System and method for operating a discharge lamp to obtain positive volt-ampere characteristic
AssigneeGTE Products Corporation
InventorValery A. Godyak
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A system and associated method for operating a gas discharge lamp so as to provide a positive voltage-current characteristic. An AC or DC source is used to provide electron heating, without in itself providing ionization, of the lamp gas. Superimposed on this signal is a pulsed source of power having an average output power substantially less than the AC or DC source power for providing ionization of the lamp gas.
Claims20
A system for controlling a gas discharge lamp to provide a positive voltage-current characteristic to permit stable lamp operation without a ballast, said system comprising, means coupled to said lamp and defining a first source of power to provide electron heating, without in itself providing ionization, of the lamp gas, and means also coupled to said lamp and defining a second pulsed source of power having an average output power substantially less than the first source output power to provide ionization of the lamp gas and having a duty cycle substantially less than unity.
A method of controlling a gas discharge lamp to provide a positive voltage-current characteristic to permit lamp operation without a ballast, said method comprising the steps of, impressing on the lamp at least one of an AC and DC power signal of a magnitude capable of only providing a non-self-sustaining regime of operation to provide electron heating without ionization of the plasma, and superimposing on the lamp a low power pulsed signal from a pulsed source to provide ionization of the plasma wherein the average output power of the pulsed signal is substantially less than the average output power of the power signal and wherein the duty cycle of the pulsed source is substantially less than unity.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.