JP4522516B2 - Linear illumination control data creation device and program storage medium - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a control data creation device for performing illumination in various commercial facilities and the like, and a computer-readable storage medium storing the control data creation program.
In particular, a control data generation device for causing a linear illumination system formed by connecting a number of LED (light-emitting diode) lamp groups and circuits for independently controlling them in series to emit light in various expressions, and its control The present invention relates to a computer-readable storage medium that records a data creation program.
[0002]
[Prior art]
Previously, the present applicants developed and put to practical use the following linear illumination system, which is disclosed in detail in JP-A-11-191494. This is a linear illumination system that can independently control blinking of a large number of LED lamp groups arranged in a strip shape, and enables various illumination expressions. A schematic configuration diagram of this linear illumination system is shown in FIG. Four LED lamp groups 12 to 15 are sparsely arranged on the belt-like substrate 11 at regular intervals, and a drive control circuit for individually controlling light emission of these LED lamp groups (12 to 15) is mounted. Thus, an LED illumination unit 1 is configured. All the units 1 are connected in series by arranging a plurality of the units 1 continuously on the wall surface of the store in an appropriate layout, and connecting the input connector 16 and the output connector 17 of the adjacent units 1. Further, the power supply lines of all the units 1 are connected in series by connecting the power connectors 18a and 18b facing each other in the adjacent units 1. Furthermore, the system controller 2 is connected to the input connector 16 of the unit 1 located at the end of all the units 1 connected in series, and the power connector 18a of the end 1 of the unit 1 to which the system controller 2 is connected. Is connected to the power supply device 3.
[0003]
The linear illumination control data is transmitted from the system controller 2. The control data includes light emission pattern defining data that specifically defines the light emission pattern by the LED lamp group. A method of creating the light emission pattern defining data will be described using a simple specific example.
[0004]
In the light emission pattern shown in FIG. 2, three red light emission points (hereinafter referred to as red groups) arranged at equal intervals move to the right at a speed Vr, and three blue light emission points (also arranged at equal intervals) ( The blue group) moves to the left at a speed Vb. This pattern is regarded as a combination of “macroscopic movements” of two groups (red and blue), and the movements of each group are individually set with numerical parameters. That is, this parameter becomes the above-described light emission pattern defining data. The parameters to be set include the color of light emission, the position and timing of generation and extinction, the direction of movement, the speed of movement, the distance between the light emission points, and the like.
[0005]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
In this way, even for a simple pattern as shown in FIG. 2, it is necessary to set a plurality of numerical parameters. Since these parameters are mostly incorporated at the stage of creating a program for controlling light emission, it is left to a professional engineer such as a programmer. Therefore, a user who has no experience in creating a program cannot change the pattern as desired, which is very inconvenient. In addition, depending on the pattern, it is necessary to make a program using a sophisticated calculation formula, which is a time-consuming and laborious work for the programmer. In addition, the time-series change of the pattern could not be confirmed during the program creation, resulting in a decrease in creation efficiency.
[0006]
Furthermore, since the pattern to be created can only be configured according to a certain rule, the configuration becomes very simple and lacks interest. Even so, it is possible to create a light emission pattern with a somewhat complicated structure by devising a combination of basic patterns, but it is not possible to avoid the great restriction of “in accordance with a certain rule”.
[0007]
The present invention has been made to solve such a conventional problem, and its purpose is to allow any person to easily create linear illumination control data while confirming a time-series change of a pattern. It is possible to easily change the created pattern later, and the linear illumination control data creation device that realizes a variety of pattern expressions that are interesting and could not even be created in the past, and the control data creation It is to provide a storage medium in which a computer program is recorded.
