Methods and systems for dimmable fluorescent lighting
OwnerRobert L. MILLSinventor
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A system for operating a fluorescent light is provided. The system comprises: a fluorescent lamp with at least one electrode having at least one corresponding heating filament; a filament signal power supply for providing a filament current signal having a filament current frequency, the filament signal power supply connected to create a filament current through the at least one filament; and a plasma signal power supply for providing a plasma power signal having a plasma power frequency, the plasma signal power supply connected to create a plasma current between the at least one electrode and a gas contained in the fluorescent lamp. The plasma power frequency is greater than the filament current frequency.
Claims42
A system for operating a fluorescent light, the system comprising:
- a fluorescent lamp comprising at least one electrode, the at least one electrode comprising at least one corresponding filament;
- a filament signal power supply connected to output a filament signal and to create a corresponding filament current through the at least one filament, the filament current having a filament frequency;
- and
- a plasma signal power supply connected to output a plasma signal and to create a corresponding plasma current flowing between the at least one electrode and a gas contained in the lamp, the plasma current having a plasma frequency;
- wherein the plasma frequency is greater than the filament frequency.
A method for operating a fluorescent light, the method comprising:
- providing a fluorescent lamp comprising at least one electrode, the at least one electrode having a corresponding filament;
- generating a filament signal which creates a filament current through the at least one filament, the filament current having a filament frequency;
- generating a plasma signal which creates a plasma current flowing between the at least one electrode and a gas contained in the fluorescent lamp, the plasma current having a plasma frequency;
- wherein the plasma frequency is greater than the filament frequency.
A system for operating a fluorescent light, the system comprising:
- a fluorescent lamp comprising at least one electrode, the at least one electrode comprising at least one corresponding filament;
- a filament signal power supply connected to output a filament signal and to create a corresponding filament current through the at least one filament, the filament current having a filament frequency;
- and
- a plasma signal power supply connected to output a plasma signal and to create a corresponding plasma current flowing between the at least one electrode and a gas contained in the lamp, the plasma current having a plasma frequency;
- wherein the filament signal power supply is configured to commence outputting the filament signal in response to an ON/OFF signal and wherein the plasma signal power supply is configured to commence outputting the plasma signal after a preheat period Δ, the preheat period Δ commencing in response to the ON/OFF signal.
A method for operating a fluorescent light, the method comprising:
- providing a fluorescent lamp comprising at least one electrode, the at least one electrode comprising at least one corresponding filament;
- generating a filament signal which creates a filament current through the at least one filament, the filament current having a filament frequency;
- generating a plasma signal which creates a plasma current flowing between the at least one electrode and a gas contained in the fluorescent lamp, the plasma current having a plasma frequency;
- wherein generating the filament signal comprises commencing outputting the filament signal in response to an ON/OFF signal and wherein generating the plasma signal comprises commencing outputting the plasma signal after a preheat period Δ, the preheat period Δ commencing in response to the ON/OFF signal.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.