IP Library Granted Patent US 9,677,755
Granted Patent B1
US 9,677,755 · App. 14/213,756 · Granted Jun 13, 2017

Controlling three-dimensional lighting arrangements

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 9,677,755
App. No.
14/213,756
Granted
Jun 13, 2017
Kind
B1
Abstract

Example methods and systems for controlling three-dimensional lighting arrangements are described. One example method includes a method is provided that involves (1) receiving by a computing system location data indicating a respective location of each of a plurality of light sources within a volume, (2) receiving by the computing system an indication to provide a geometric lighting arrangement, where the geometric lighting arrangement comprises a plurality of points having a pre-determined spatial relationship, (3) determining by the computing system a respective location, within the volume, of each point in the geometric lighting arrangement, where at least one of the light sources corresponds to each point, and (4) for each light source that corresponds to one of the points, controlling by the computing system the light source such that a light beam from the light source illuminates the location of the corresponding point within the volume.

Claims (66)

1. A system comprising:

an interface configured to communicate control instructions to a plurality of light sources; and

a control system configured to:

receive location data indicating a respective location of each light source within a volume;

receive an indication to provide a geometric lighting arrangement, wherein the geometric lighting arrangement comprises a plurality of points having a pre-determined spatial relationship;

determine a respective location, within the volume, of each point in the geometric lighting arrangement, wherein at least one of the light sources corresponds to each point; and

for each light source that corresponds to one of the points, control the light source such that a light beam from the light source illuminates the location of the corresponding point within the volume, wherein, in order to control a given one of the light sources such that the light beam from the light source illuminates the location of the corresponding point within the volume, the control system is configured to (i) determine coordinates of the point within the volume and (ii) determine a pan parameter and a tilt parameter that positions the light source to emit light towards the determined coordinates.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the location data for each light source comprises a set of three-dimensional coordinates corresponding to a location of the light source within the volume.

3. The system of claim 1 , wherein the determined location of each point is defined by a set of three-dimensional coordinates within the volume.

4. The system of claim 1 , wherein the geometric lighting arrangement comprises a particular shape.

5. The system of claim 1 , wherein the control system is further configured to:

receive an indication of a particular transformation; and

determine, for each point in the geometric lighting arrangement, an associated sequence of locations within the volume that correspond to the particular transformation.

6. The system of claim 5 , wherein the control system is further configured to:

control the light sources such that the respective light beam from each light source moves through the associated sequence of locations within the volume, thereby providing the particular transformation.

7. The system of claim 5 , wherein the control system is further configured to determine one or more parameters of the particular transformation, wherein the one or more parameters comprise one or more of: (a) x-axis translation, (b) y-axis translation, (c) z-axis translation, (d) x-axis rotation, (e) y-axis rotation, (f) z-axis rotation, (g) x-axis scaling, (h) y-axis scaling, and (i) z-axis scaling.

8. A method comprising:

receiving, by a computing system, location data indicating a respective location of each of a plurality of light sources within a volume;

receiving, by the computing system, an indication to provide a geometric lighting arrangement, wherein the geometric lighting arrangement comprises a plurality of points having a pre-determined spatial relationship;

determining, by the computing system, a respective location, within the volume, of each point in the geometric lighting arrangement, wherein at least one of the light sources corresponds to each point; and

for each light source that corresponds to one of the points, controlling, by the computing system, the light source such that a light beam from the light source illuminates the location of the corresponding point within the volume, wherein controlling a given one of the light sources such that the light beam from the light source illuminates the location of the corresponding point within the volume comprises (i) determining coordinates of the point within the volume and (ii) determining a pan parameter and a tilt parameter that positions the light source to emit light towards the determined coordinates.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein the location data for each light source comprises a set of three-dimensional coordinates corresponding to a location of the light source within the volume.

10. The method of claim 8 , wherein the determined location of each point is defined by a set of three-dimensional coordinates within the volume.

11. The method of claim 8 , wherein the geometric lighting arrangement comprises a particular shape.

12. The method of claim 8 , further comprising:

receiving, by the computing system, an indication of a particular transformation; and

the computing system determining, for each point in the geometric lighting arrangement, an associated sequence of locations within the volume that correspond to the particular transformation.

13. The method of claim 12 , further comprising:

controlling, by the computing system, the light sources such that the respective light beam from each light source moves through the associated sequence of locations within the volume, thereby providing the particular transformation.

