Lighting system and control thereof

Abstract

The present invention relates to a method for controlling a lighting device to produce user customisable lighting effects, the method comprising: calculating a time varying lighting value based on at least one simulation parameter; and outputting said time varying lighting value thereby to simulate a lighting effect. The invention also relates to a controller for controlling a lighting device to produce a lighting effect, the controller comprising: a calculating device adapted to calculate a time varying lighting value based on at least one simulation parameter; and an output adapted to control a lighting device according to the determined variation of lighting over time. In a further aspect of the present invention there is provided a light with the built-in capability to generate a range of customizable cinematic special lighting effects, by modulating the speed, duration, power/brightness, and/or colour temperature of the light output.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method for controlling a lighting device to produce user customisable lighting effects, the method comprising:
 calculating a time varying lighting value based on at least one simulation parameter; and   outputting said time varying lighting value thereby to simulate a lighting effect.   
     
     
         2 . A method according to  claim 1  further comprising receiving said at least one simulation parameter for characterising a lighting effect. 
     
     
         3 . A method according to  claim 1  or  2  wherein said at least one simulation parameter for characterising a lighting effect is random. 
     
     
         4 . A method according to  claim 3  wherein said at least one simulation parameter for characterising a lighting effect is random within predefined boundaries. 
     
     
         5 . A method according to  claim 3  or  4 , wherein the random simulation parameter is determined in dependence on one or more user-selectable simulation parameters. 
     
     
         6 . A method according to  claim 5 , wherein the random simulation parameter is in a range determined in dependence on one or more user-selectable simulation parameters. 
     
     
         7 . A method according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the simulation parameter is a colour or colour temperature. 
     
     
         8 . A method according to  claim 7  wherein the colour or colour temperature varies in dependence on a brightness lighting value. 
     
     
         9 . A method according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the simulation parameter is related to one or more of: a rate of increase of brightness; a rate of decrease of brightness; a rate of change of colour; a brightness; a local maximal brightness; a local minimal brightness; a brightness fluctuation period; and a colour fluctuation period. 
     
     
         10 . A method according to any of  claims 2  to  9  further comprising receiving a user input of one or more user-selectable simulation parameters and adapting the simulation in dependence on the one or more user-selectable simulation parameters. 
     
     
         11 . A method according to any preceding claim, wherein the simulation parameter comprises at least one of: a maximum brightness; a minimum brightness; a colour; a fluctuation period; and a trigger. 
     
     
         12 . A method according to any preceding claim, wherein the simulation parameter comprises a camera recording frequency, frame rate, or shutter speed. 
     
     
         13 . A method according to any preceding claim further comprising receiving a recording frequency, frame rate, or shutter speed of a camera and calculating said time varying lighting value based on said recording frequency, frame rate or shutter speed. 
     
     
         14 . A method according to  claim 12  or  13  wherein the time varying lighting value is calculated so as to vary at a slower rate than said camera recording frequency, frame rate, or shutter speed. 
     
     
         15 . A method according to  claim 14  wherein the minimum pulse width of said time varying lighting value is longer than said recording frequency, frame rate or shutter speed. 
     
     
         16 . A method according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the simulation iterates through repeated cycles of receiving at least one random simulation parameter and simulating the lighting effect. 
     
     
         17 . A method according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the lighting effect is designed to mimic at least one or more of: fire flickering; police light; television; lightning flashing; electrical sparking; and fireworks. 
     
     
         18 . A method according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the lighting value comprises brightness and/or colour data. 
     
     
         19 . A method according to  claim 18 , further comprising converting brightness and/or colour data into lighting signals and outputting the lighting signal data. 
     
     
         20 . A method according to any of the preceding claims, further comprising controlling one or more light in dependence on the output. 
     
     
         21 . A method according to  claim 20 , wherein the controlling comprises changing the brightness and/or colour of the light. 
     
     
         22 . A method according to any of the preceding claims, further comprising receiving a definition of a trigger event, said trigger event initiating said output of the time varying lighting value thereby to simulate a lighting effect. 
     
     
         23 . A method according to  claim 22  further comprising detecting an occurrence of the trigger event and outputting said time varying lighting value thereby to simulate a lighting effect. 
     