[0008]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
In order to achieve such an object, the linear illumination control data creating apparatus according to the present invention creates and displays an original image corresponding to an instruction input from the producer in the original image editing window set on the display screen and a bitmap format. CG rendering means for temporarily storing original image data of
An original image slicing unit that virtually sets a pixel extraction line in the original image editing window and extracts a pixel data string of a portion corresponding to the pixel extraction line and the bitmap original image data;
Line drawing display means for displaying a line image represented by the slice pixel data string extracted by the original picture slicing means in a line monitor window set in a thin line shape on the display screen;
In the state where the original image slicing means and the line drawing display means are functioning, by repeatedly translating the pixel extraction line virtually set in the original image editing window at a predetermined speed, the linear monitor window frame Slice position scanning means for periodically changing a linear image by the slice pixel data string displayed on
Data shaping means for shaping the set of slice pixel data sequences extracted from the bitmap original image data into a predetermined data format to obtain linear illumination control data for one pattern;
It has.
[0009]
In the control data creation apparatus having the above requirements, it is desirable to provide means for reading image data recorded in an appropriate storage means and displaying it in the original picture editing window and temporarily storing it as the original picture data. Further, there is provided means for appropriately editing on the original image editing window the image data recorded in the appropriate storage means and used as the original image data.
[0010]
Desirably, the means for arbitrarily setting the moving speed of the pixel extraction line when the slice position scanning means operates, and the linear illumination control data generated from the operation correspond to the moving speed. Means for attaching information as a control parameter.
[0011]
Preferably, the data shaping means obtains device attribute data of a linear illumination device as a data supply target by some means, and creates linear illumination control data shaped according to the device attribute data.
[0012]
More preferably, there is provided a means for editing an illumination program for executing continuous illumination by arbitrarily combining the linear illumination control data for a plurality of patterns created.
[0013]
The present invention also realizes the functions of the CG drawing means, the original picture slicing means, the line drawing display means, the slice position scanning means, and the data shaping means by being installed in a computer equipped with an appropriate operating system. The present invention is also applied to a medium on which a program for recording is recorded.
[0014]
Furthermore, the linear illumination control data creation device of the present invention creates and displays a 3D original image according to an instruction input from the producer in a 3D image editing window set on the display screen, and temporarily displays the bitmap format 3D original image data. CG drawing means for storing;
A virtual image slicing unit that virtually sets a pixel extraction plane in the stereoscopic image editing window and extracts a pixel data matrix of a portion corresponding to the pixel extraction plane and the bitmap stereoscopic original image data;
Slice image display means for displaying a slice image of a predetermined shape expressed by a slice pixel data matrix extracted by the stereoscopic image slice means in a monitor window of a predetermined shape set on the display screen;
In a state in which the stereoscopic image slicing means and the slice image display means are functioning, by repeatedly translating the pixel extraction plane virtually set in the stereoscopic image editing window at a predetermined speed, a monitor having a predetermined shape is obtained. Slice position scanning means for periodically changing the slice image by the slice pixel data matrix displayed in the window frame;
Data shaping means for shaping the set of slice pixel data matrices extracted from the bitmap stereoscopic image data into a predetermined data format to obtain linear illumination control data for one pattern;
You may comprise.
[0015]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
=== Outline of Control Data Creation Device ===
The core of the linear illumination control data generating apparatus according to the embodiment of the present invention is a general personal computer, and the main body includes a CPU, a main memory, and a hard disk device. In addition to the main body, the computer includes peripheral devices such as a keyboard / mouse and a display as input operation means. Further, as its peripheral devices, a removable storage medium capable of rewriting data and its drive device are provided.
[0016]
=== Overview of Illumination System ===
The target of the light emission control of the present embodiment is a linear illumination system configured by connecting the illumination units 1 illustrated in FIG. 1 in series. The unit 1 constituting the system is as follows. The belt-like substrate 11 of the unit 1 is a groove member of an aluminum extrusion molded product, and a linear printed wiring board is attached in the groove space. Four LED lamp groups 12, 13, 14, and 15 are sparsely arranged at a predetermined pitch on the printed wiring board, and a drive control circuit, a buffer circuit, and the like for individually controlling the light emission are mounted. Has been. Each LED lamp group (12 to 15) is an LED multicolor set lamp in which two red LEDs, two green LEDs, and two blue LEDs are arranged close to each other. In other words, when this is driven by pixel data of 4 bits for each RGB, 4096 colors can be expressed with the display gradation of each RGB color being 16 gradations (in addition, 64 colors with 4 gradations for each RGB). A lamp and an 8-color lamp with two gradations of RGB are currently in practical use.)
