# US 10,313,490 B2 · Control device, system containing the control device and method of using the same > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,313,490 B2 - Document ID: US10313490B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/491,597 - Filed: 2017-04-19 - Published: 2017-08-03 - Granted: 2019-06-04 - Earliest claimed: 2012-09-28 - Assignees: Production Resource Group, LLC - Applicants: Revolution Display, LLC - Inventors: Scott Blair; Jeremy Hochman - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10313490B2 ## CPC - H04L 69/18: Multiprotocol handlers, e.g. single devices capable of handling multiple protocols - F21L 4/04: characterised by the provision of a light source housing portion adjustably fixed to the remainder of the device - G02B 26/0816: {by means of one or more reflecting elements} - G03B 17/00: Details of cameras or camera bodies; Accessories therefor (lens hoods or caps G03B11/04) - G03B 21/14: Details - G03B 21/208: {Homogenising, shaping of the illumination light} - G05B 15/02: electric - G06F 11/324: {Display of status information} - H04L 69/08: Protocols for interworking; Protocol conversion - H05B 47/184: {using digital multiplexed [DMX] communication protocols} - H05B 47/19: via wireless transmission - H05B 47/196: {characterised by user interface arrangements} - H04L: TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION (arrangements common to telegraphic and telephonic communication H04M) - F21L: LIGHTING DEVICES OR SYSTEMS THEREOF, BEING PORTABLE OR SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR TRANSPORTATION - G02B: OPTICAL ELEMENTS, SYSTEMS OR APPARATUS - G03B: APPARATUS OR ARRANGEMENTS FOR TAKING PHOTOGRAPHS OR FOR PROJECTING OR VIEWING THEM; APPARATUS OR ARRANGEMENTS EMPLOYING ANALOGOUS TECHNIQUES USING WAVES OTHER THAN OPTICAL WAVES; ACCESSORIES THEREFOR (optical parts of such apparatus G02B; photosensitive materials or processes for photographic purposes G03C; apparatus for processing exposed photographic materials G03D) - G05B: CONTROL OR REGULATING SYSTEMS IN GENERAL; FUNCTIONAL ELEMENTS OF SUCH SYSTEMS; MONITORING OR TESTING ARRANGEMENTS FOR SUCH SYSTEMS OR ELEMENTS (systems for controlling or regulating non-electric variables G05D; systems for regulating electric or magnetic variables G05F; control devices or systems insofar as characterised by mechanical features only G05G) - G06F: ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING (computer systems based on specific computational models G06N) - H05B: ELECTRIC HEATING; ELECTRIC LIGHT SOURCES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; CIRCUIT ARRANGEMENTS FOR ELECTRIC LIGHT SOURCES, IN GENERAL ## Abstract Disclosed is a control device for a serial network protocol controller configured to selectively disable control of a parameter of a controllable media device by at least one channel while the serial network protocol controller continues to transmit the at least one channel to the at least on serial network protocol controllable media device. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A control device for a serial network protocol controller, the serial network protocol controller configured to repeatedly transmit an output signal composed of a plurality of channels to at least one controllable media device, two or more of the plurality of channels for controlling corresponding parameters of the at least one controllable media device, the control device comprising: a housing; a CPU and a memory disposed in the housing; a serial network protocol inlet port for communication with the serial network protocol controller; and an outlet port for communication with the at least one controllable media device; wherein the control device is configured to receive a user selection to enable or disable any one of the two or more of the plurality of channels to enable or disable control of one or more of the parameters by the serial network protocol controller; receive a control value for one of the parameters corresponding to the user-selected disabled channel; and in response to the user selection to disable one of the two or more of the plurality of channels, ignore the user-selected disabled channel and provide the control value to the at least one controllable media device for control of the corresponding parameter. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The control device of claim 1, further comprising a wireless Ethernet controller configured to provide control of the control device via Wi-Fi or via a Local Area Network. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The control device of claim 1, wherein the CPU is configured to provide support for at least one of ANSI E1.31, Artnet, PathportNet, ETCNet, MA-Net, MA-Net2 and ACN protocols. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The control device of claim 1, further comprising an embedded web server configured to provide control of the device via the Internet. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The control device of claim 1, wherein the serial network protocol controller is configured for a DMX-512 protocol. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The control device of claim 1, further comprising at least one additional communication port for communication with a media device controllable by a protocol other than a serial network protocol used by the serial network protocol controller. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The control device of claim 6, wherein the at least one additional communication port is a serial port, an Ethernet port or an MSTBA port. ### Claim 8 (depends on 6) The control device of claim 6, wherein the protocol other than the serial network protocol is RS-232 or RS-422 protocol. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The control device of claim 1, wherein the parameter is intensity, contrast control, gamma correction, input source selection, horizontal panning, vertical panning, tilt control, zoom in and out, control of a beam pattern, image freezing, focus control or color control. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The control device of claim 9, wherein the control device is configured to selectively enable control of the parameter of the at least one controllable media device by the at least one channel while the serial network protocol controller continues to transmit the at least one channel to the at least one controllable media device. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The control device of claim 1, wherein the control value is provided with a command-based protocol communication. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The control device of claim 1, wherein at least one controllable media device is a command-based protocol controlled media device. