Self-regulating, no load protected electronic ballast system

A self-regulating, no load protected electronic ballast system having a power source for actuating at least one gas discharge tube with a regulated current and limited voltage to maintain said gas discharge tube input and output power at predetermined values, comprising:

• (a) filter means connected to said power source for (1) maintaining a substantially smooth direct current voltage signal, and (2) suppressing harmonic frequencies generated by said electronic ballast system;
• (b) induction means coupled to said filter means and having a tapped primary winding providing an auto-transformer configuration for establishing the magnitude of said regulated current, said induction means having a trigger control winding for generating a control current, said induction means further including no-load protection means for generating a voltage across said gas discharge tube responsive to said regulated current and for maintaining said output voltage at a predetermined value when said gas discharge tube is decoupled from said electronic ballast system, said no-load protection means having a transformer with a primary winding coupled in series relation with said filter means and said tapped primary winding of said induction means, said transformer including a multiplicity of secondary windings, said primary winding forming a variable inductance for reducing said regulated current when said gas discharge tube is decoupled from said ballast system;
• (c) switching means being feedback coupled to said induction means for establishing said regulated current, said switching means including regulation means for maintaining said power output of said gas discharge tube at a predetermined and substantially constant value, said regulation means including a toroidal transformer having (1) a first winding coupled in series relation with said trigger control winding and said switching means for modifying said control current, and, (2) a second winding coupled to said tapped primary winding of said induction means and said filter means in series relation for feedback to said first winding of said toroidal transformer.