can be applied to existing lamps by creating accessory modules that can be placed in the focal plane of existing fixtures to create dynamic light shields and provide some, but not all, features of custom-made luminaires.

[0034] In some cases, since the light modulator may be thermally sensitive, the luminaire's thermal management can be directly integrated into the accessories. In this scenario, a polarizing recovery prism can act as a thermal circuit breaker to isolate the light source from the light modulator while improving optical efficiency. The prism can create a thermal interruption between the light source and the LCD, allowing for closed-loop or ambient convection cooling to keep the liquid crystal within its necessary operating range.

[0035] As mentioned earlier, it may be desirable to replicate these capabilities in planar light fixtures (such as current softlights). These lights are typically ideal for near-field applications where the light source is close to the object being illuminated. Ultimately, light field displays could perform this task, but until then, users could still evaluate the ability to dynamically control the beam angle of each ray of light output from the system. This could be achieved using wedge optics and diffractive or holographic light guides.

[0036] This system can integrate morphing lenses into the imager to increase resolution along one axis. It can also combine a smaller imager with a distributed laser fluorescence source to create such an array.

[0037] Such lights may require a complete internal network connection so that the sensor data and distributed processing needed to deliver high frame rate lighting solutions are not hampered by the limitations of a local controller. Each light has a network switch with separate paths for controlling the light, sensor integration, and any local processing, allowing for asynchronous integration of all these components.

[0038] The lamp may also include a GPU for locally computing the mask requirements. This local GPU system can ingest distributed video images from a media server and composite them into the output, allowing the mask to be optimized at the highest possible frame rate through the light modulator, while the content can be limited only by the highest frequency output from the source. This source can be a general-purpose game engine or a specially developed media server. In each case, the constraints on the data path between the source and the lamp may be more restrictive than those between the local computing system and the light modulation panel. The system can be optimized around this to support the smoothest possible tracing. Attached Figure Description

[0039] Figure 1 A typical LCD display is shown.

[0040] Figure 2 An LCD is shown as a light modulator.

[0041] Figure 3 This demonstrates emerging LCD applications.

[0042] Figure 4 An illumination method is shown.

[0043] Figure 5 A virtual production volume with a projector is shown.

[0044] Figure 6 A virtual production volume with an LCD system is shown.

[0045] Figure 7 An LCD is shown as a light source.

[0046] Figure 8 The variable resolution in the LCD array is shown.

[0047] Figure 9 The system topology is shown.

[0048] Figure 10 A front view of the proposed design is shown.

[0049] Figure 11 A side view of the proposed design is shown.

[0050] Figure 12 A perspective view of the proposed design with a yoke is shown.

[0051] Figure 13 A perspective view of the rear of the proposed design is shown.

[0052] Figure 14 A perspective view of the front of the proposed design is shown.

[0053] Figure 15 A front perspective view of the array of lamps is shown.

[0054] Figure 16 A rear perspective view of the lamp array is shown.

[0055] Figure 17 A front perspective view of the movable lamp is shown.

[0056] Figure 18 This shows a suspended perspective view of the movable light.

[0057] Figure 19A cross-sectional perspective view of the movable lamp is shown.

[0058] Figure 20 A cross-sectional perspective view of a movable lamp with an exposed reflector is shown.

[0059] Figure 21 The cross section through the optical system is shown.

[0060] Figure 22 A perspective view of the LED light source is shown.

[0061] Figure 23 The cross-section of the light source is shown.

[0062] Figure 24 The treatment of the front surface of the light source is shown.

[0063] Figure 25 A cross-sectional view showing the moving lamp of the cooling system is shown.

[0064] Figure 26 A cross-sectional view showing the movable lamp at the rear of the cooling system is shown.

[0065] Figure 27 The thermal management system is shown.

[0066] Figure 28 A block diagram of the electronic device is shown.

[0067] Figure 29 This shows a representation of content management.

[0068] Figure 30 The components of the dynamic mask are shown.

[0069] Figure 31 The process used for dynamic masks is shown.

[0070] Figure 32 Calibration details are shown. Specific Implementation

[0071] introduce

[0072] A light valve surface imager and beam projector

[0073] The object of this invention is to provide a visually animated surface image and a projected light beam to produce a final visual image that is well presented to the user. The system achieving this object can consist of a light source with a fixed face or a motorized moving cube, equipped with a recessed mechanical frame surrounding the emitting surface as a protective shield. Behind this frame can be an LCD panel. This panel can include a pixel matrix. A 960×960 pixel surface collectively produces a 2D surface with a suitably high contrast ratio of not less than 3500:1. This liquid crystal display (LCD), through its physical embodiment, acts as a light source with light values. Using this system, light projected from the light source can travel forward as a computer-controlled beam.

