Lighting system including a protection circuit, and corresponding method for protecting light sources from electrostatic discharges

Abstract

Various embodiments may relate to a lighting system including a string of light sources connected in series between a first terminal and a second terminal, wherein at least one electrical contact of the string of light sources is accessible. The system further includes a protection circuit that protects the light sources from an electrostatic discharge applied to the electrical contact that is accessible. In particular, the protection circuit includes at least one TVS diode or set of antiparallel diodes connected to the second terminal, and for each electrical contact a respective capacitor connected between the respective electrical contact and a TVS diode or set of antiparallel diodes, in such a way that an electrostatic event applied to an electrical contact is discharged through the respective capacitor and the respective TVS diode or set of antiparallel diodes towards the second terminal.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.