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US 2014/0180439 A1Published application
Automation and motion control system
AssigneeTait Towers Manufacturing, LLC
InventorScott FISHER
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An automation and motion control system for theatrical objects, such as theatrical props, cameras, stunt persons, lighting, scenery, drapery or other similar types of devices or items, is provided to coordinate the movement of the objects on a large scale and/or to control the operation of the objects.
Claims17
An automation and motion control system to control a plurality of theatrical objects, the control system comprising:
- a plurality of nodes in communication with each other over a real time network, each node of the plurality of nodes corresponds to at least one item equipment used to a control a theatrical object;
- each node of the plurality of nodes comprising a microprocessor and a memory device;
- the memory device comprises a node process and at least one process executable by the microprocessor;
- the at least one process being used to control the operation of the at least one item of equipment;
- and
- the at least one process having one or more of cues, rules and actions to generate the control instructions to control the operation of the at least one item of equipment.
3 more elements
A computer implemented method to control the movement of an object in a predefined space, the method comprising:
- establishing a starting point for an object in a predefined space using an operator console node, the starting point defining a position and an orientation of the object in the predefined space;
- determining a motion profile for the object using the operator console node, the motion profile including a plurality of points and being used to move the object along a path beginning at the starting point, the motion profile having a position and an orientation for the object at each point of the plurality of points along the path;
- converting the motion profile into a plurality of control instructions for at least one component associated with the object using a node controlling the at least one component, the plurality of control instructions enabling the at least one component to move the object along the path;
- and
- moving the object along the path with the at least one component in response to the execution of the plurality of control instructions by the at least one component.
2 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.