[0074] -Mechanical structure of the pivot universal joint

[0075] Another object of the present invention is to move the projected beam within the boundaries of a mechanical light source cube of a pivoting universal joint. The motion properties can be remotely controlled via an external computer to achieve proportional motion on two axes. That is, translational (pan) motion with a total rotation not exceeding 540° and 250° on the tilt axis, which, when combined, effectively provides triaxial motion.

[0076] -Optical System

[0077] Controlling the emitted beam by influencing its width is also advantageous. This scaling property is achieved through remote proportional motor control. The beamwidth can be rapidly adjusted downwards from 140° to a narrow 4°. The beam can also be reversed to provide up to -90°. Within a moving body (i.e., a gimbal), the LED light source can be projected backwards onto a moving square parabolic, spherical, or concave reflector. This highly reflective mirror collimates or concentrates the light emitted from the diodes through an LCD shielding layer. The resulting light can be projected forward. Furthermore, since the entire surface of the LCD substrate may be blocked by the central light source, a second, forward-facing LED light source can replace the surface light blocked or lost at the center of the LCD panel, maintaining overall light uniformity on the LCD substrate during direct or indirect observation.

[0078] -Air cooling system

[0079] The LCD substrate can achieve an optimal operating temperature suitable for continuous use in high ambient temperatures under normal backlight conditions. Another feature of this system relates to exceptionally high backlight conditions. This embodiment continuously reduces heat accumulation because photons of light are generated internally within a sealed environment and emitted and partially absorbed or reflected by the characteristics of the LCD substrate design. An internal radiative heat exchange system captures the accumulated radiative heat generated by the LED light source. Up to 30% of the total heat generated during light generation is emitted forward within the beam. Multiple heat sinks attached to fans push and pull the air within the cube. This creates a moving air layer that moves back and forth across the inner surface of the LCD substrate via internal air ducts formed by an internal metal box structure that guides air from the bottom to the top of the inner surface of the LCD substrate, following the same direction of travel as gravity.

[0080] - Liquid cooling system

[0081] Another embodiment of this system may include the following features: the moving cube is substantially sealed to prevent the ingress of particles and moisture from the outside. Utilizing a high-power, high-density LED lighting array, the light source can be cooled via a liquid-cooled integrated system. This liquid-cooling system operates well below the normal freezing point. The liquid is pumped via a dual-redundant impeller pump system. The cooling system functions to divert the liquid through the LED assembly. A manifold is mounted on a shaft and connected to a single inner and outer tube immediately behind the reflector. This can be located at the center of the optical reflector assembly. The liquid-cooling system extracts radiant heat by incorporating an air-cooled radiator within the system located in the motorized moving design. Furthermore, the liquid coolant enters on both sides to reach the tilting pivot point and is guided to the mechanical static base via a single translational pivot point. The radiator in the base forces air cooling directly to the atmosphere, thereby removing heat from the system. This closed-loop liquid-cooling system can pass through a universally oriented liquid reservoir before recirculation and repetition.

[0082] - Electronic real-time internal sensing and remote monitoring

[0083] Another embodiment involves the deployment of a series of electronic sensors. These sensors provide precise, real-time status of internal functions. This sensing information can be remotely analyzed via full-duplex data connections to local external computers located at the manufacturer's headquarters, remote applications, or remote monitoring stations. The system can provide remote analysis and suggest potential technical problems that may be caused by harsh operating conditions.

[0084] Key system sensing includes LED temperature monitoring. A rise in temperature can indicate defects in the integrated liquid cooling system, such as pump or fan failure. Within the mounting base, an anemometer measures airflow through multiple heatsinks located within the base. When properly considered, weak points in the system may relate to the accumulation of lint and particles that bind together on the heatsink surfaces due to condensation of the soot. This is common for stage lights located near such soot-emitting devices. This unwanted particle accumulation weakens normal airflow due to the forced air movement allowed by the heatsinks, which in turn reduces the effectiveness of the liquid cooling system, potentially leading to increased core temperatures. Under normal circumstances, this might only become apparent when the system overheats. Using our sensor array, several reference points—ambient and screen surface temperatures—warn us of a slow decline in optimal performance. Another sensing function includes the state of charge of the universal backup battery installed within this invention.

[0085] - Asset monitoring system

[0086] With numerous electronic sensors positioned within a system, these sensors can disseminate this information in several forms. Localized to the current environment, while engineers in the field or creative individuals controlling the product remotely via computer can alert to problems via Remote Device Management (RDM DMX). When the system is connected to a data network, the device can "ping" or send sensor information back to the manufacturer and asset owner to provide a detailed, real-time picture of product performance.

[0087] -Electronic backup power supply

[0088] Another feature of this embodiment is the ability to provide a universal backup battery in the event of a power failure, even under harsh operating conditions such as on an outdoor stage. Providing a universal backup battery eliminates the time lost in restarting or activating the system in the event of unexpected power loss. When in use, this maintains the internal power of the system's critical electronic processes. If the mains power supply fails to connect to the device, rather than in the event of a complete catastrophic failure, the invention signals a power failure to the local operator via a flashing visible warning triangle on a touchscreen graphical user interface, providing local control from the device. Furthermore, the system can alert the user to a power failure at an external computer used for remote control, via several different data protocols.

