Patents by Inventor Christopher Mizerak

Christopher Mizerak has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Publication number: 20240035648
    Abstract: A method for operating a lighting fixture. The method includes positioning a user device at a first interaction point in a venue, designating a first light attribute, the first light attribute including at least one of a first light color, a first light intensity, and a first light focus corresponding to the first interaction point, moving the user device to a second interaction point, and designating a second light attribute, the second light attribute including at least one of a second light color, a second light intensity, and a second light focus corresponding to the second interaction point, the second light attribute being different than the first light attribute. The method further includes controlling the lighting fixture to direct light having the first light attribute toward the first interaction point and controlling the lighting fixture to direct light having the second light attribute toward the second interaction point.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 29, 2022
    Publication date: February 1, 2024
    Inventors: Matthew Halberstadt, Christopher Mizerak, Dennis Varian, Dan Duffy, Ethan White
  • Patent number: 11805588
    Abstract: Systems and methods for producing a lighting design for an event at a venue. One system includes a lighting fixture configured to project a light beam, an input device configured to receive a user input, and a controller including an electronic processor and a memory. The controller is configured to determine a path of the light beam, receive a first user input indicating a target of interest, and receive a second user input assigning a characteristic to the target of interest. The controller is configured to detect a collision between the path of the light beam and the target of interest, determine, in response to the collision, whether to project light onto the target of interest based on the characteristic, and control the lighting fixture to project the light beam on the target of interest.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 2022
    Date of Patent: October 31, 2023
    Assignee: Electronic Theatre Controls, Inc.
    Inventors: Christopher Mizerak, Ethan White, Matthew Halberstadt, Dan Duffy
  • Patent number: 11546982
    Abstract: Systems and methods for determining lighting fixture arrangement information (e.g., position and/or orientation). A lighting beam from the lighting fixture is directed among three discrete locations on a reference surface (e.g., by a controller). The fixture's position is determined using perspective inversion based on angular changes of the lighting fixture and coordinate data of the discrete locations (e.g., determined using a camera and a reference point on the surface). Distances from the fixture to the three discrete locations are estimated based on perspective inversion. The position of the lighting fixture is trilateralized based on the distances. Spherical coordinates of the fixture's orientation relative to the reference surface are determined, and yaw, pitch, and roll of the fixture are extracted.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 8, 2022
    Date of Patent: January 3, 2023
    Assignee: Electronic Theatre Controls, Inc.
    Inventors: Josh Jordan, Christopher Mizerak, Chelsea Sanders, Koen Buys
  • Publication number: 20220191995
    Abstract: Systems and methods for determining lighting fixture arrangement information (e.g., position and/or orientation). A lighting beam from the lighting fixture is directed among three discrete locations on a reference surface (e.g., by a controller). The fixture's position is determined using perspective inversion based on angular changes of the lighting fixture and coordinate data of the discrete locations (e.g., determined using a camera and a reference point on the surface). Distances from the fixture to the three discrete locations are estimated based on perspective inversion. The position of the lighting fixture is trilateralized based on the distances. Spherical coordinates of the fixture's orientation relative to the reference surface are determined, and yaw, pitch, and roll of the fixture are extracted.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 8, 2022
    Publication date: June 16, 2022
    Inventors: Josh Jordan, Christopher Mizerak, Chelsea Sanders, Koen Buys
  • Patent number: 11304282
    Abstract: Systems and methods for determining lighting fixture arrangement information (e.g., position and/or orientation). A lighting beam from the lighting fixture is directed among three discrete locations on a reference surface (e.g., by a controller). The fixture's position is determined using perspective inversion based on angular changes of the lighting fixture and coordinate data of the discrete locations (e.g., determined using a camera and a reference point on the surface). Distances from the fixture to the three discrete locations are estimated based on perspective inversion. The position of the lighting fixture is trilateralized based on the distances. Spherical coordinates of the fixture's orientation relative to the reference surface are determined, and yaw, pitch, and roll of the fixture are extracted.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2022
    Assignee: Electronic Theatre Controls, Inc.
    Inventors: Josh Jordan, Christopher Mizerak, Chelsea Sanders, Koen Buys
  • Patent number: 11006505
    Abstract: Methods and systems for generating a lighting design for a venue. A lighting visual is selected. The lighting visual may be based on a different venue or a generated image. An electronic processor converts the lighting visual into lighting visual parameters. The processor receives mounting locations for lighting fixtures at the venue. A database of candidate lighting fixtures is accessed and a lighting design is generated that includes an arrangement of lighting fixtures and indicates which of the lighting fixtures is to be mounted in which location to produce a lighting effect at the venue that approximates the lighting visual. The lighting design may be based on multiple lighting visuals and corresponding visual parameters to produce multiple lighting effects at the venue that approximate the multiple visuals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 11, 2021
    Assignee: Electronic Theatre Controls, Inc.
