Control for Digital Lighting

Abstract

A digitally controlled lighting system where aspects have a central media server connected to remote media servers. The connection may have separate networks for control versus media. Automatic synchronization of the contents of the media servers may be carried out.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A system comprising:
 a first lighting device, having a network connection, over which it receives at least one media item which includes a plurality of frames that are displayed in   
       sequence;
 a second lighting device, also connected to said network, receiving a second media item to be displayed, said second media item also displayed in sequence; and 
 a genlock device, connected to both of said first and second lighting devices, and synchronizing said first and second lighting devices, such that a specified first frame in said at least one media item is displayed at substantially the same time as a second frame in the second media item. 
 
     
     
         2 . The system as in  claim 1 , wherein said at least one media item and said second media item are the same item of media. 
     
     
         3 . The system as in  claim 2 , wherein said at least one media item and said second media item are different media items. 
     
     
         4 . The system as in  claim 1 , wherein said first lighting device includes a first media server which serves media to said first lighting device, and said second lighting device includes a second media server serving media to said second lighting device, and wherein said genlock device is connected to said first and second media servers, and causes both of said first and second media servers to produce synchronized frames at substantially the same time. 
     
     
         5 . The system as in  claim 1 , wherein said first and second media servers receive media over said network connection, and store said media for use at a later time. 
     
     
         6 . The system as in  claim 1 , wherein said first and second media servers receive media over said network connection, and display said media as a real-time streamed item. 
     
     
         7 . The system as in  claim 1 , wherein said media server displays frames of an animation by cross fading between a first frame and a second frame in the frame sequence. 
     
     
         8 . A method, comprising:
 storing a central database of media information in a central media server;   communicating between said central media server and each of a plurality of local media servers, over a local network connection which connects between said central media server and each of said local media servers;   determining a list of information that should be located in each of said local media servers, and   sending information to said local media servers that causes each of said local media servers to store all information indicated on said list of information.   
     
     
         9 . The method as in  claim 8 , wherein said determining ‘a list of information comprises reporting back, from each of said local media servers, a list of information which is actually stored on said local media server, to said central media server. 
     
     
         10 . The method as in  claim 9 , further comprising checking each of said lists from each of said local media servers, and sending media which is not on said list to said local media servers. 
     
     
         11 . The method as in  claim 8 , further comprising using a second local network connection to control said local media servers, separate from said local network connection which is used to deliver media content. 
     
     
         12 . The method as in  claim 11 , wherein said list of information includes information which is common for all of the media servers. 
     
     
         13 . The method as in  claim 12 , further comprising enabling editing said list. 
     
     
         14 . The method as in  claim 13 , further comprising after editing said list, periodically updating information in the local media servers based on information on the list. 
     
     
         15 . The method as in  claim 13 , further comprising forcing an immediate update of content in the local media servers, which automatically and immediately updates the information on the list. 
     
     
         16 . The method as in  claim 11 , wherein said list of information includes separate information for each of the local media servers, wherein at least one of the local media servers includes different information than at least one other of the media servers. 
     
     
         17 . The method as in  claim 16 , further comprising editing said list. 
     
     
         18 . The method as in  claim 16 , further comprising forcing an update of media servers based on information on the list. 
     
     
         19 . The method as in  claim 8 , wherein said list is in XML format. 
     
     
         20 . The method as in  claim 8 , wherein said list includes identifiers for the items of media clips” and metadata that describes the content of the media clips. 
     
     
         21 . The method as in  claim 8  wherein items in the list include information about which of multiple local media servers should store said item of information. 
     
     
         22 . The method as in  claim 8 , wherein said information is in a local graphics format that is understood by a video card that actually does the display. 
     
     
         23 . The method as in  claim 22 , wherein said local graphics format is an open GL format. 
     
     
         24 . The method as in  claim 22 , further comprising enabling processing of the information within the video card, using a local video processor within the video card. 
     
     
         25 . The method as in  claim 24 , wherein said local video processor is a shader.