US 8,710,704 B2Granted

Performance venue with dynamic mechanical load management system and method

AssigneeElectronic Theatre Controls, Inc.

InventorsMichael Lichter, Timothy P. Nolan, Larry J. Gauthier

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Abstract

A performance venue having a dynamic load management system for use in managing loads. The system uses a dead man circuit as a means for determining the actual or anticipated dynamic load produced by moving loads, and then disables the system by opening the dead man circuit when too many loads are moved or selected to be moved. Preferably, the invention is embodied in a dead man circuit is pure hardware, and is free of software components. The invention also provides a method of controlling movement of loads in a performance venue having a plurality machines. In its basic form, the method comprises selecting at least one of the machines for movement, closing a dead man circuit, and opening the dead man circuit if the current in the dead man circuit falls outside a predetermined range.

Claims19

Dependent claims

A performance venue comprising:

a plurality of machines, each designed to move a load;
a control center;
a communication link coupling the control center to the machines;
a machine switch coupled to the communication link and a corresponding machine, the machine switch movable between an open position and a closed position, the corresponding machine inoperable to move the load when the machine switch is in the open position and operable to move the load only when the machine switch is in the closed position;
and
a dead man circuit that draws a current that represents an actual mechanical load of the corresponding machine, the dead man circuit comprising:
a switching element coupled to the machine switch that moves the machine switch to the closed position only when current in the dead man circuit is within a desired range;
and
a dead man trip that will open the dead man circuit when current in the dead man circuit is outside the desired range, which causes the machine switch to move to the open position.

6 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.