[0017]
At one end of the unit 1, an input connector 16 and a power connector 18a are drawn and wired with wires of appropriate length. At the other end of the unit 1, an output connector 17 and a power connector 18b are drawn and wired with wires of appropriate length. These connector wirings 16 to 18 are connected to the pattern wiring of the wiring board. Plastic is molded in the groove-type space of the belt-like substrate 1 provided with the wiring board, and a total of 24 LED lamp lens bodies are exposed on the surface of the molded plastic. Moreover, the wiring (16-18) of each connector is pulled out from the end surface of the molded plastic. Due to this plastic mold structure, the unit 1 has a considerably high level of waterproofness.
The linear illumination system is constituted by such a unit 1, but its connection form is basically the same as that shown in FIG.
[0018]
=== Image editing of light emission pattern ===
The present invention is characterized in that the linear illumination control data (particularly, the light emission pattern defining data) transmitted from the controller 2 shown in FIG. 1 to the unit 1 can be created through image editing. For this purpose, in this embodiment, all LED lamp groups constituting the linear illumination system are associated with one line of the original image in the bitmap format displayed in the editing window of the display screen, and the light emission pattern by the lamp groups is used. A “physical array × time series array” two-dimensional image created by developing a series of changes in the column direction of the original picture is used.
[0019]
Specifically, existing image data recorded in a storage unit (such as the hard disk device or the removable storage medium) of the computer is read (or new image data is created), and the original image editing window is displayed. The image is displayed and temporarily stored as original image data in a bitmap format on the main memory. The management of these image data will be described later in detail.
[0020]
In the case of the system including six units 1 shown in FIG. 1, since one unit 1 corresponds to 4 dots, all the units constituting the system have 24 dots (= 4 dots × 6 lines). It can be expressed with. For example, when the pattern in which the system continuously emits light at an interval of 50 milliseconds for 5 seconds is one pattern, the one pattern corresponds to 100 lines. That is, one pattern can be expressed by one original image in a bitmap format of 24 × 100 dots. This will be described in more detail below.
[0021]
The creating apparatus of the present embodiment includes a general image editing means (paint tool), and can edit the original picture. For example, the pattern of FIG. 2 taken up in the prior art can be created as follows. First, as shown in FIG. 3A, a blank original image of 24 × 100 dots is prepared in the editing window. Subsequently, as shown in FIG. 3 (b), three straight lines (red lines) descending to the right are arbitrarily drawn with a red pen having a thickness of one dot. Further, as shown in FIG. 3 (c), three arbitrary straight lines (blue lines) are drawn with a blue pen having a thickness of one dot. In this way, a bitmap original picture corresponding to one pattern can be easily created simply by drawing with a drawing feeling. At this time, the straight line and the light emission point have the following relationship. Color of straight line → Color of light emission point, position of straight line → Position / timing of generation and extinction of light emission point, straight line inclination direction → movement direction of light emission point, straight line inclination angle → movement speed of light emission point, straight line interval Distance between light emitting points. Conventionally, the parameter of the arrowhead is set “numerically”, but in the present embodiment, it can be treated as an arrowhead parameter, that is, a “geometric” parameter.
[0022]
Of course, the original bitmap data does not function as the light emission pattern defining data. The computer changes the data format of the original image data to a predetermined one to create the light emission pattern defining data, and attaches several control parameters related to light emission control to the light emission pattern defining data to perform the linear illumination control. Complete the data. Note that the control data attached to the light emission pattern defining data will be sequentially described in relation to the control data.
[0023]
=== Checking the operation of the light emission pattern ===
Another feature of the present invention is that the operation of the light emission pattern created as described above can be confirmed on the display screen. That is, the computer virtually sets a pixel extraction line at the upper end of the original image editing window, translates the pixel extraction line from the upper side to the lower side in the original image editing window, and repeats this a predetermined number of times in a predetermined cycle. At this time, the entire image of the display of the system can be confirmed by matching the width of the pixel extraction line with the width of the original image. This will be described in detail below.