[0089] Modular fixed-base electronic device structure

[0090] This system can be equipped with different electronic components to allow for maximum versatility, especially for image processing on LCD substrates. Typically, it may be desirable to have several different data inputs suitable for different applications. Similar to the setup of a standard rack-mount system, the 1U miniature rack space provides high-speed fiber optic data transmission distribution.

[0091] Furthermore, control of the video images transmitted to the LCD substrate can be achieved either externally from a video source such as an SDI data protocol or internally from a graphics engine controlled by an internal DMX. This engine can also act as a localized video scaler. Due to its ability to adjust pixel resolution to suit different applications, the DMX-controlled internal graphics engine can send video and lighting signals to adjacent luminaires that act as master devices, while the adjacent luminaires act as slave devices.

[0092] This internal graphics engine eliminates the need for external video signals and the subsequent skills required by technicians in the field of video content creation. Video content is produced internally in a replay manner and directly transmitted to the LCD screen. These internal video attributes are entirely and directly controlled by DMX lighting signals received from an external computer. The modular mechanical structure of the fixed base embodying the system allows for the installation or removal of the aforementioned electronic options.

[0093] -illustrate

[0094] Display systems using liquid crystal displays as light sources may include a liquid crystal matrix sandwiched between a front polarizer and a rear polarizer, such as... Figure 1 As shown. The light source 100 can be solid-state or conventional. The light source 100 passes through a first linear polarizer 101 placed between the light source 100 and the liquid crystal display 102. Light, primarily having one polarization, then passes through the LCD 102. This light is guided through a second linear polarizer 103 rotated ninety degrees from the first linear polarizer 101. This allows the display to turn the light on and off.

[0095] Liquid crystals (LCDs) are established light modulators with a long history of use in segmented displays, flat panel displays, and video projection. Many early projectors used typical LCD panels, and an established amateur community uses 15-20″ diagonal LCD displays to enable home projection systems. Figure 2 The setup is similar to that shown. In some cases, it is as simple as placing a standard light bulb 200 behind the liquid crystal display 201.

[0096] Liquid crystal displays are being considered for key new applications, such as the dynamic manipulation of light. One such application is... Figure 3The EU's VoLiFa program is shown, in which a liquid crystal matrix 302 is used to control the output of a car headlamp. This headlamp uses an array of light-emitting diodes 300 to project light through a polarizer 301 before it passes through the liquid crystal display 302 and a second polarizer 305. A lens 305 is then used to control the headlamp's output.

[0097] Despite the integration of mappable LED luminaires like the Arri Skypanel, lighting for film and television has remained virtually unchanged since the 1970s. While mappable LED luminaires have existed since the mid-2000s, they haven't been regulated to overcome the limitations of relying on multiple diffused sources to avoid creating multiple shadows. The ability to map these luminaires has outweighed their disadvantages. Arri Skypanels and LED video displays are commonly used to animate light, and they are effective in near-field environments.

[0098] like Figure 4 A typical LED luminaire shown may include a grid of light-emitting diode packages 410. These packages may be surface mount packages or DIP packages. They may also be high-power packages. Each of these LED packages outputs light across specific beam angles 411, 412, 413, and across an array overlapping 420 of these beam angles. Color shift also exists because the LED dies have different beam angles. The effect of these overlapping light sources A, B, C hitting object 415 is multiple shadows 421, 422, 423.

[0099] The problem is that the light from these lights is everywhere. They are not easily masked because they are Lambertian sources that radiate almost uniformly in a hemispherical manner. This may be advantageous for softlights, but not so advantageous for producing structured light. For this reason, projectors are sometimes used. However, video projectors can be limited because they are point sources that produce single bright spots, resulting in unnatural reflections. Technicians sometimes work in opposition to optical engineering to produce a softer output.

[0100] Many products use large LED displays to digitally create scenes that can be perspective-mapped to the output of a virtual camera in a game engine. This method has been used for some time, but it has recently become more widely known due to the production of Mandalorian. In this product, an unrealistic engine was used to create digital backgrounds that could be maintained at the appropriate angle of view as the camera moved to create motion parallax that adds a layer of realism to the digital entertainment. And this was achieved using lighting mapping, as the light sources were supposed to remain fixed, but this was practically only possible with a significant amount of work done by the production team. Creating an array of lights that could be mapped in this way is complex, and the lighting typically required physical adjustments for each shot.

[0101] Figure 5 An overview of a mapping lighting system 500 is shown, in which some virtual production volumes have lighting requirements different from typical stages. The lighting design can be fully integrated with the content output from a computer source 515 driving LED video displays 511. These displays 511 are fed perspective-mapped content that tracks the movement of a camera 520. There has been some experimentation using video projectors as light sources in LED volumes for virtual production. However, video projectors are point sources with directional beams, so they are not ideal for this application. Video projectors have a long history in film and television production, where they have been used to process shots where the projector's reflected output is utilized.