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The control device of claim 1, wherein the control value is a user-specified static default value. ### Claim 14 A media device control system comprising: a serial network protocol controller, a control device for the serial network protocol controller and at least one controllable media device, the serial network protocol controller configured to repeatedly transmit an output signal composed of a plurality of channels to the control device, two or more of the plurality of channels for controlling corresponding parameters of the at least one controllable media device and the control device comprising: a housing; a CPU and a memory disposed in the housing; a serial network protocol inlet port for communication with the serial network protocol controller; and an outlet port for communication with the at least one controllable media device, where, the control device is configured to receive a user selection to enable or disable any one of the two or more of the plurality of channels to enable or disable control of one or more of the parameters by the serial network protocol controller; receive a control value for one of the parameters corresponding to the user-selected disabled channel; and in response to the user selection to disable one of the two or more of the plurality of channels, ignore the user-selected disabled channel and provide the control value to the at least one controllable media device for control of the corresponding parameter. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The media device control system of claim 14, wherein the control device further comprises a wireless Ethernet controller configured to provide control of the control device via Wi-Fi or via a Local Area Network. ### Claim 16 (depends on 14) The media device control system of claim 14, wherein the CPU is configured to provide support for at least one of ANSI E1.31, Artnet, PathportNet, ETCNet, MA-Net, MA-Net2 and ACN protocols. ### Claim 17 (depends on 14) The media device control system of claim 14, wherein the control device further comprises an embedded web server configured to provide control of the control device via the Internet. ### Claim 18 (depends on 14) The media device control system of claim 14, wherein the serial network protocol controller is configured for a DMX-512 protocol. ### Claim 19 (depends on 14) The media device control system of claim 14, further comprising at least one additional communication port for communication with a media device controllable by a protocol other than a serial network protocol used by the serial network protocol controller. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) The media device control system of claim 19, wherein the at least one additional communication port is a serial port or an MSTBA port. ### Claim 21 (depends on 19) The media device control system of claim 19, wherein the protocol other than the serial network protocol is RS-232 or RS-422 protocol. ### Claim 22 (depends on 14) The media device control system of claim 14, wherein the at least one controllable media device is a lighting device, a projection device, a video processor, an audio device, a media server or an effects system device. ### Claim 23 (depends on 14) The media device control system of claim 14, wherein the parameter is intensity, contrast control, gamma correction, input source selection, horizontal panning, vertical panning, tilt control, zoom in and out, control of a beam pattern, image freezing, focus control or color control. ### Claim 24 (depends on 23) The media device control system of claim 23, wherein the control device is configured to selectively enable control of the parameter of the at least one controllable media device by one of the plurality of channels while the serial network protocol controller continues to transmit the one of the plurality of channels to the at least one controllable media device. ### Claim 25 (depends on 14) The media device control system of claim 14, further comprising a remote control unit configured to display a graphical user interface (GUI), the GUI including a menu of the two or more of the plurality of channels and corresponding ones of the parameters controlled by the two or more of the plurality of channels, the menu including a plurality of control elements for receiving a user selection to disable or enable control by the serial network protocol controller of any one or more of the parameters. ### Claim 26 A method for controlling parameters of a controllable media device comprising the steps of: receiving, at a control device operably connected to the controllable media device, an output signal from a media device controller, the output signal composed of a plurality of channels, two or more of the plurality of channels for controlling corresponding ones of the parameters of the controllable media device; receiving a user selection to enable or disable any one of the two or more of the plurality of channels to enable or disable control of one or more of the parameters by the media device controller; receiving a control value for one of the parameters corresponding to the user-selected disabled channel; and in response to the user selection to disable one of the two or more of the plurality of channels, selectively disabling, with the control device, control by the media device controller of the parameter corresponding to the user-selected disabled channel by ignoring the user-selected disabled channel and providing the control value to the controllable media device for control of the corresponding parameter. ### Claim 27 (depends on 26) The method of claim 26, further comprising receiving a user selection to selectively enable control of the user-selected disabled channel. ### Claim 28 (depends on 26) The method of claim 26, wherein the media device controller is a serial network protocol controller. ### Claim 29 (depends on 26) The method of claim 26, wherein the media device controller is a DMX-512 protocol controller, an ANSI E1.31 protocol controller, an Artnet protocol controller, a PathportNet protocol controller, an ETCNet protocol controller, an MA-Net, MA-Net2 protocol controller or an ACN protocol controller. ### Claim 30 (depends on 26) The method of claim 26, wherein the media device controller is a DMX-512 protocol controller. ### Claim 31 (depends on 26) The method of claim 26, wherein the parameter is contrast control, gamma correction, input source selection, horizontal panning, vertical panning, tilt control, zoom in and out, control of a beam pattern, image freezing, focus control or color control.