    Inventors: Christopher Mizerak, Dennis Varian, Koen Buys
  • Patent number: 10973106
    Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for directing a lighting fixture in a venue. A user device is paired with a three-dimensional model space that represents a physical space of the venue. A lighting beam destination is indicated with the user device using a position and an orientation of the user device. The indicated lighting beam destination is converted into coordinates in the three-dimensional model space. A lighting fixture orientation value to direct a lighting beam of the lighting fixture to the lighting beam destination in the physical space of the venue is determined based on the coordinates of the lighting beam destination in the three-dimensional model space of the venue. A motor associated with the lighting fixture is actuated to move the lighting fixture to a lighting fixture orientation in the physical space of the venue based on the lighting fixture orientation values.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 6, 2021
    Assignee: Electronic Theatre Controls, Inc.
    Inventors: Chelsea Sanders, Christopher Mizerak, Dan Duffy, Matt Halberstadt
  • Publication number: 20200187335
    Abstract: Systems and methods for determining lighting fixture arrangement information (e.g., position and/or orientation). A lighting beam from the lighting fixture is directed among three discrete locations on a reference surface (e.g., by a controller). The fixture's position is determined using perspective inversion based on angular changes of the lighting fixture and coordinate data of the discrete locations (e.g., determined using a camera and a reference point on the surface). Distances from the fixture to the three discrete locations are estimated based on perspective inversion. The position of the lighting fixture is trilateralized based on the distances. Spherical coordinates of the fixture's orientation relative to the reference surface are determined, and yaw, pitch, and roll of the fixture are extracted.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 10, 2019
    Publication date: June 11, 2020
    Inventors: Josh Jordan, Christopher Mizerak, Chelsea Sanders, Koen Buys
  • Publication number: 20200187332
    Abstract: Methods and systems for generating a lighting design for a venue. A lighting visual is selected. The lighting visual may be based on a different venue or a generated image. An electronic processor converts the lighting visual into lighting visual parameters. The processor receives mounting locations for lighting fixtures at the venue. A database of candidate lighting fixtures is accessed and a lighting design is generated that includes an arrangement of lighting fixtures and indicates which of the lighting fixtures is to be mounted in which location to produce a lighting effect at the venue that approximates the lighting visual. The lighting design may be based on multiple lighting visuals and corresponding visual parameters to produce multiple lighting effects at the venue that approximate the multiple visuals.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 10, 2019
    Publication date: June 11, 2020
    Inventors: Christopher Mizerak, Dennis Varian, Koen Buys
  • Publication number: 20200187333
    Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for directing a lighting fixture in a venue. A user device is paired with a three-dimensional model space that represents a physical space of the venue. A lighting beam destination is indicated with the user device using a position and an orientation of the user device. The indicated lighting beam destination is converted into coordinates in the three-dimensional model space. A lighting fixture orientation value to direct a lighting beam of the lighting fixture to the lighting beam destination in the physical space of the venue is determined based on the coordinates of the lighting beam destination in the three-dimensional model space of the venue. A motor associated with the lighting fixture is actuated to move the lighting fixture to a lighting fixture orientation in the physical space of the venue based on the lighting fixture orientation values.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 10, 2019
    Publication date: June 11, 2020
    Inventors: Chelsea Sanders, Christopher Mizerak, Dan Duffy, Matt Halberstadt
  • Publication number: 20200184222
    Abstract: A lighting fixture at a venue is controllable using augmented reality on a user-device that displays virtual elements on an image of the lighting fixture and/or a scene at the venue. User input for controlling the lighting fixture is received via the virtual elements and a signal is transmitted by the user device to alter the lighting fixture in the venue based on the user input. The virtual elements change in the display to reflect the change of state of the actual lighting fixture. Altering the lighting fixture includes changing brightness, color, or focus of light, or changing a position of the lighting fixture. The virtual elements may include a selection box around the lighting fixture, manufacturer data, channel numbers, DMX addresses, diagnostic information, a slider, a switch, a knob, a button, a virtual lighting shutter, pan/tilt axes, a moveable virtual beam of light, or a scenery element.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 10, 2019
    Publication date: June 11, 2020
    Inventors: Christopher Mizerak, Koen Buys
  • Publication number: 20200187334
    Abstract: Systems and methods for generating a lighting design for a venue. The system includes a display device and a controller including an electronic processor connected to a memory. The memory stores instructions that when executed by the electronic processor configure the controller to receive object data based on a detected object in the venue, display the object data as a representation of the detected object in an interactive lighting environment, receive a user input via the interactive lighting environment to change lighting data that controls virtual lighting represented in the interactive lighting environment, and alter the virtual lighting represented in the interactive lighting environment based on the user input.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 10, 2019
    Publication date: June 11, 2020
    Inventors: Al Crawford, Christopher Mizerak, Koen Buys, Dennis Varian