[0102] The virtual production volume 510 may include a display panel 511 based on a large array of light-emitting diodes, allowing the camera 520 to move within the LED display space. The display panel 511 may be curved or some form of truncated cone. Images can be extended beyond the edges of the LED display 512, and content 513 is generated in the completed work using the set extension. This content is generated by a computer 515 that tracks the movement of the camera 520 and relays the data to a computer. The computer 515 can output video and graphic content based on the movement data to any type of display or system that can be managed as an output of a display or data port in the computer 515. Thus, as described below, the computer 515 serves as a real-time data source within this invention, monitoring camera and object movement, controlling illumination output in the light source, and transmitting content to the display panel. All of these are kept synchronized to generate a viewer-perceived "normal" visualization of the camera output.

[0103] The very high frame rate system, between 240 and 960 Hz, can be directly controlled from the motherboard's data bus. The system can also utilize a dynamic refresh rate, which can be adjusted based on the content of each pixel. The projector 516 can be used as a light source in this way, almost identically to how a projector is used in projection mapping. However, since the light from the video projector is a point source with hard edges, it may not be ideal for most film and television applications.

[0104] Light sources used in film and television production can reproduce, for example, Figure 6 As shown by the different beam angles, this system is able to reproduce light from a range of environments. This can be driven by the same real-time content engine computer 515 that generates content for the LED wall 511. However, in Figure 6 In this example, the virtual lighting array 616 can output a variety of ambient lighting suitable for the environment (in the example shown, a forest environment). This lighting changes as the camera 520 moves, maintaining correct perspective mapping lighting for the lens. Thus, the lighting is consistent with the background video content on the LED wall 511. This system can also be used with a green screen or with a series of accessories designed for further control of the light distribution. The virtual lighting array 616 can also include a free-form array of luminaires surrounding a volume, although this may have limitations.

[0105] By using the lamp array of the described system, it is possible to create, as Figure 7 The virtual illumination array light source shown can represent different types of light sources in the lens. Three different beam angles are shown, but a series of symmetrical and asymmetrical patterns can be achieved. The figure shows the light source 2 meters behind the front plane of lamp array 732, 3 meters behind the front plane of lamp array 731, and 4 meters behind the front plane of lamp array 730. This can be dynamically adjusted so that the source moves closer to or further away from the front emission plane of the virtual array.

[0106] Another feature of this system is its ability to change Figure 8 The resolution on the array shown saves real-time computing power and network bandwidth for the area that was in focus at the time. When actor 830 in the set volume moves from the back of volume 831 to the middle of volume 832 and then to the front of volume 833, the area of ​​high-resolution content moves from the left side of virtual lighting array A841 to the lower center of virtual lighting array B842 and then to the lower right side of virtual lighting array C843.

[0107] Figure 9The virtual production system shown includes a mix of sources, sensors, and processors in addition to displays, lights, and cameras. These systems can also track the precise position of actors within a volume for motion capture and additional special effects work. Light, as described in the system, readily enters these systems. Lights may also include sensors, processors, and a real-time content engine. The need to manage timing and reduce latency is critical in film and television production. Both the display and lighting systems can refresh at speeds comparable to those of the cameras. Color can also be controlled within the system. The color temperature and spectral distribution of the light sources are critical and can be examined to avoid metamerism—the fact that reflected light differs based on the spectral components of the light source.

[0108] The virtual production system 900 includes an LED display 911, which may include walls, ceilings, and floors. The display system is driven by one or more computers 930 capable of generating content 931 required by the client. The system may have a separate control system 929 and a separate device for integrating sensor data 921. Sensor inputs range from volumetric tracking devices 918 to systems tracking lens movement and camera position 919 to sensors 917 integrated into a mapping lighting system. Some sensor data can be used locally 932 to reduce latency and generate all or part of the content for the driving mapping lighting system light source 916.

[0109] Lighting fixtures, as light sources, can be integrated into the installation in various ways. This design may need to adapt to, for example... Figure 10 The different types of physical connections are shown. A fixed mounting point 1000 can be provided through a 12mm / 1 / 2” hole, into which a scaffolding clamp / gas pipe component (shown) can be fitted to achieve a rotation / translation point. A stationary suspension frame / yoke 1001 can be provided with a 25mm / 1'2” tubular frame. This frame 1001 can be fitted to the main chassis of the equipment, and the yoke 1001 can be removed to allow the equipment to be used in different configurations (shown below).

[0110] When used as a lighting fixture commonly referred to as a washer lamp, it may be desirable to equip the device with an anti-glare radial baffle 1002. This baffle 1002 reduces off-axis lighting glare common in devices that emit light in a forward beam. The radial lines 1003 are positioned in a circular radial pattern to provide as much masking as possible for unwanted light. Assuming the device has a variable beam from approximately 4° to over +60°, the surrounding frame 1002 is angled at 30° to ensure the beam is not interrupted at its widest possible angle.

