Abstract:
Producing complicated effects based on image processing operations. The image processing operations are defined for a processor which may be different than the processor which is actually used. The processor that is actually used runs an interpreter that interprets the information into its own language, and then runs the image processing. The actual information is formed according to a plurality of layers which are combined in some way so that each layer can effect the layers below it. For example, the layers may add to, subtract from, or form transparency to the layer below it or make color filtering the layer below it. This enables many different effects computed and precompiled for a hypothetical processor, and a different processor can be used to combine and render those effects.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION  
       [0001]     This application claims the benefit of prior U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 60/493,531, filed Aug. 7, 2003 and entitled “Gobo Virtual Machine.” 
     
    
     BACKGROUND  
       [0002]     Stage lighting effects have become increasingly complex, and are increasingly handled using more and more computing power. During a show, commands for various lights are often produced by a console which controls the overall show. The console has a number of encoders and controls which may be used to control any number of lights.  
         [0003]     Complex effects may be controlled by the console. Typically each effect is individual for each light that is controlled.  
       SUMMARY  
       [0004]     The present system teaches an apparatus in which a computer produces an output which is adapted for driving a projector according to commands produced by a console that controls multiple lights. The projector produces the light according to the commands entered on the console.  
         [0005]     According to an aspect, certain commands are in a special generic form which enables them to be processed by many different computers.  
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0006]     These and other aspects will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein:  
         [0007]      FIG. 1  shows a block diagram of the overall system;  
         [0008]      FIG. 2  shows a block diagram of the connection between the console and the box;  
         [0009]      FIG. 3  shows a combination of multiple layers forming a final displayed image; and  
         [0010]      FIG. 4  shows the way that the code can be compiled for a special kind of processor. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION  
       [0011]     The output of the console  100  may be in various different formats, including DMX 512, or ethernet. The console  100  may be an ICON (TM) console. This console produces a number of outputs  110 ,  114  to respectively control a number of lighting units  112 ,  116 . Console is shown producing output  110  to control light  112 . Similarly, output  114  may be produced to control light  116 .  
         [0012]     Another output  120  may be produced to control a digital light shape altering device. Such a light may be the icon M, aspects of which are described, for example, in U.S. Pat. No. 6,549,326, U.S. Pat. No. 6,617,792, U.S. Pat. No. 6,736,528. In this embodiment, however, the output  120  which is intended for the light is actually sent to a computer  130  which runs software to form an image according to commands from the console. The computer  130  produces an output  135  which may be a standard video output. The video output  135  may be further processed according to a dimmer  140 . The output of the dimmer is connected to a projector  150 . The projector may be, for example, a projector using digital mirror devices or DMD&#39;s.  
         [0013]     The projector produces output according to its conventional way of producing output. However, this is based on the control  120  which is produced by the console.  
         [0014]     In the embodiment, the computer  130  may actually be a bank of multiple computers, which respectively produce multiple outputs for multiple projectors  150 ,  151 ,  152 .  FIG. 2  shows further detail about the connection between the console and the computer. The output of the console may be in any network format. In this embodiment, the output of the console may be in ethernet format, containing information that is directed to three different channels.  
         [0015]     The computer  130  is actually a standalone half-height rack, on wheels, with three rack-mounted computers therein. The ethernet output  120  is coupled to an ethernet hub  125  which directs the output to each of the three computers. The three computers are shown as computer  1 ; designation  200 , computer  2 ; designation  202 , and computer  3 ; designation  204 . Each of these computers may be standard computers having keyboard input and display outputs. The outputs of each of the computers are connected to the interface board  140 .  
         [0016]     Board  140  produces and outputs a first dimmed output  145  adapted for connection to the projector. The second, typically non-dimmed output  210  is connected to a three-way KVM switch. Each of the three computers have outputs which are coupled to the KVM switch. The KVM switch produces a single output representative of the selected computer output.  
         [0017]     A single rack-mounted keyboard and monitor are located within the rack and driven by the KVM switch. The keyboard  220  is also connected to the KVM switch  230 , and produces its output to the selected computer. For example, when computer  3  is selected, the KVM switch sends the output from keyboard  222  to computer  3  and the output from computer  3  is sent to display  225 .  
         [0018]     Any type of switch can be used, however standard KVM switches are typically available. Moreover, while this embodiment describes three different computers being used, there is practically no limit on the number of computers that can share input and output with a KVM switch.  
         [0019]     The dimmer board may carry out dimming by multiplying each video output by analog values supplied by the associated computer. Moreover, the KVM switch is shown outside of the rack for simplicity, but in reality the KVM switch is rack-mounted within the rack.  
         [0020]     As described above, the console produces a signal for each of many lights. That signal represents the desired effect. Different kinds of effects that can be produced may be described herein. The computer which actually does the image processing to form the desired result requested by the console. The computer processes the signal by receiving the command, converting that command into an image which forms a layer, and combining the multiple layers to form an overall image to be displayed by the projector/lamp.  
         [0021]     The final image is formed by combining a plurality of layers. Each layer can have a number of different characteristics, but primarily, each layer may be considered to have a shape, a color, and/or an effect. The layers are combined such that each layer covers, adds to, subtracts, or allows transparency, to a layer below it.  
         [0022]     An example of the operation is shown in  FIG. 3 .  FIG. 3  shows a first layer  300  which is an animation of clouds. The animation is continuous, so that the user sees the effect of traveling through those clouds.  
         [0023]     Layer  2  is overlaid on the layer one. Layer  2  is shown as  310 , and corresponds to a rectangle which is rotating in a clockwise direction at a specified speed. In this layer, the perimeter area  312  is effectively black and opaque, while the interior area  314  is clear. Accordingly, as this layer is superimposed over the other layer, the area  314  allows the animation of layer  1  to show through, but the area  312  blocks the animation from showing through. The resultant image is shown as  330 , with the rotating triangle  314  being transparent and showing portions of the cloud animation  300  through it. A third layer  320  is also shown, which simply includes an orange circle  322  in its center. In the resultant image  330 , the orange circle  322  forms an orange filter over the portion of the scene which is showing.  
         [0024]     Each layer can have a number of different effects, besides the effects noted above. An incomplete list of effects is: 
        color     shape     intensity     timing     rotation        
 
