GB2455761A

GB2455761A - Portable red light and bell system for film industry

Info

Publication number: GB2455761A
Application number: GB0724857A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Chris Alan Gilbertson
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2007-12-20
Filing date: 2007-12-20
Publication date: 2009-06-24
Also published as: GB0724857D0

Abstract

The invention relates to a portable "Red Light and Bell" (RLB) system for use on location by the motion picture and television industry. A single rechargeable controller can control up to eight red light and bell modules wirelessly through radio transmission. The controller has four buttons (red, green, bell and clear) which activate the various states possible (red light, green light, bell ringing and standby) on the RLB modules. The modules will change according to the controller and "report back' to the controller which will in turn illuminate the corresponding mimic LED so as to inform the user that all modules are activated correctly. The modules will also act as repeaters so as to allow units to be placed further apart. The modules are lightweight, battery operated, rechargeable, weather proof, mountable on spigots which are standard throughout the film industry, securable using laptop locks, robust, units that emulate the audio and visual features of the red light and bell system found in sound stages throughout the film and television industries world wide. The system allows the film industry to have a standard red light and bell system for location use in much the same way they have a standard system when working in the studios.

Description

Roxi-Lite Description

The Roxi-lite is a portable red light and bell system for use on location by the motion picture and television industries.

When filming on a professional sound stage there is fitted to the stage a system which informs the cast, crew and other personnel what is occurring within the stage so that interruptions to filming and/or rehearsals do not occur.

This system is known as the red light and bell and comprises a red light, green light and bell mounted outside each entrance to the studio. It is then centrally controlled by a panel mounted somewhere within the sound stage. The protocols used are that when the red light is activated it means filming is occurring and you cannot enter or you must stop working and be quite. This is accompanied by a single ring of the bell (usually quite a long one) to get everyone's attention and followed by leaving the red light on for the duration of filming that take. When filming stops the bell is rung twice (in quick succession) and the red light is turned off informing everyone that they may now enter and/or continue working. When rehearsals are occurring the green light is turned on which informs everyone that although they may enter the studio they must remain quite so as not to distract the artists, director and others involved in the rehearsal.

This "system" of red light, green light and bell rings is well established as a standard throughout the film and television industries world wide.

There is not however a standard system for locations. As such all manor of methods are used in an attempt to maintain some sort of traffic and noise control when location filming, none of which are ideal and most of which simply do not work.

The Roxi-Lite will provide a standard system that can be used on any location by the film and television industry.

It will do this by solving all of the problems that have prevented a standard system being employed when out on location in the past. Namely that it needs to be utterly portable, wireless, weather proof, lightweight, simple to use and, most importantly, effectively replicate the system everyone is used to when filming in studios.

The Roxi-Lite "system" will comprise the following elements.

1. A single (wireless) remote controller which has a button for the red light, a button for the green light, a button for the bell and a clear button. It will have "mimic" lights at the top of the controller which will inform the user of the status of the red light and bell modules and confirm the button pushes he/she has made (red, green, bell or clear) 2. A number of red light and bell modules (between 2 and 8). Each module will comprise a bell (which when activated will emit the same sound heard on a majority sound stages worldwide) and a "rotating" red and green light which will emulate the traditional beacon light found on sound stages. The module will also act as a repeater thus allowing modules to be placed increasingly further apart or around corners. This unit can be seen in the included 3D drawing.

The use of the system will be as follows.

1. The remote controller will be turned on.

2. The red light and bell modules (RLB module) will be turned on one at a time until they are "located" by the controller. This will be indicated by an LED lighting up on the remote controller for each RLB module that is located.

3. Once all units are located by the controller they can be placed throughout the location as needed by the film crew with the following stipulations. That no one unit is more than 300m/1000' (line of sight) apart from either another unit or the controller and that each unit is within line of sight of at least one other unit or the controller at all times.

4. In the event that a RLB module is out of range or blocked by a wall etc the controller will indicate this so that the user can relocate the RLB module or add another module to extend the range of the module that is not picking up a signal.

5. Once all units are positioned as needed the controller can be used to ring the bell, turn the red or green light on and then clear the lights with a short double ring. The controller and the RLB modules will last a minimum 16 hours use which will cover a single shooting day.

6. The controller and RLB modules would then be collected at the end of the day and recharged or alternatively be left in position and plugged in there to be charged either during the turnaround (break in filming) or while they are being used the during the following filming period.

Due to the features of the Roxi-Lite system as described under our "claims" document there will not be any need for a film crew to learn any new and often confusing system for filming from one location to another as this system will be able to work in any environment.

Claims

Roxi-Lite Claims The Roxi-Lite system will comprise a small handheld controller and multiple Red Light and Bell (RLB) modules.

Roxi-Lite controller The features of the Roxi-Lite controller are as follows; * It shall be small enough to be held and operated by one hand * It shall be battery operated and rechargeable * It will communicate to and receive information from the RLB modules through radio transmission * It shall have a red button to turn on the red light on the RLB modules * It shall have a green button to turn on the green light on the RLB modules * It shall have a button to ring the bell on the RLB modules * It shall have a button to clear the RLB units from any of the above states whilst also ringing the bell on the RLB modules twice in quick succession when clearing from the red light state.

* It shall have 8 mimic lights at the top of the unit that accurately indicate what state each RLB module is in as follows: Blue = in range and standing by, Red = red light is on, Green = green light is on, White = Bell is ringing.

* It shall have a single LED light that will indicate whether the unit is on and charged or needs charging.

* It shall be able to be operated whilst being charged * It shall have an on/off switch * It shall have a belt clip * It shall have wrist strap Roxi-Lite modules (illustration included) The Roxi-Lite RLB Module will comprise the following features: * It shall contain a mechanical bell so as to create a loud ringing sound similar to that found on sound stages throughout the film and television industry * It shall contain a series of red LED's that when turned on and off in sequence create the same effect as the traditional beacon light (a device that houses a single bulb with a reflector that revolves around the bulb creating a "light house" rotating light effect) * It shall contain a series of green LED's that create the same effect described above * It shall be controlled by the Roxi-Lite controller through radio transmission * It shall repeatedly communicate back to the Roxi-Lite controller it's current status * It shall act as a repeater to other RLB modules so as to create a network between the controller and all RLB modules ensuring that the controller is able to control all units and all units are able to "report" back to the controller * It shall flash red and green simultaneously when it is unable to receive the controller signal so as to indicate to the user that the unit is no longer in range of the controller. This will also serve to warn personnel on the film set that there is something wrong and they should be cautious in case filming or rehearsing is occurring.

* It shall be weather proof such that they can remain outside during heavy rain * It shall be robust enough to withstand a fall from no more than 4' and continue working * The units will be small enough to pick up with one hand and able to be mounted on a standard 5/8" spigot found on all grip/lighting mounting devices used for film and TV production * It shall be battery operated and last a minimum of 16 hours of moderate to heavy operation * It shall be rechargeable and be able to operate whilst being charged * It shall have an on/off switch * It shall have a switch that disables the bell such that a unit can be used to simply repeat the signal without causing unnecessary distraction to nearby public * It shall contain a slot within the housing to connect a locking device as manufactured for the laptops (Kensington lock)