[0024]
As shown in FIG. 4A, the computer extracts a pixel data string (hereinafter referred to as a slice pixel data string) in a portion where the pixel extraction line and the original image data overlap and is secured in the main memory. The slice pixel data string is temporarily stored in a predetermined area, and a linear image expressed by the slice pixel data string is displayed on a linear monitor window set in a long and narrow line shape on the display screen.
As shown in FIG. 4B, the linear image displayed in the linear monitor window frame is periodically changed by repeatedly translating the pixel extraction line at a predetermined speed ( Hereafter, this movie is referred to as a pattern animation).
[0025]
The moving speed of the pixel extraction line can be arbitrarily variably set by the producer, and information corresponding to the moving speed is included in the linear illumination control data created based on the operation setting as a control parameter. As an incidental. In addition, the brightness of the linear image displayed in the linear monitor window frame can be arbitrarily variably set by the producer, and the linear illumination control data created based on the brightness setting is added to the linear illumination control data. Information corresponding to the luminance is attached as a control parameter. Thus, the ability to confirm and set the pattern period and brightness at the generation stage of the control data is very effective in realizing various illumination expressions.
[0026]
=== Database about patterns ===
As described above, in the storage unit of the computer, a large number of types of image data to be displayed for illumination are accumulated in a handling unit called a pattern (file) and are stored in a database (hereinafter referred to as a pattern master). . As shown in FIG. 5, each pattern file in the pattern master is aggregated using a pattern ID as a key. In each pattern file, as described above, in addition to the light emission pattern defining data that is the main body, a pattern name that simply expresses the contents of the pattern in Japanese characters, and the control parameters (pattern switching cycle and Brightness etc.).
[0027]
=== Program (Title) ===
The processing unit of illumination display control is the above-mentioned pattern, but the management unit of the display schedule in system operation is an illumination program. In this embodiment, this program is called a title. A title (program) is a permutation of the IDs of a plurality of patterns that are aggregated. As will be described later, each pattern is cyclically displayed according to the permutation. The storage unit of the computer stores a title master tabulated by associating a permutation of a plurality of collected pattern IDs for each title ID.
[0028]
Further, in order to ensure the convenience of editing the program, in the present embodiment, some of the programs are assembled by associating them with each facility, for example. This is called “Project”. The storage unit of the computer stores a case master that is tabulated in association with each unit of the case.
[0029]
=== Edit Item ===
In this embodiment, the control data can be efficiently created by a graphical user interface (GUI). The process for creating the control data will be described below. When the computer is started and a predetermined operation is performed by the input operation means, a case list screen displaying a list of names of the cases registered in the case master is opened. Specify any item from the list in this screen with the cursor. When the edit button in the list screen is clicked in this state, the edit screen for the designated item is opened. On the other hand, when a new button in the list screen is clicked, a text box for directly inputting the project name and the illumination system attributes (installation length, number of installations, etc.) is displayed, and the system waits for input. When the producer finishes inputting the above-mentioned items and clicks “OK”, the item edit screen opens. Hereinafter, the case edit screen will be described in detail with reference to FIG.
[0030]
The name of the selected item “Pachinko ○ × △” and the attributes of the illumination system corresponding to the “Pachinko ○ × △” (number of installations, installation length, number of dots) are displayed in the upper row of the item editing screen in FIG. Has been. In the frame on the left side of the screen, among the titles registered in the title master, a plurality of pattern names assembled as one title ID associated with “Pachinko XX”, for example, “Title 1” Are all displayed. This title ID can be selected and switched by a tab above the left frame. On the other hand, in the frame on the right side of the screen, a plurality of pattern names associated with “Pachinko ○ × Δ” and stored in the pattern master are all displayed in a list.
