Specifications

Controlling LED Lighting32
The award-winning Philips Color Kinetics booth at Lightfair 2011
in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA, demonstrated the extensive
capabilities of the line of LED lighting fixtures and controllers from
Philips Color Kinetics. A multi-protocol Ethernet-based system
produced an extraordinary range of functions and effects through tight
integration among controllers, triggering devices, and media servers
from Philips Color Kinetics, Pharos, and third-party suppliers.
The Philips Color Kinetics booth required different styles of control
for its main components: product kiosks for showcasing a wide
range of Philips Color Kinetics LED lighting fixtures, a video curtain
and theatrical chandeliers for displaying spectacular full-color video
and effects across the ceiling and rear wall, a pair of 42-inch LCD
monitors for presenting interactive slide shows highlighting Philips
Color Kinetics products and installations, and an innovative reception
wall displaying artistic color-changing effects. The control system also
managed a system of truss warmers, a color-changing installation at
the bar, and the booth’s general lighting. An Apple AirPort Extreme
access point in the network provided a gateway for control via a set of
mobile apps from Philips Color Kinetics and Pharos.
The booth’s control network consisted of a series of Ethernet
switches, a Pharos LPC 2 unit which served as a master controller, and
an LPC X controller providing additional Ethernet outputs. The LPC 2
unit performed minimal lighting controls while synchronizing outlying
systems, using different Ethernet protocols as required. To trigger
shows for the product kiosks, the LPC 2 sent KiNET commands via
RS232 to a Light System Manager (LSM) controller, which managed a
set of nine shows in multiple zones, one for each set of Philips Color
Kinetics fixtures on display. To trigger shows and effects on the video
curtain, the LPC X sent Art-Net commands to a media server, which
served video content to the video wall and synchronized audio to the
booth’s sound system.
A combination of manual and automated control strategies gave
presenters and visitors the ability to interact with the fixtures and
installations while ensuring that the booth displays were always
changing and fresh. The LPC 2 ran a master script with nested
conditional logic that managed the morning startup routine, the
schedule for video events on the video wall, and the default dynamic
behavior for each booth component. Pharos Button Panel Stations
(BPSs) let visitors choose from a set of slide shows to display on the
flatscreen monitors, while booth personnel could control individual
sets of fixtures on the product kiosks and select from a library of video
effects using Apple iPhone, iPad, or iPod Touch mobile applications.
Timers on all zones and effects monitored how recently a change was
made with a BPS or mobile app, and reverted to the default light show
or scene for that system component when the timer expired.
Integrated multi-purpose control solution
Philips Color Kinetics booth at Lightfair 2011, Philadelphia,
Pennsylvania, USA. Lightfair International awarded
Philips Color Kinetics the 2011 Best Booth Award for booths of
900 square feet and larger.
Product
kiosk
Product
kiosk
LCD monitor
Reception
desk
Custom booth control
applications on iPad
LSM Remote
on iPod Touch