Operating circuit arrangement for a discharge lamp

An operating circuit arrangement for a discharge lamp comprising:

• a rectifier circuit for rectifying an a.c. voltage to a d.c. voltage;
• a chopper circuit arrangement, coupled to said rectifier circuit, which comprises:
• a chopper circuit for stepping up said d.c. voltage and generating a d.c. output voltage, and
• a chopper control circuit for controlling the operation of said chopper circuit, wherein said chopper control circuit is responsive to an output of said chopper circuit;
• an inverter circuit arrangement, coupled to said chopper circuit arrangement, which comprises:
• an inverter circuit for generating a high frequency voltage for operating said discharge lamp, and
• an inverter control circuit for controlling the operation of said inverter circuit, wherein said inverter control circuit includes means for starting the operation of said inverter circuit;
• and
• a starting circuit coupled to said chopper control circuit for starting said chopper control circuit.

A device for lighting a discharge lamp, comprising:

• a lamp fixture for holding said discharge lamp;
• and
• an operating circuit arrangement attached to said lamp fixture, said operating circuit arrangement comprising:
• (a) a rectifier circuit for rectifying an a.c. voltage to a d.c. voltage,
• (b) a chopper circuit arrangement coupled to said rectifier circuit, which comprises:
• a chopper circuit for stepping up said d.c. voltage and generating a d.c. output voltage, and
• a chopper control circuit for controlling the operation of said chopper circuit, wherein said chopper control circuit is responsive to said chopper circuit;
• (c) an inverter circuit arrangement, coupled to said chopper circuit arrangement, which comprises:
• an inverter circuit for generating a high frequency voltage for operating said discharge lamp, and
• an inverter control circuit for controlling the operation of said inverter circuit, wherein said inverter circuit is placed in a steady operational mode in which said discharge lamp is activated prior to the generation of a given level of said d.c. output voltage by said chopper circuit;
• and
• (d) a starting circuit coupled to said inverter control circuit and said chopper control circuit for starting both said inverter control circuit and said chopper control circuit.

A device for lighting a discharge lamp, comprising:

• a lamp fixture for holding said discharge lamp;
• and
• an operating circuit arrangement attached to said lamp fixture, said operating circuit arrangement comprising:
• (a) a rectifier circuit for rectifying an a.c. voltage to a d.c. voltage,
• (b) a chopper circuit arrangement, coupled to said rectifier circuit, which comprises:
• a chopper circuit for stepping up said d.c. voltage and generating a d.c. output voltage, and
• a chopper control circuit for controlling the operation of said chopper circuit, wherein said chopper control circuit is responsive to said chopper circuit,
• (c) an inverter circuit arrangement, coupled to said chopper circuit arrangement, which comprises:
• an inverter circuit for generating a high frequency voltage for operating said discharge lamp, and
• an inverter control circuit for controlling the operation of said inverter circuit, said inverter control circuit, said inverter control circuit including means for starting the operation of said inverter circuit;
• and
• (d) a starting circuit, coupled to said chopper control circuit, for starting said chopper control circuit.