[0031]
By designating an arbitrary pattern with a cursor from the list of pattern names in the right frame, the pattern name is also displayed in the left frame by clicking the center arrow button with the mouse. The pattern is now registered in “Title 1”. In addition, when an arbitrary pattern is selected, clicking the “Edit” button opens an editing screen for editing and registering the pattern.
[0032]
Thus, the contents of “Title 1” are edited by registering patterns arbitrarily in the left frame and rearranging them in any order with the direction keys above the left frame. Similarly, a plurality of titles such as “title 5” → “title 2” can be freely edited.
[0033]
When a new pattern is added to “Title 1”, the order is changed using the direction keys, or an unnecessary pattern is deleted by the personal computer operation as described above, the inside of the linear monitor window provided at the lower end It is convenient to refer to the pattern animation displayed on the screen. There are two linear monitor windows, one corresponding to the pattern selected in the right column, and the other corresponding to the pattern selected in the left column. As described above, these pattern animations reflect the light emission pattern defining data and the control parameters attached to the pattern file.
In addition, information on the pattern currently selected in each frame (number of colors, time of one cycle, number of repetitions, etc.) is displayed below the frame, which also assists in editing.
[0034]
By the way, when an attempt is made to add a new pattern, for example, “new pattern 1” to the pattern (pattern displayed in the right frame) associated with “pachinko ○ × Δ”, “add” above the right frame. Click the button. Then, a menu screen that prompts selection of the means for adding the pattern is displayed. As the means, there are “free drawing”, “existing pattern editing”, and “template editing”, and the creator can arbitrarily select from these three. Next, these editing modes will be described.
[0035]
=== Free Drawing ===
When the free drawing mode is selected, a menu screen including a tool for freely drawing a figure on the original picture in the original picture editing window is opened. For example, when the pointer is clicked on a button with a pen point designated in the paint tool, the type of the pen point is determined, and drawing can be freely performed with the pen point. Hereinafter, typical pen tip functions will be exemplified.
[0036]
a) Line drawing: The starting point is the position left-clicked with the mouse. While dragging, a linear rubber band is displayed, and the end point is determined by releasing the button. Use with Shift key to draw vertical and horizontal lines.
b) Ellipse drawing: The left-clicked position with the mouse is the starting point. While dragging, an elliptical rubber band is displayed, and the end point is determined by releasing the button. A circle can be drawn when used in combination with the Shift key.
c) Square drawing: The left-clicked position with the mouse is the starting point. While dragging, a rectangular rubber band is displayed, and the end point is determined by releasing the button. When used in conjunction with the Shift key, a square can be drawn.
d) Free drawing: The position left-clicked with the mouse is the starting point, and dots are drawn while dragging. That is, the trace shape of the mouse is drawn as a line.
e) Eyedropper function: When the left mouse button is clicked on the image, the color of the left button is changed to the clicked color. Same on the right.
f) Fill function: When the image is left-clicked with the mouse, the color of the left button is repainted.
[0037]
The menu screen in the free drawing mode includes a simulation button. By clicking this button, the pattern animation corresponding to the created pattern is displayed on the linear monitor window or the like. The menu screen includes a registration button. By clicking this button, the created pattern can be registered in the pattern master.
[0038]
=== Edit from existing pattern ===
In this mode, the pattern data registered in the other item “Pachinko ○ × Δ” being edited can be captured and registered in the item master related to this item.
On the menu screen displayed by selecting this mode, the project name, pattern name, pattern type, number of installations / installation length, etc. are displayed in the upper display window. Search buttons are provided on the right side of these display windows. A list of pattern names associated with the entered case names is displayed in the lower part of the menu, and the linear monitor window is in the lower part. For example, if “○ × Pachinko 2nd store” is entered as the project name and the search button is pressed, the project “○ × Pachinko 2nd store” is searched from the project master, and the pattern name included in the project is All are displayed. As described above, the parameters set for each case are collectively stored in the pattern master.
[0039]
Further, when an arbitrary pattern is selected from the list and an edit button in the menu screen is pressed, a new edit screen with the selected pattern as shown below is opened. Thus, the creator can create a new pattern on the editing screen and register the new pattern in the pattern master.
