Web-Based Controller for Stage Lighting Equipment
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Solution Overview
Problem
The lack of channel standards among stage lighting and effect devices makes it difficult for musicians to control their own lighting and effects across different venues, as presets and automations are specific to each venue's system, requiring extensive setup time and limiting control for bands and musicians without their own lighting systems.
Innovation Solution
A web-based system that includes a configuration device connected to networks, allowing user devices to input generalized instructions which are then translated into venue-specific instructions, enabling control of stage equipment through a user-friendly interface and reducing setup time.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If presets and automations are created for a given venue's system, then control over lighting and effects is achieved, but the presets are only useful for that specific venue and require extensive setup time for each new venue
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a universal control system that can operate across multiple venues with different lighting and effects equipment. By establishing a standardized control protocol that translates generic commands into venue-specific DMX commands, the system achieves multi-venue compatibility without requiring venue-specific programming, thereby reducing setup time while maintaining ease of operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically adjusts control parameters based on the target venue's equipment configuration. By automatically detecting or receiving information about the venue's lighting and effects devices, the control system modifies its output parameters to match the specific requirements of each venue, enabling quick adaptation without extensive manual setup.
2Loss of time
If standardized control protocols are implemented across different venues, then setup time is reduced and portability is improved, but the complexity of handling multiple device configurations and translations increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an intermediary control layer that sits between the user's generic commands and the venue-specific equipment. This intermediary system handles the complexity of configuration translations and device-specific protocols automatically, shielding the user from complexity while enabling quick setup across different venues. The intermediary translates high-level control intentions into low-level DMX commands specific to each venue's equipment.
Data Source
AI summary
A system for controlling a remote electronics system includes a configuration device, a venue device, a user device, and a storage device storing configuration information relating to each piece of equipment included in a list of equipment. The configuration device performs a series of steps, including: accepting from the venue device, at least one piece of venue equipment from the list of equipment; accessing the configuration information relating to the at least one piece of venue equipment; accepting from the user device at least one generalized instruction (agnostic as to which equipment was selected) for a piece of equipment; creating at least one instruction specific from the at least one generalized instruction based on the configuration information; and transmitting the at least one specific instruction to the venue device. The venue device then uses same to control the at least one piece of venue equipment.