[0111] A radar sensor 1004 may be located at the center of the anti-glare baffle 1002. The sensor 1004 provides a machine vision perspective, which is fed back to image processing electronics and a computer to sense the volumetric space within the illumination field of the device.

[0112] Figure 11 The image shows a forward locking knob 1005, which securely holds the vertical tilt function. Figure 12 Two horizontally mating tubes 1006 within the yoke frame are shown, providing a carrying handle for the user. Additionally, a second yoke main pivot point 1007 is provided for use when ceiling height is limited. This second pivot point 1007 reduces the gap between the device and the yoke 1001, which can rotate continuously during normal operation, allowing the device to be positioned on the floor and pointing upwards.

[0113] Due to the increased versatility of use, it is sometimes desirable to use the device in a non-exotic form, such as... Figure 13 and Figure 14 As shown. A rigging frame 1008 can be mounted onto the equipment. The frame 1008 provides a forward-adjustable pivot mounting point 1009 in four locations, designed to allow side-by-side mounting from floor-mount 1012 or ceiling-mount 1013 and stacking from top to bottom 1011. The pivot point 1009 can be adjusted with screws for precise alignment. The rigging frame provides a structural form capable of supporting the weight of multiple luminaires (e.g., up to twenty-four (or more / fewer) devices). The frame is connected to... Figure 15 and 6 Other interconnections have been discussed and shown, and the connection 1010 can be quickly released and fixed to the main device via a right-angle rotation called a cam.

[0114] This system can also be integrated into, for example... Figure 17 and 18 The cube is shown to be translated and tilted, and the two movement axes of cube 1700 can be controlled via CNC stepper motors in yoke 1702. These stepper motors 1703 (exposed to...) Figure 26 The position of (in the middle) can be determined by optical encoder wheel 1704 (exposed to) Figure 26 (In the middle) and infrared light switches are used for control and monitoring, which essentially send feedback on the precise position of the motor. Limit switches are mounted on electromechanical 1705 (exposed to) Figure 26 The maximum range of (in the middle) allows the motors to position themselves back to their "original" positions when powered on.

[0115] Two tilting axis mechanisms can be located inside the movable cube 1700, 1706. The cube 1700 can be essentially an aluminum design, with a nominally 2mm thick outer shell 1707 and a 3mm thick internal chassis frame 1708.

[0116] On the luminescent side of the moving cube 1700, frame 1709 provides mechanical protection from potential hazards. The 4mm UV-stable polycarbonate optically clear protective substrate 1710 is also reinforced with a UV-stable scratch-resistant coating.

[0117] Immediately following the transparent polycarbonate substrate is the liquid crystal display substrate 1711. This display has a high contrast ratio of at least 3500:1. The outer (visible) polarizing filter is adapted to not provide an anti-glare / haze coating, thereby improving the light transmission of this LCD shielding layer.

[0118] The LCD panel has a high density of no less than 960 RGB pixels multiplied by multiple other pixels in order to achieve what is commonly known as high-definition video reproduction.

[0119] Figure 19 The variant of the movable yoke shown provides a gimbal for remotely controlling translation and tilting of the property. The gimbal can be fitted with concealed locks 1712. These locks 1712 secure the display in a locked position to aid in storage for transport. During normal operation, the locks 1712 are recessed, thus remaining unobtrusive to onlookers.

[0120] To enhance the aesthetics of the invention, the handling handle 1713 can be located externally to the main chassis and can be removed as a handling bracket 1714 for fixed installation. A right-angle rotary quick-release cam connection 1715 allows the omega bracket to be mounted for suspension purposes. An auxiliary suspension protection bracket 1716 is mounted to the center of this metal bracket.

[0121] Both the translation and tilting mechanisms feature a helical combination of cable and water cooling pipes and cable bundle assemblies, which are therefore designed as a combined pipe and cable assembly 1717 to provide excellent strain protection. This combined pipe and cable bundle assembly is designed to pass through the pivot point of the yoke and through the fixed base of the invention.

[0122] The LCD panel may have an enhanced cooling method through an internal closed-loop airflow designed to flow from the base 1719 of the internal air volume of the moving cube 1700 to the top 1720.

[0123] An internal aluminum panel 1721 is installed to guide forced air from the rear of the luminaire through an air gap. The air is guided through the rear interior of the LCD substrate toward the surface. Warmer air is then extracted through the upper air gap 1720 and recirculated via a fan 1722 and a heat sink assembly 1723. Figure 26 [As shown in detail], radiant heat is extracted before being sent back through. The inner walls are machined with non-reflective surfaces, so no indirect light is sent forward, but is absorbed within the boundaries of the inner cube.