[0040]
If the size of an arbitrary pattern captured in this mode is different from the setting of the item being edited, the size of the captured pattern may be appropriately customized to the one being edited. Further, DXF (Drawing Interchange Format) or other file formats may be adopted as the file format of the two-dimensional graphics file that can be captured in this mode.
[0041]
=== Edit template ===
In this mode, a desired template is selected from a plurality of templates prepared in the storage unit of the computer, and a pattern is generated by appropriately changing parameters of the template. In this example, (1) gradation, (2) triangle, (3) triangular deformation, (4) mountain shape, (5) x, (6) x, (7) random, (8) stripe, (9) check , (10) Oblique check, (11) Yamagata deformation, (12) Luxor.
[0042]
Hereinafter, (1) and (7) will be specifically described.
For the gradation of (1), two parameters can be designated: the direction in which the gradation is applied and the color of the gradation. The direction can be selected and designated from “top to bottom”, “upper left to lower right”, and “upper right to lower left”. The color specification is as described above by specifying the left button and right button colors in the same manner as the above-described color selection for the nib, and then specifying the start point with the left button and the end point with the right button. A gradation that changes stepwise from the start color to the end color is automatically generated according to the direction designation.
[0043]
The random of (7) generates a bitmap original picture using a random generation function. Therefore, the color to be generated can be selected from a plurality of colors (red, green, blue, yellow, light blue, purple, white, random). You can also choose from six flashing speeds (slow, normal, fast, gradually faster, gradually slower). In addition, you can choose from five types of congestion (many, normal, low, gradually increasing, gradually decreasing). After selecting and setting all the conditions, when the registration button is pressed, the input data is recorded in a predetermined database and the information is held in the memory. Also, by clicking on the simulation button, the pattern animation is executed on the screen.
[0044]
=== Illumination schedule management ===
When the “time table edit” button is clicked on the item edit screen, a time table created in an appropriate storage unit of the computer is displayed in the screen as shown in FIG. The creator can manage the illumination schedule by editing this timetable.
[0045]
As shown in FIG. 7, in the time table, the framework for one day is divided into frameworks (time frames) in units of 30 minutes. In the title name column at the left end of the time table, title IDs (for example, “title 1” and “title 2”) assigned to the tabs in the item edit screen are displayed. Then, the time zone in which the pattern display of each title is to be executed is set by writing a circle in the square of the corresponding time frame. (If you place the cursor on the corresponding square and click, it will be marked with ○, and if you click again, ○ will disappear.)
=== Creation of control data corresponding to the matter ===
When the item editing as described above is completed, when the “Create Data” button on the item editing screen is clicked, all input data is stored in the appropriate storage unit of the computer as the database. The stored data includes the linear illumination control data to which processing for converting to a data format corresponding to the linear illumination system is appropriately added. The parameters serving as the reference for the conversion include the installation length and the number of units 1, the gradation of the luminescent color, the repetition cycle of the luminescent pattern, and the luminescent display time. Of these, the gradation of the luminescent color is often subjected to color reduction processing at present. This is because the currently used linear illumination system has not caught up with 256 gradations of RGB, which are the mainstream of images in the normal bitmap format, and has a maximum of 16 gradations for RGB. Because.
[0046]
Currently, the installation length of the unit 1 is mainly 50 cm and 25 cm, and the number of the LED lamp groups is four and two, respectively. The repetition cycle of the light emission pattern is set to about 50 milliseconds, 100 milliseconds, and 150 milliseconds, and the light emission display time defaults to 5 seconds. Furthermore, a rewritable removable storage medium, more specifically a PC card, is currently the mainstream as a storage unit of the computer for storing the linear illumination control data.