14. A non-transitory computer-readable medium having stored therein instructions executable by a computing system to cause the computing system to perform functions comprising:

receiving location data indicating a respective location of each of a plurality of light sources within a volume;

receiving an indication to provide a geometric lighting arrangement, wherein the geometric lighting arrangement comprises a plurality of points having a pre-determined spatial relationship;

determining a respective location, within the volume, of each point in the geometric lighting arrangement, wherein at least one of the light sources corresponds to each point; and

for each light source that corresponds to one of the points, controlling the light source such that a light beam from the light source illuminates the location of the corresponding point within the volume, wherein controlling a given one of the light sources such that the light beam from the light source illuminates the location of the corresponding point within the volume comprises (i) determining coordinates of the point within the volume and (ii) determining a pan parameter and a tilt parameter that positions the light source to emit light towards the determined coordinates.

15. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 14 , wherein the geometric lighting arrangement comprises a particular shape.

16. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 14 , further comprising instructions executable by the computing system to cause the computing system to perform functions comprising:

receiving an indication of a particular transformation; and

determining, for each point in the geometric lighting arrangement, an associated sequence of locations within the volume that correspond to the particular transformation.

17. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 16 , further comprising instructions executable by the computing system to cause the computing system to perform functions comprising:

controlling the light sources such that the respective light beam from each light source moves through the associated sequence of locations within the volume, thereby providing the particular transformation.

18. A system comprising:

an interface configured to communicate control instructions to a plurality of light sources; and

a control system configured to:

receive location data indicating a respective location of each light source within a volume;

receive an indication to provide a geometric lighting arrangement, wherein the geometric lighting arrangement comprises a plurality of points having a pre-determined spatial relationship;

determine a respective location, within the volume, of each point in the geometric lighting arrangement, wherein at least one of the light sources corresponds to each point;

for each light source that corresponds to one of the points, control the light source such that a light beam from the light source illuminates the location of the corresponding point within the volume;

receive an indication of a particular transformation;

determine, for each point in the geometric lighting arrangement, an associated sequence of locations within the volume that correspond to the particular transformation; and

control the light sources such that the respective light beam from each light source moves through the associated sequence of locations within the volume, thereby providing the particular transformation.

19. A method comprising:

receiving, by a computing system, location data indicating a respective location of each of a plurality of light sources within a volume;

receiving, by the computing system, an indication to provide a geometric lighting arrangement, wherein the geometric lighting arrangement comprises a plurality of points having a pre-determined spatial relationship;

determining, by the computing system, a respective location, within the volume, of each point in the geometric lighting arrangement, wherein at least one of the light sources corresponds to each point;

for each light source that corresponds to one of the points, controlling, by the computing system, the light source such that a light beam from the light source illuminates the location of the corresponding point within the volume;

receiving, by the computing system, an indication of a particular transformation;

the computing system determining, for each point in the geometric lighting arrangement, an associated sequence of locations within the volume that correspond to the particular transformation; and

controlling, by the computing system, the light sources such that the respective light beam from each light source moves through the associated sequence of locations within the volume, thereby providing the particular transformation.

20. A non-transitory computer-readable medium having stored therein instructions executable by a computing system to cause the computing system to perform functions comprising:

receiving location data indicating a respective location of each of a plurality of light sources within a volume;

receiving an indication to provide a geometric lighting arrangement, wherein the geometric lighting arrangement comprises a plurality of points having a pre-determined spatial relationship;

determining a respective location, within the volume, of each point in the geometric lighting arrangement, wherein at least one of the light sources corresponds to each point;

for each light source that corresponds to one of the points, controlling the light source such that a light beam from the light source illuminates the location of the corresponding point within the volume;

receiving an indication of a particular transformation;

determining, for each point in the geometric lighting arrangement, an associated sequence of locations within the volume that correspond to the particular transformation; and

controlling the light sources such that the respective light beam from each light source moves through the associated sequence of locations within the volume, thereby providing the particular transformation.

Assignments (4)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Nov 30, 2017
From: STOWELL LINNELL, LLC D/B/A AUTOFUSS
To: GOOGLE LLC
Reel/Frame 044263/0310 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Nov 30, 2017
From: GOOGLE LLC
To: X DEVELOPMENT LLC
Reel/Frame 044263/0400 →
CORRECTIVE ASSIGNMENT TO CORRECT THE NAME OF THE ASSIGNEE PREVIOUSLY RECORDED ON REEL 032450 FRAME 0986. ASSIGNOR(S) HEREBY CONFIRMS THE ASSIGNMENT OF INTEREST. Recorded Apr 18, 2014
From: LINNELL, JEFFREY; BEARDSWORTH, MICHAEL; SHERMAN, IAN
To: STOWELL LINNELL, LLC D/B/A AUTOFUSS
Reel/Frame 032713/0973 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Mar 17, 2014
From: LINNELL, JEFFREY; BEARDSWORTH, MICHAEL; SHERMAN, IAN
To: AUTOFUSS
Reel/Frame 032450/0986 →