Moving Lights forming Pixels of a Video

Abstract

A video is divided into portions, and the portions are used to control moving lights. A video is displayed where each moving light becomes a superpixel of the eventual displayed video. The superpixels themselves may be formed of pixels.

1 . A method comprising:
 first controlling a plurality of remotely controllable lamps using a first control such that each of the remotely controllable lamps creates a separate output at a separate location based on said first control, and at least one of said remotely controllable lamps produces an output with content that is different than another of said remotely controllable lamps based on said first control; and   second controlling the plurality of remotely controllable lamps using a second control at a different time than said first control, such that the remotely controllable lamps collectively produce a frame of a video responsive to said second control at said different time, and subsequently produces another frame of the same video at another time subsequent to said different time.   
     
     
         2 . A method as in  claim 1 , wherein said second controlling produces outputs to the remotely controllable lamps such that each of the lamps produces a portion of said frame of said video. 
     
     
         3 . A method as in  claim 2 , wherein said first controlling and said second controlling also comprises controlling a pointing location of said plurality of remotely controllable lamps in pan and tilt directions. 
     
     
         4 . A method as in  claim 2 , wherein each of said remotely controllable lamps forms a superpixel of said frame of said video, said superpixel having a plurality of pixels being projected thereby. 
     
     
         5 . A method as in  claim 2 , further comprising, during said second controlling, moving each of the plurality of lamps at the same time to thereby move a position of display of the video. 
     
     
         6 . A method as in  claim 3 , further comprising controlling said lamps to collectively form a rectangular shaped array display. 
     
     
         7 . A method as in  claim 1 , further comprising controlling both a projection light and an LED light using the same control form at said first time. 
     
     
         8 . A method as in  claim 1 , further comprising controlling display using a computer by dragging items to be displayed onto a timeline of a user interface, and automatically displaying said items at a time related to a position on said timeline. 
     
     
         9 . A method, comprising:
 using a computer for forming a user interface having a timeline representing future times;   using the computer for placing items to be displayed on said timeline;   using the computer for automatically determining a current time, automatically determining items which have been placed on the timeline at times corresponding to the current time, and automatically causing at least one remotely controllable light to display the items on the timeline based on said current time matching the time at which said items are on the timeline.   
     
     
         11 . A method as in claim  10 , wherein said placing items comprises placing items on the timeline to be displayed by multiple different lamps. 
     
     
         12 . A method as in  claim 11 , wherein said placing comprises placing different items into different layers. 
     
     
         13 . A method as in  claim 12 , wherein one layer modifies the video on another layer. 
     
     
         14 . A method as in  claim 13 , wherein said modifies comprises changing an aspect of display of a video. 
     
     
         15 . An apparatus, comprising:
 a controller device which produces outputs for controlling a plurality of remotely controllable lamps, said controller controlling in a first control mode to produce outputs such that each of the remotely controllable lamps creates a separate output at a separate location based on said first control, and at least one of said remotely controllable lamps displays content that is independent from another of said remotely controllable lamps based on said first control, said controller operating in a second control mode to control the plurality of remotely controllable lamps using a second control at a different time than said first control, such that the remotely controllable lamps collectively produce a first frame of a video responsive to said second control at said different time, and to subsequently produce another frame of the same video at another time subsequent to said different time.   
     
     
         16 . An apparatus as in  claim 15 , wherein said second controlling by said controller produces outputs to the remotely controllable lamps such that each of the lamps produces a portion of said frame of said video. 
     
     
         17 . An apparatus as in  claim 16 , wherein said controller device also controls a pointing location of said plurality of remotely controllable lamps in pan and tilt directions. 
     
     
         18 . An apparatus as in  claim 15 , wherein each of said remotely controllable lamps forms a superpixel of said frame of said video in said second control mode, said superpixel having a plurality of pixels being projected thereby. 
     
     
         19 . An apparatus as in  claim 16 , further comprising, during said second controlling, moving each of the plurality of lamps at the same time to thereby move a position of display of the video. 
     
     
         20 . An apparatus as in  claim 16 , further comprising controlling said lamps to collectively form a rectangular shaped array display. 
     
     
         21 . An apparatus as in  claim 15 , wherein said output controls both a projection light and an LED light using the same control form at said first time. 
     
     
         22 . An apparatus as in  claim 15 , wherein said controller has a timeline, and allows dragging items to be displayed onto the timeline of a user interface, and automatically displaying said items at a time related to a position on said timeline.