[0047]
=== Other Embodiments ===
By developing the above-described embodiment, for example, a light emission pattern can be efficiently created even for a planar illumination system including 18 units 1 arranged 3 × 6 in the horizontal direction as shown in FIG. Can do. In this case, all the units connected in series in the direction of left → right, right → left, left → right,. By doing so, a light emission pattern at a certain moment by this system can be expressed by one line of 72 dots (= 4 dots × 18). When this system is made to emit light continuously at intervals of 50 milliseconds for 5 seconds, one pattern corresponds to the 100 lines. That is, one pattern can be expressed by one original image in a bitmap format of 72 × 100 dots. Since the image editing for the bitmap original image prepared in this way can be performed in the same manner as in the above-described embodiment, the same effect as in the above-described embodiment can be obtained.
[0048]
The operation confirmation of the light emission pattern expressed for the bitmap original picture and the control data conversion can be performed in the same manner as in the above-described embodiment after performing predetermined processing. Here, the predetermined process is a process of associating each pixel of one line with each lamp group of the planar system. For example, when each unit 1 is expanded to one line while maintaining its connection relationship, 12 (= 4 × 3) dots are made to correspond to the first to third units 1 from the left to the right, followed by the right to the left A series of processes are performed in which 12 dots correspond to the fourth to sixth units 1.
[0049]
Further, by further developing this embodiment, for example, various light emission patterns can be easily created from a three-dimensional original image in which a blue cone is included in a red cube as shown in FIG. . In this case, the slice extraction image displayed in the square monitor window is changed by translating the pixel extraction plane parallel to the upper and lower surfaces of the cube and from the top to the bottom. The change with time of this slice image is shown in FIG. It can be seen that as the time elapses from (a) → (b) → (c), the diameter of the circle in the square gradually decreases. In this case, the (outer shell) shape of the three-dimensional original image is a cube, and a square obtained by slicing the cube is the shape of the monitor window. However, the shape is not limited to this. This embodiment is effective for the above-described planar illumination system.
[0050]
The present invention can also be applied to a system in which lines are arranged radially, such as illumination of a ferris wheel. In this case, a complicated and diverse illumination expression can be easily realized by devising a process for associating a plane / stereoscopic original image to be edited with an actual illumination system. For example, it may be possible to simplify the editing work by disassembling the ferris wheel decoration into a plurality of clusters, and to utilize the shape of the disassembled cluster itself for the decoration.
[0051]
Furthermore, the present invention also includes a storage medium that records a program for implementing the present invention by being installed in a computer on which an appropriate operating system is installed. In this case, the above-mentioned database and the program coexist, so that the portability is excellent.
[0052]
【The invention's effect】
In the linear illumination control data generating apparatus of the present invention, the time-series change of the light emission pattern can be appropriately edited while being sequentially confirmed on the computer display screen, so that the generation efficiency is improved. In addition, since a graphical user interface is employed as an image editing tool, the control data can be created easily and quickly with a drawing feeling, and the created data can be easily changed later. Furthermore, since the creation work is intuitive, complex and diverse illumination expressions that cannot be realized by the conventional numerical analysis creation methods can be realized.
[0053]
In addition, the control data can be easily managed by providing means for editing an illumination program for executing continuous illumination by arbitrarily combining the control data for the plurality of patterns created.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram of a typical linear illumination system.
FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram for explaining a conventional light emission pattern creation procedure;
FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram for explaining a light emission pattern creation procedure according to an embodiment of the present invention. (A) A red line is drawn on a blank original picture (b), and further a blue line is drawn (c). ).
FIGS. 4A and 4B are schematic diagrams for explaining operation confirmation of a light emission pattern according to an embodiment of the present invention, in which FIG. 4A corresponds to the third period, and FIG.
FIG. 5 shows a basic data format of a pattern file according to an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 6 is a schematic diagram of a case edit screen according to one embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 7 is a schematic view of a time table editing screen according to one embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 8 is a schematic configuration diagram of a planar illumination system.
FIG. 9 is a schematic view for explaining generation of a light emission pattern by a three-dimensional original image according to an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 10 is a schematic diagram showing a change with time of the light emission pattern, and the time elapses in the order of (a) → (b) → (c).