[0124] Figure 20 A high-reflectivity reflector 1745, with a parabolic, spherical, or concave surface and a reflectivity greater than 85%, is designed as a square factor and mounted to two sliding mechanisms 2146 directly opposite each other. These are coupled to a timing belt and a stepper motor. The reflector is designed to move rapidly toward or away from the light source 2147.

[0125] The movement of the reflector 1745 provided Figure 21 The beam scaling effect is achieved by scaling the beam downwards from its widest point (>60°) to a near-parallel beam, which then reverses upwards to >60°. The emitted light is collimated perpendicular to the light source, resulting in a variable-width beam that is essentially projected forward and continues to generate beams through the LCD substrate 1748. The beam can be remotely widened or narrowed by an external computer.

[0126] The light source is contained in Figure 22 The central column shown integrates LEDs and a thermal management system to remove heat from the LEDs and exhaust heat from the housing between the reflector and the LCD.

[0127] LED 2324 is mounted in a radial pattern 2326 on a wedge-shaped PCB 2325 on the inner surface of the head block and essentially functions as a cohesive light source 2320. Each segment of the light source contains multiple LED packages.

[0128] The main LED assembly may be fitted with a surface-mount thermistor near the LED heat source 2340, which provides electronic temperature sensing for each of the six radial segments 2326 positioned radially around the tube assembly mount. A machined lip 2341 around the head assembly captures unwanted scattered light, making it invisible when viewed from the front of the assembly. Further light masking provides additional light control or “zoning.”

[0129] The light-emitting component is connected to post 2321, which is connected to the rest of the luminaire via manifold 2342. The manifold handles the mechanical, electrical, and thermal management connections for the luminaire.

[0130] The light source, powered by multiple LEDs, can be intensity controlled remotely via a computer. Activating the concentric ring pattern of LEDs also provides wide-to-narrow electron beam adjustment. When fewer LEDs are powered, the beam becomes sharper and clearer. The more LEDs are powered, the softer, more diffused, or out-of-focus the beam appears.

[0131] Embedded thermal management system for light source Figure 23 In the mechanical design of the system, light is emitted forward from a small, centrally mounted LED group 2334 to the LCD 2301, and then rearward towards the reflector via a segmented array of LEDs 2324 2302. Thermal management is handled via a material interlayer between the two LED groups. This section shows how the LED PCBS 2325 for the reflector-facing array is mounted to a machined copper component called the front head block 2327. This copper component 2327, located at the rear or interior, is machined with radial fins 2328, and the head intermediate block 2329 ensures the coolant flows most efficiently. Therefore, these fins are arranged to provide suitable space 2379 for cable conduits to pass through. The back head block 2330 is a copper component designed to seal the coolant system and serves as a heat dissipator for the forward-facing LEDs.

[0132] This liquid cooling system, by its design, draws heat directly from the LED via direct thermal conduction through copper components. The entire arrangement is welded together at connector 2331 to provide a waterproof seal.

[0133] A 3 / 8″ BSP steel pipe 2332 is screwed into the copper head assembly structure, and a second 10mm diameter copper connecting pipe 2333 is fitted inside the pipe. A cable conduit serves as a conduit, through which the power cable is fed from the rear of the moving cube along the pipe. Four high-power white LEDs 2334 are fitted to the head back block copper component.

[0134] The LED head assembly can be fitted to the inner tube 2333 and the outer tube 2332, which are mounted to the manifold 2342, which is directly mounted behind the center of the mechanically moving reflector. The manifold 2342 guides the coolant in a send (center) return (outer tube) relationship.

[0135] The second cone-shaped reflector 2335 can be mounted onto the main head assembly, as well as... Figure 24 As shown, and which essentially provides a diffuse light surface, a holographic filter 2336, used as a light diffuser, is fitted to this diffuse light surface. A second, smaller but substantially wider reflector 2337 continues the conical shape of the combined reflector to provide even more diffuse white light.

[0136] In front of the reflector device, the second milky plastic disc 2338 can be adhered to the circular recessed lip 2339, such as Figure 23 As shown, the entire assembly provides diffuse backlighting, which compensates for light loss due to the main beam being blocked by the head assembly. This produces a complete visible image on the surface of the LCD substrate without any loss of light intensity.

[0137] exist Figure 25 In the middle, the light source assembly is connected to the lamp at the rear 1743 of the cavity that holds the reflector and the LCD.

[0138] Figure 26 The LCD panel 1711 shown is connected to a dedicated video driver 1718, which manages external video signals and distributes data locally, and provides DC power to the LCD display.

[0139] Where it is necessary to reduce the accumulation of radiant heat from the LED array sealed within the cubic mechanical design, a fan 1722 is used to direct coolant through multiple heat sinks 1723.

[0140] Figure 27 The closed-loop cooling / thermal management system 2700 is designed based on a liquid coolant, which removes heat from the enclosed volume 2701 surrounding the LCD display 2702, LED light source 2703, and optical reflector 2705. The liquid cooling system is supplemented by an internal radiator and fan 2706. The system is connected at a manifold 2704 and includes an expansion tank 2707, and is designed to operate in any drilling rig.

