Communications: electrical – Selective – Path selection
Reexamination Certificate
1999-11-17
2003-04-08
Lieu, Julie (Department: 2735)
Communications: electrical
Selective
Path selection
C340S002240, C340S002260, C340S002400, C315S314000, C315S315000, C315S317000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06545586
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to digital control of theatre devices, and more particularly to establishing a hierarchy among theatre devices normally remotely controlled by a unidirectional continuous data stream from a central controller and to using a hierarchy, however established, for various purposes such as service and setup, including channel assignment.
2. Description of Related Art
Theatre devices responding to instructions from a remotely located controller are often used for many types of theatre events such as, for example, Broadway shows, television programs, rock concerts, theme parks, the architectural lighting of restaurants and buildings, and other dramatic and entertainment purposes. Theatre devices include multi-parameter lights, haze machines, lighting dimmers, strobes, fans, searchlights, and the like. Typically, theatre devices are wired together with a communications system so that the devices may be operated remotely from a central controller. Some of the theatre effects that can be remotely control including pan, tilt, color, focus, pattern, dimmer, strobe, wind and so forth.
Prior to the advent of relatively small commercial digital controllers, remote control of light fixtures from a central controller was done with either a high voltage or low voltage current; see, e.g., U.S. Pat. No. 3,706,914, issued Dec. 19, 1972 to Van Buren, and U.S. Pat. No. 3,898,643, issued Aug. 5, 1975 to Ettlinger. With the widespread use of digital computers, digital serial communications has been adopted as a way to achieve remote control; see , e.g., U.S. Pat. No. 4,095,139, issued Jun. 13, 1978 to Symonds et al., and U.S. Pat. No. 4,697,227, issued Sep. 29, 1987 to Callahan.
Proprietary protocol schemes for serial communications with theatre devices developed, which left the user desiring to control theatre devices from different manufacturers with the necessity of having to use an array of different equipment using different protocols designed by the respective manufacturers. In response to this situation, the United States Institute of Theatre Technology (“USITT”) in 1986 adopted a standard digital communications system protocol for theatre devices known as DMX512. While the DMX512 protocol has been updated several times since its adoption, the basic communications protocol remains the same. Basically, the DMX512 protocol requires a continuous stream of data at 250 Kbaud which is communicated one-way from the central controller to the theatre devices. Typically, the theater devices use an Electronics Industry Association (“EIA”) standard for multi-point communications know as RS-485.
FIG. 1
shows an illustrative theatre system based on the USITT DMX512 protocol. AC power is provided to a central controller
51
, multi-parameter lights
21
,
22
,
23
and
24
, dimmers
31
,
32
,
33
, and fan
41
over standard building electrical wiring
1
. A communications cable segment
11
is run from the central controller
51
to a first theatre device in the system, illustratively the fan
41
, and additional communication cable segments
12
,
13
,
14
,
15
,
16
,
17
, and
18
sequentially connect the dimmer
33
, dimmer
32
, dimmer
31
, multi-parameter light
21
, multi-parameter light
22
, multi-parameter light
23
, and multi-parameter light
24
. While only eight theatre devices are shown in
FIG. 1
for clarity, typical theatre systems may have thirty or more theatre devices. Communications during a theatre event is in a single direction, as shown by arrows adjacent the communications cable segments
11
-
18
.
Theatre systems based on the USITT DMX512 protocol typically operate using unidirectional communications. The present DMX protocol specifies three wires: (1) data plus; (2) data negative; and (3) ground. In accordance with the DMX protocol, receivers always operate as receivers and transmitters always operate as transmitters. The present DMX protocol does specify the addition of two more wires, a data plus and data negative, to achieve bi-directional full duplex, but the 5-wire full duplex system has not been readily accepted and is not in widespread use.
While bi-directional full duplex communications under the DMX protocol is not in general use, many theatre devices are nonetheless capable of bi-directional communication and use it for updating (uploading) new or improved software from the manufacturer. For example, manufactures of theatre devices such as automated spotlights and complex microprocessor dimmer systems have need from time to time to provide software updates to their theatre devices. As these devices may be installed at remote locations, two way communications between the theatre devices and a host service computer is conducted over the theatre communications system so that the new software can be uploaded to the theatre devices. Since the RS-485 standard allows for two way communication, the bi-directional communications required for uploading is provided by these manufactures using an RS-485 transceiver at the host computer and RS-485 transceivers at the theatre devices. This bi-directional communication (half duplex) between pairs of RS-485 transceivers is not part of the USITT DMX protocol. Since the bi-directional communication used by these manufacturers is only utilized when the device is being serviced or operated with a manufacture's discrete protocol and not while a controller operating with only the DMX protocol is in use, it does not violate the DMX protocol.
There are various routines used during the upload process. These routines do not have to be DMX512 compatible since during this time they are considered to be in a service mode. This service mode requires that the theatre devices communicate with a host computer or microprocessor. To help facilitate this communication, each theatre device as supplied from the manufacturer typically is equipped with a unique ID number stored within non-volatile memory. This manufacturer supplied unique ID number helps to individually identify the devices to the host computer or microprocessor. In this way, a theatre device may report a failure with the upload process to the host computer or the host computer may find out how may devices are attached to the link to be uploaded. This unique ID number is non-alterable or changeable by the user. During the time when the devices are under the control of a DMX512 compatible controller the devices cannot communicate with each other since the DMX protocol requires a continuous stream of data at 250 Kbaud.
After a theatre system is physically installed, typically it must be set up. A typical setup procedure for a DMX512 compliant unidirectional theatre system such as shown in
FIG. 1
requires significant manual intervention and is as follows. A technician connects power and runs data cables
11
-
18
that carry the DMX512 protocol to the fixtures from the control system
51
. Theatre devices that use the DMX512 protocol typically have one or more channels through which various functions thereof are controlled. The channels are set at the device itself, typically by operating address switches or entering the proper commands into the device while watching a display found on the device.
FIG. 2
shows an illustrative multi-parameter light
66
, which receives power from powerline
68
and is connected into a theatre communications system, typically digital, by cable segments
60
and
62
. A display and various controls, generally indicated at
64
, are located on the housing of the light
66
, and are shown in an enlarged view in FIG.
3
. Typical controls include a “menu” button
72
, up-count and down-count buttons
76
and
78
, and an “enter” button
74
. An illustrative channel address “024” appears in display
70
. The address “024” is set by pressing the “menu” button
72
until a “channel assign” mode notification appears on the display
70
, manipulating the counter buttons
76
and
78
until the desired address appears, and finally pressing the “enter” button
74
. Illustrative m
Dorsey & Whitney LLP
Lieu Julie
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