Lighting system and control thereof

1. A method for controlling a lighting device to produce a range of different user customisable lighting effects, the method comprising:

receiving user input of at least one user input simulation parameter to customise a lighting effect;

storing in memory said at least one user input simulation parameter, said at least one user input simulation parameter depending on the lighting effect being simulated;

recalling from said memory said at least one stored user input simulation parameter;

calculating, using an effect simulator, a time varying lighting value based on said recalled simulation parameter; and

outputting to said lighting device said time varying lighting value thereby to simulate the lighting effect.

2. The method according to claim 1 , wherein said user customisable simulation parameter is stored locally.

3. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the simulation parameter comprises a colour or colour temperature.

4. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the simulation parameter is related to at least one of: an effect frequency; an effect speed; a colour; a colour temperature; a trigger; a rate of increase of brightness; a rate of decrease of brightness; a rate of change of colour; a brightness; a local maximal (peak) brightness; a local minimal brightness; a brightness fluctuation period; and a colour fluctuation time period.

5. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the lighting effect comprises a short time-period (e.g. stroboscopic) lighting effect with a user adjustable minimum pulse width.

6. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the user customisable simulation parameter comprises a parameter indicative of a group consisting of: a camera recording frequency; a camera shutter speed; and a camera frame rate.

7. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the lighting effect is designed to mimic at least one of: fire; lightning; police car light; television; a neon flickering sign; a candle; muzzle (gunshot); welding; spark/short circuit; a scan (e.g. fingerprint scanner); paparazzi flashes; fireworks; flashes (strobe); a propeller; a (nuclear) explosion; and a wormhole.

8. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the lighting value comprises brightness and/or colour data.

9. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising converting at least one of brightness and colour data into a lighting signal and outputting the lighting signal to the lighting device.

10. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the controlling is for a lighting system for videography, broadcast, cinematography, studio filming and/or location filming.

11. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising controlling at least one further lighting device.

12. A system adapted to control at least one lighting device to produce a range of different user customisable lighting effects, the system comprising:

an input interface adapted to receive user input of at least one user input simulation parameter to customise a lighting effect;

a memory adapted to store said at least one user input simulation parameter, said at least one user input simulation parameter depending on the lighting effect being simulated; and

an effect simulator adapted to:

recall from said memory said at least one stored user input simulation parameter; and

calculate a time varying lighting value based on said recalled simulation parameter;

wherein the effect simulator is adapted to output said calculated time varying lighting value to the at least one lighting device thereby to simulate a lighting effect.

13. The system according to claim 12 , wherein the system is adapted to control at least one further lighting device.

14. The system according to claim 12 , further comprising an input interface and wherein the input interface comprises at least one of: a wireless communication interface; a dial; a slider; a display and buttons.

15. The system according to claim 12 , wherein said at least one lighting device is integrated in a combined unit.

16. The system according to claim 12 , wherein the at least one lighting device comprises a lighting device for videography, broadcast, cinematography, studio filming and/or location filming.

17. The system according to claim 12 , wherein the at least one lighting device comprises at least one light emitting diode.

18. A lighting device according to claim 17 , wherein the at least one lighting device is used for videography, broadcast, cinematography, studio filming and/or location filming.

19. A computer program product comprising software code for controlling a lighting device to produce a range of different user customisable lighting effects the computer program product is adapted to perform, when executed, the steps of:

receiving user input of at least one user input simulation parameter to customise a lighting effect;

storing in memory said at least one user input simulation parameter, said at least one user input simulation parameter depending on the lighting effect being simulated;

recalling from said memory said at least one stored user input simulation parameter;

calculating, using an effect simulator, a time varying lighting value based on said recalled simulation parameter; and

outputting to said lighting device said time varying lighting value thereby to simulate a lighting effect.