     
         24 . A method according to any of the preceding claims, further comprising storing the calculated lighting value. 
     
     
         25 . A method according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the controlling is for a lighting system for videography, broadcast, cinematography, studio filming and/or location filming. 
     
     
         26 . A method according to any preceding claim comprising controlling a plurality of lights in dependence on the output. 
     
     
         27 . A method according to  claim 26  wherein the said plurality of lights output different lighting values so as to simulate a lighting effect. 
     
     
         28 . A method according to  claim 27  wherein the output of said plurality of lights is offset in time. 
     
     
         29 . A method according to  claim 28  wherein the output of said plurality of lights overlap with one-another so as to simulate a moving light source. 
     
     
         30 . A method according to any of  claims 26  to  29  wherein one light is a master light and the others of said plurality of lights are slaves. 
     
     
         31 . A computing device adapted to perform a method according to any one of the preceding claims. 
     
     
         32 . A controller for a lighting device comprising a computing device according  claim 31 . 
     
     
         33 . A controller for controlling a lighting device to produce a lighting effect, the controller comprising:
 a calculating device adapted to calculate a time varying lighting value based on at least one simulation parameter; and   an output adapted to control a lighting device according to the determined variation of lighting over time.   
     
     
         34 . A controller according to  claim 30  or  31  further comprising a random number source adapted to provide a random number for producing a random simulation parameter for characterising a lighting effect. 
     
     
         35 . A controller according to any of  claims 32  to  34 , wherein the controller is adapted to control a plurality of lighting devices in dependence on the time varying lighting value. 
     
     
         36 . A controller according to any one of  claims 32  to  35 , wherein the controller comprises a wireless communication interface adapted for wireless communication with one or more lighting devices. 
     
     
         37 . A controller according to any one of  claims 32  to  36 , wherein the controller comprises an input interface adapted to receive a user input. 
     
     
         38 . A controller according to  claim 37 , wherein the input interface comprises at least one of: a wireless communication interface; a dial; a slider; a display and buttons; and a touch screen. 
     
     
         39 . A controller according to any one of  claims 32  to  38 , further comprising a converter adapted to convert brightness and/or colour data from the simulator into lighting signals for output by the output. 
     
     
         40 . A controller according to any one of  claims 32  to  39 , adapted to perform a method according to any one of  claims 1  to  30 . 
     
     
         41 . A lighting system comprising a controller according to any one of  claims 32  to  40  and at least one lighting device. 
     
     
         42 . A lighting system according to  claim 41  wherein said controller and said lighting device are integrated in a combined unit. 
     
     
         43 . A lighting system according to  claim 42  further comprising a further lighting device separate from said controller. 
     
     
         44 . A lighting system according to any of  claims 41  to  43  wherein the lighting device is a lighting device for videography, broadcast, cinematography, studio filming and/or location filming. 
     
     
         45 . A lighting device comprising a controller according to any one of  claims 32  to  40 . 
     
     
         46 . A lighting device according to  claim 45  wherein the lighting device is a lighting device for videography, broadcast, cinematography, studio filming and/or location filming. 
     
     
         47 . A computer program product for controlling a lighting device to produce a lighting effect, the computer program product adapted to perform, when executed, the steps of:
 calculating a time varying lighting value based on at least one simulation parameter; and   outputting said time varying lighting value thereby to simulate a lighting effect.   
     
     
         48 . A computer program product according to  claim 47 , adapted to perform, when executed, the steps of a method according to any one of  claims 2  to  30 . 
     
     
         49 . A method substantially as herein described and/or as illustrated with reference to the accompanying figures. 
     
     
         50 . A computing device substantially as herein described and/or as illustrated with reference to the accompanying figures. 
     
     
         51 . A controller for a lighting device substantially as herein described and/or as illustrated with reference to the accompanying figures. 
     
     
         52 . A lighting system substantially as herein described and/or as illustrated with reference to the accompanying figures. 
     
     
         53 . A lighting device substantially as herein described and/or as illustrated with reference to the accompanying figures. 
     
     
         54 . A computer program product substantially as herein described and/or as illustrated with reference to the accompanying figures.