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US 2006/0038513 A1Published application
Apparatus and method for striking a fluorescent lamp
AssigneeMicrosemi Corporation
InventorGeorge Henry
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A lamp inverter with continuous strike voltage facilitates faster striking of a fluorescent lamp, especially at cold temperatures. A frequency sweep generator sweeps the frequency of the lamp inverter to a striking frequency corresponding to a striking lamp voltage and then maintains the striking frequency until the lamp strikes.
Claims20
An apparatus for driving a fluorescent lamp, comprising:
- a transformer having a primary and a secondary, said primary in communication with an input signal, said secondary configured to generate a voltage in response to a frequency of said input signal;
- a sensor configured to generate an output indicative of whether current is flowing in a fluorescent lamp;
- and
- a control circuit in communication with said sensor, said control circuit configured to sweep the frequency of said input signal to a striking frequency and hold the frequency of said input signal at said striking frequency when said sensor does not indicate current is flowing, said control circuit further configured to shift said frequency of said input signal to an operating frequency when said sensor indicates that current is flowing, wherein said operating frequency is different than said striking frequency.
1 more element
A method of starting a fluorescent lamp, the method comprising:
- applying a signal at a first frequency to a primary of a transformer to generate a first voltage at a secondary of said transformer;
- sweeping a frequency of said signal to a strike frequency, said strike frequency generating a striking voltage at said secondary;
- holding said strike frequency until at least striking a fluorescent lamp;
- and
- changing from said strike frequency to an operating frequency that is different than said strike frequency in response to sensing a current in said fluorescent lamp.
2 more elements
An apparatus for driving a fluorescent lamp, the apparatus comprising:
- means for generating a voltage, said means for generating having a primary and a secondary, said primary being in communication with an input signal and said secondary configured to generate the voltage in response to the frequency of said input signal;
- means for sensing configured to generate an output indicative of whether current is flowing in a fluorescent lamp;
- and
- means for controlling the frequency of said input signal by sweeping the frequency of said input signal from an initial frequency to a striking frequency and holding at said striking frequency when said means for sensing does not indicate current is flowing, and by shifting said frequency of said input signal to an operating frequency when said means for sensing indicates that current is flowing, wherein said operating frequency is different than said striking frequency.
1 more element
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.