[0141] The system includes a thermal sensor 2708, a Hall effect flow sensor 2710, and a pump 2709. The system may also include a visible flow indicator 2711. A quick-release connector 2712 is included for charging the system.

[0142] The system includes an arrangement of a radiator 2713 required to remove heat 2716 from the system, and includes an opening 2714 required to draw cold air 2715 into the system.

[0143] The coolant can contain additives that lower its freezing point below freezing. In this embodiment, we use ethanol with a freezing point of -20°C, and a water-to-coolant additive ratio of 5:1. Lower temperatures can be achieved by using different coolant additives and water-to-coolant ratios.

[0144] Figure 28The electronic systems within the system are designed for remote monitoring and sensing at its core. These include: coolant flow 2856, coolant temperature 2857, LCD display temperature 2880, power supply sensing 2858, ambient temperature 2859, internal ambient temperature 2860, LED temperature sensor 2881, base box airflow speed 2861, signal presence 2862, and an optical encoder 2863 for all stepper motor attributes, including translation, tilt, and zoom. Other sensors include: switching physical partitions 2882, battery sensing 2879, shock sensing 2883, and other useful operational runtime and portable device test data logs to aid in preventative maintenance. All sensors are processed via an internal CPU 2864.

[0145] All internal parameters, along with error logging and power failure alarms, can be adjusted from this graphical user interface.

[0146] In the event of a mains power failure, a universal backup battery designed to provide 15 minutes or more / less of uninterrupted power can be provided. This universal backup battery keeps the internal CPU powered on via Ethernet and DMX data streams, allowing internal fault codes to be sent to remote computers and remote applications running on Android and iOS operating systems. All of this information is also remotely transmitted back to the manufacturer's headquarters, where a more detailed analysis of the normal operation of the invention can be monitored.

[0147] Each luminaire can have an internal computing system for content management, such as Figure 29 As shown, it manages the mixing of internally and externally generated sources. An external source could be a media server 2901 connected to the display processor 2902. The display processor acts as the main video connection to the entire system, appearing as a single display area to the server. The system can be configured locally on the processor or via an external computer 2903, such as a laptop or iPad. The connection from the processor to the lighting system can be a network cable terminating at the luminaire 2910 in an RJ45 connector. The system can then allow the network cable to daisy-chain to the next luminaire, allowing multiple luminaires to be configured as part of a single display area. This information is unpacked by a receiver card 2904 in the lighting luminaire. This card occupies a portion of the display area and outputs it to the luminaire's control system 2905. This control system can be a computer optimized for machine vision and computation, such as an NVIDIA Jetson. The system can acquire sensor data 2906 from radar or other suitable graphics systems to create locally generated effects with low latency. This output can be merged with data from the receiver card 2904 in the final output to the LCD panel 2920. The servo system and light source can also be controlled from this computing system 2907.

[0148] Remotely generated content 2930 is fed to the mapped lamp via receiver card 2904 for ingestion into the locally hosted computer 2905. The content is typically fed at a rate of 24 to 60 frames per second. Receiver card 2904 transmits a clock signal 2931 to computer system 2905, which is synchronized with the rest of the system to the output of the mapped lamp.

[0149] Figure 30 The components of a dynamic mask are shown. Mapping fixtures in a dynamic environment 3001, including LED wall 3011 and actor 3002, may be needed to separate the lights for the actor from those for the LED wall or floor 3005.

[0150] Therefore, from the perspective of the mapping light 3020, the light will need to generate a real-time mask for the actor. This mask will enable the creation of content to be mapped onto the actor 3021 and content to be mapped around the actor 3022. This can include additional spacing between walls and the floor, or additional spacing between the floor and physical scene elements on the stage. These elements are then composited together 3030 and output from the mapping light.

[0151] LED wall 3011 may include content 3006, which includes interlaced blue or green frames for use in post-production. Mapping lights can be synchronized with these displays.

[0152] Figure 31 The process for dynamic masking is illustrated. The content mapped to the moving person is ideally processed at a frame rate substantially higher than that of the camera. If the camera operates at a multiple of one of the popular camera frame rates, including 24, 29.97, or 30 frames per second, the output of the lights can be synchronized with the camera. Figure 31 Using 480Hz 3010, a simplified version of the workflow is shown, where an object 3002 is mapped by a sensor 3040 mounted on a mapping lamp 3041. Sensor data 3042 is used to generate a mask 3020, and is composited with a texture map 3021 to create a final output 3043 including a composite mask 3030. By locally compositing this, dynamically changing masks can track objects at 480Hz 3010, while data inserted into and outside the mask can be updated at a lower frame rate.

[0153] The output of the synthetic system to the mapping lamps is synchronized with the rest of the system 2931.