[Explanation of symbols]
1 LED illumination unit
2 System controller
3 Power supply

Claims (8)

An apparatus for creating linear illumination control data for controlling a linear illumination system by a computer,
The linear illumination system controls light emission individually based on pixel data individually associated with a plurality of lamps arranged in a line,
The linear illumination control data is composed of a pixel data string set in which a plurality of pixel data strings each corresponding to each lamp are arranged in a plurality of time series,
The computer includes CG drawing means, original picture slicing means, line drawing display means, slice position scanning means, and data shaping means,
The CG rendering means creates and displays an original image corresponding to the instruction input from the producer in the original image editing window set on the display screen, and temporarily stores the original image data in the bitmap format.
The original image slicing means virtually sets a pixel extraction line in the original image editing window, and extracts a pixel data string corresponding to the pixel extraction line and the bitmap original image data,
The line drawing display means displays a line image expressed by the slice pixel data string extracted by the original picture slicing means in the line monitor window set in a thin and long line shape on the display screen,
The slice position scanning unit repeatedly translates the pixel extraction line virtually set in the original image editing window at a predetermined speed in a state where the original image slicing unit and the line drawing display unit are functioning. Giving a periodic change to the linear image by the slice pixel data string displayed in the monitor window frame,
A linear illumination control data creating device, wherein the data shaping means shapes the set of slice pixel data sequences extracted from the bitmap original image data into a predetermined data format to obtain linear illumination control data for one pattern. 2. The linear illumination control data generating apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising means for reading image data recorded in an appropriate storage means, displaying the image data in the original picture editing window, and temporarily storing it as the original picture data. 3. The linear illumination control data generation according to claim 2, further comprising means for appropriately editing on the original image editing window the original image data obtained by reading the image data recorded in an appropriate storage means. apparatus. 4. The means for arbitrarily setting a moving speed of the pixel extraction line when the slice position scanning unit operates, and the linear illumination control data generated from the operation according to any one of claims 1 to 3. A linear illumination control data generating apparatus comprising means for attaching information corresponding to the moving speed as a control parameter. 5. The data shaping unit according to claim 1, wherein the data shaping unit acquires device attribute data of a linear illumination device to be supplied with data by some means, and creates linear illumination control data shaped according to the device attribute data. A linear illumination control data creation device characterized by: 6. The linear illumination control according to claim 1, further comprising means for editing an illumination program for executing continuous illumination by arbitrarily combining the generated linear illumination control data for a plurality of patterns. Data creation device. In order to realize the functions of the CG drawing means, the original picture slicing means, the line drawing display means, the slice position scanning means, and the data shaping means according to claim 1 by being installed in a computer equipped with an appropriate operating system. The medium that recorded the program. An apparatus for creating linear illumination control data for controlling a linear illumination system by a computer,
The linear illumination system controls light emission individually based on pixel data individually associated with a plurality of lamps arranged in a line,
The linear illumination control data is composed of a pixel data string set in which a plurality of pixel data strings each corresponding to each lamp are arranged in a plurality of time series,
The computer includes CG drawing means, stereoscopic image slicing means, slice image display means, slice position scanning means, and data shaping means,
The CG drawing means creates and displays a 3D original image corresponding to an instruction input from the producer in the 3D image editing window set on the display screen, and temporarily stores the 3D original image data in the bitmap format.
The stereoscopic image slicing means virtually sets a pixel extraction plane in the stereoscopic image editing window, and extracts a pixel data matrix corresponding to the pixel extraction plane and the bitmap stereoscopic original image data,
The slice image display means displays a slice image of a predetermined shape expressed by a slice pixel data matrix extracted by the stereoscopic image slice means in a monitor window of a predetermined shape set on the display screen,
The slice position scanning unit repeatedly translates the pixel extraction plane virtually set in the stereoscopic image editing window at a predetermined speed in a state where the stereoscopic image slicing unit and the slice image display unit function. Giving a periodic change to the slice image by the slice pixel data matrix displayed in the monitor window frame of a predetermined shape,
A linear illumination control data creation device, wherein the data shaping means shapes the set of slice pixel data matrices extracted from the bitmap stereoscopic image data into a predetermined data format to obtain linear illumination control data for one pattern.

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