         [0030]     Parameters associated with any of these effects can be specified. For example, parameters of rotation can be selected including the speed of rotation, the direction of rotation, and the center of rotation. One special effect is obtained by selecting a center of rotation that is actually off axis of the displayed scene. Other effects include scaling  
         [0031]     Blocking (also called subtractive, allowing defining a hole and seeing through the hole).  
         [0032]     Color filtering (changing the color of any layer or any part of any layer).  
         [0033]     Decay (which is a trailing effect, in which as an image moves, images produced at previous times are not immediately erased, but rather fade away over time giving a trailing effect).  
         [0034]     Timing of decay (effectively the time during which the effect is removed).  
         [0035]     A movie can also be produced and operations can include 
        coloring the movie     scaling the movie     dimming of the image of the movie        
 
         [0039]     Shake of the image, in which the image is moved up and down or back-and-forth in a specified shaking motion based on a random number. Since the motion is random, this gives the effect of a noisy shaking operation.  
         [0040]     Wobble of the image, which is effectively a sinusoidal motion of the image in a specified direction. For wobble of the image, different parameters can be controlled, including speed of the wobble.  
         [0041]     Forced redraw-this is a technique where at specified intervals, a command is given to produce an all-black screen. This forces the processor to redraw the entire image.  
         [0042]     Other effects are also possible.  
         [0043]     The computer may operate according to the flowchart of  FIG. 4 . The image itself is produced based on information that is received from the console, over the link  120 . Each console command is typically made up of a number of layers. At  400 , the data indicative of these multiple layers is formed.  
         [0044]     Note that this system is extremely complex. This will require the computer to carry out multiple different kinds of highly computation-intensive operations. The operations may include, but are not limited to, playing of an animation, rotating an image, (which may consist of forming the image as a matrix arithmetic version of the image, and rotating the matrix), and other complicated image processes. In addition, however, all processors have different ways of rendering images.  
         [0045]     In order to obtain better performance, the code for these systems has been highly individualized to a specified processor. For example, much of this operation was done on Apple processors, and the code was individualized to an Apple G4 processor. This can create difficulties, however, when new generations of processors become available. The developers are then given a choice between creating the code, and buying outdated equipment.  
         [0046]     According to this system, the code which forms the layers is compiled for a specified real or hypothetical processor which does all of the operations that are necessary to carry out all of the image processing operations. Each processor, such as the processor  200 , effectively runs an interpreter which interprets the compiled code according to a prewritten routine. In an embodiment, a hypothetical processor may be an Apple G4 processor, and all processors are provided with a code decompilation tool which enables operating based on this compiled code. Notably, the processor has access to the open GL drawing environment which enables the processor to produce the image. However, in this way, any processor is capable of executing the code which is produced. This code may be compiled versions of any of the effects noted above.  
         [0047]     Although only a few embodiments have been disclosed in detail above, other modifications are possible. All such modifications are intended to be encompassed within the following claims.