[0154] Figure 32Calibration details are shown, where each unit 3200 can be calibrated by knowing the characteristics of the light source 3201 and the color mask 3211. A sensor can be included in each mapped lighting fixture 3250 to track the color temperature of the light source. The color characteristics of the filter are fixed during manufacturing. The unit can also be calibrated via a closed-loop system to minimize natural deviations in the components and processes used to manufacture the lighting system.

[0155] The closed-loop system will place the mapping lighting system 3200 at a fixed distance 3205 to the neutral diffuse screen surface 3232, so that the beam angle 3206 fills the screen surface in a manner consistent for all manufactured luminaires.

[0156] Light from the mapping illumination system 3212 is diffused by the screen material and continues into the dark, non-reflective volume 3213. This light is measured by a colorimeter 3252 and a luminance meter 3251. A DSLR can also be used as part of such a system. This information is sent to a processing computer, which creates a profile 3241 stored on the mapping illumination system.

[0157] Although the present invention has been described with reference to the above embodiments, those skilled in the art will understand that various changes or modifications can be made thereto without departing from the scope of the claims.

Claims

1. A mapping lighting system, comprising: LCD display (102); First controlled light source and second controlled light source; A reflector that moves along a linear axis (2147) to widen, scale, or control the angle of a beam from each of the controlled light sources, wherein the movement of the reflector along the linear axis directs the beam from the controlled light sources to the liquid crystal display. Thermal management system (2700) that manages the heat within the light source; as well as The real-time data source (515) is configured to generate the illumination output of each of the controlled light sources and the movement of the reflector along the linear axis.

2. The mapping lighting system of claim 1 further includes a display panel, wherein the real-time data source (515) controls the illumination and graphic content based on each other.

3. The mapping lighting system of claim 2, wherein the real-time data source (515) receives sensor input from the sensor (520) and controls the illumination and graphic content based on the sensor input.

4. The mapping lighting system of claim 1, wherein at least one of the controlled light sources (516) includes a sensor (1004) located at the center of at least one of the controlled light sources.

5. The mapping illumination system of claim 4, wherein the sensor (1004) generates sensor data corresponding to the illumination output from at least one of the controlled light sources.

6. The mapping illumination system of claim 5, wherein the sensor is aligned with an object of the mapping illumination system.

7. The mapping lighting system of claim 5, wherein the sensor data is capable of generating high-density real-time data in the active area, while the illuminated area outside the active area receives less data.

8. The mapping illumination system of claim 4, wherein the sensor is aligned with an object of the mapping illumination system.

9. The mapping illumination system of claim 1, wherein at least one of the controlled light sources (516) includes a positioned sensor (1004) located behind the center of the master light modulator.

10. The mapping illumination system of claim 9, wherein the sensor (1004) generates sensor data corresponding to the illumination output from at least one of the controlled light sources.

11. The mapping illumination system of claim 9, wherein the sensor is aligned with an object of the mapping illumination system.

12. The mapping illumination system of claim 1, wherein at least one of the controlled light sources is controllably polarized using a polarizer (101), wherein the polarizer is rotatable to change the output of the light source.

13. The mapping lighting system of claim 1, wherein the output of the digital source presented in the real-time data system can be replicated by the lamp array.

14. The mapping lighting system of claim 1, wherein the illuminated object is tracked by a sensor at one frequency, and data received by the real-time data source (515) is generated at two or more frequencies, wherein, The real-time data source generates masks at a high frequency, while the content inside the masks is generated at a lower frequency.

15. The mapping illumination system of claim 1, wherein the color of the light beam is controlled by the color of the light source and a color filter in the light modulator, and the color of the light source and the color of the color filter are established through closed-loop calibration such that the output color can be quantized and cloned to other light sources.

16. The mapping lighting system of claim 1, wherein the real-time data source uses high-frequency modulation of light to control the light source, wherein the output of the light source comprises at least two different data streams, the at least two different data streams being interleaved such that the two interleaved outputs are synchronized with a sensor and another display system.

17. The mapping lighting system of claim 1, wherein the reflector is located between the light source and the thermal management system.

18. The mapping lighting system of claim 1, comprising a front block that acts as a heat sink for each light source, wherein the front block is located between each light source and the liquid crystal display.

19. A mapping lighting system, the system comprising: A sealed housing for accommodating the liquid crystal display (102); Controlled light source (100, 516, 616), wherein the controlled light source includes a sensor; A reflector that moves along a linear axis (2147) to broaden or scale light from the controlled light source and direct the light to the liquid crystal display; A thermal management system (2700) that allows air to pass through the back of the liquid crystal display, wherein the thermal management system has a heat exchanger to remove heat from the sealed housing; as well as A real-time data source (515) is configured to generate the illumination output of each of the controlled light sources and the movement of the reflector along the linear axis; The sensor generates sensor data corresponding to the illumination output from the controlled light source and provides the sensor data to the real-time data source.

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