# US 5,705,897 A · Apparatus for lighting alternating current discharge lamp > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 5,705,897 A - Document ID: US5705897A - Status: Granted - Kind: A - Application number: 08/795,134 - Filed: 1997-02-07 - Granted: 1998-01-06 - Earliest claimed: 1994-07-12 - Assignees: Mitsubishi Denki Kabushiki Kaisha - Inventors: Yasumasa Hanazaki; Kenji Nakamura - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US5705897A ## CPC - H05B 41/2882: {the control resulting from an action on the static converter} - H05B 41/386: {for speeding-up the lighting-up} - H05B 41/388: {for a transition from glow to arc} - Y10S 315/07: Starting and control circuits for gas discharge lamp using transistors - H05B: ELECTRIC HEATING; ELECTRIC LIGHT SOURCES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; CIRCUIT ARRANGEMENTS FOR ELECTRIC LIGHT SOURCES, IN GENERAL - Y10S: TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS ## Abstract An alternating current discharge lamp lighting apparatus including discharge lamp, tube wall temperature measuring unit, internal temperature inferring unit and period setting unit. The tube wall temperature measuring unit measures temperature of the tube wall of the discharge lamp. The internal temperature inferring unit infers internal temperature of the discharge lamp before discharge is started based on the tube wall temperature measured by the tube wall temperature measuring unit. The period setting unit sets a direct current voltage applying period based on the inferred internal temperature by the internal temperature inferring unit. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An apparatus for lighting a discharge lamp, comprising: direct current power generating means for generating direct current power; first internal state inferring means for inferring a first internal state of said discharge lamp; adjusting means for adjusting a direct current voltage applying period during which said direct current voltage is applied to said discharge lamp based on said inferred first internal state, said adjusting means adjusting said direct current voltage applying period before applying said direct current voltage to said discharge lamp for the first time after receiving an instruction to start lighting said discharge lamp; and applying means for applying said direct current voltage and an alternating current voltage to said discharge lamp by switching said direct current power, said applying means applying said direct current voltage to said discharge lamp for said adjusted direct current voltage applying period upon receiving said instruction to start lighting said discharge lamp and for applying said alternating current voltage to said discharge lamp after said direct current voltage applying period elapses. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) An apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising: measuring means for measuring a tube wall temperature of said discharge lamp, and wherein said first internal state inferring means infers said first internal state of said discharge lamp before discharge based on said measured tube wall temperature. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) An apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising: an enclosure which encloses said discharge lamp; and measuring means for measuring a temperature inside said enclosure, and wherein said first internal state inferring means infers said first internal state of said discharge lamp before discharge based on said measured temperature inside said enclosure. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) An apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising: means for memorizing a first voltage which is a minimum voltage outputted from said direct current power generating means after discharge in a cold start of said discharge lamp; means for memorizing a second voltage which is a voltage outputted from said direct current power generating means when said discharge lamp is on at a rated power; means for measuring a third voltage which is a minimum voltage outputted from said direct current power generating means after discharge each time when said discharge lamp is lit; and means for calculating a lighting state discriminant number which is a ratio of a difference between said third voltage and said first voltage to a difference between said second voltage and said first voltage, and wherein said first internal state inferring means infers said first internal state of said discharge lamp before discharge based on the calculated lighting state discriminant number. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) An apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising: means for calculating a voltage change rate of voltage outputted from said direct current power generating means based on voltages outputted from said direct current power generating means at least two predetermined points of time after a time when a voltage outputted from said direct current power generating means becomes minimum after discharge takes place, and wherein said first internal state inferring means infers said first internal state of said discharge lamp before discharge based on the calculated voltage change rate. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) An apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising: means for measuring a non-lighting time period during which said discharge lamp is off, and wherein said first internal state inferring means infers said first internal state of said discharge lamp before discharge based on the measured non-lighting time period. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) An apparatus according to claim 6, wherein said non-lighting time period measuring means stops measuring said non-lighting time period after a predetermined time period elapses from a time when said discharge lamp is turned off. ### Claim 8 (depends on 6) An apparatus according to claim 6, further comprising: second internal state inferring means for inferring a second internal state of said discharge lamp at a time when said discharge lamp is turned off, and wherein said first internal state inferring means infers said first internal state of said discharge lamp before discharge based on the measured non-lighting time period and said inferred second internal state of said discharge lamp. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) An apparatus according to claim 8, further comprising: means for measuring a lighting time period during which said discharge lamp is on, and wherein said second internal state inferring means infers said second internal state of said discharge lamp at a time when said discharge lamp is turned off based on said measured lighting time period. ### Claim 10 (depends on 8) An apparatus according to claim 8, further comprising: means for memorizing a first voltage which is a minimum voltage outputted from said direct current power generating means after discharge in a cold start of said discharge lamp; means for memorizing a second voltage which is a voltage outputted from said direct current power generating means when said discharge lamp is being lit at a rated power; means for measuring a third voltage which is a voltage outputted from said direct current power generating means each time when said discharge lamp is turned off; and means for calculating a non-lighting state discriminant number which is a ratio of a difference between said third voltage and said first voltage to a difference between said second voltage and said first voltage, and wherein said second internal state inferring means infers said second internal state of said discharge lamp at a time when said discharge lamp is turned off based on said calculated non-lighting state discriminant number. ### Claim 11 (depends on 8) An apparatus according to claim 8, further comprising: means for calculating a voltage change rate of voltage outputted from said direct current power generating means based on voltages sampled at arbitrary points in time from a time when a output voltage becomes minimum after discharge from a time when said discharge lamp is turned off, and wherein said second internal state inferring means infers said second internal state of said discharge lamp at the time when said discharge lamp is turned off based on the calculated voltage change rate before turning off of said discharge lamp. ### Claim 12 An apparatus for lighting a discharge lamp comprising: a voltage applying unit which applies a direct current voltage to said discharge lamp; a first internal condition inferring unit which infers a first internal condition of said discharge lamp; an adjusting unit which adjusts a direct current voltage applying time period to apply said direct current voltage to said discharge lamp based on said first internal condition, said adjusting unit adjusting said direct current voltage applying period before applying said direct current voltage to said discharge lamp for the first time after receiving an instruction to start lighting said discharge lamp; and a controlling unit which controls said voltage applying unit to apply said direct current voltage to said discharge lamp for said adjusted direct current voltage applying time period after receiving said instruction to turn on said discharge lamp. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) An apparatus of claim 12, wherein said first internal condition inferring unit includes, a detecting unit which detects a tube wall temperature of said discharge lamp, and wherein said first internal condition inferring unit infers said first internal condition of said discharge lamp based on said detected tube wall temperature. ### Claim 14 (depends on 12) An apparatus of claim 12, further comprising: an enclosure which encloses said discharge lamp, wherein said first internal condition inferring unit includes, a detecting unit which detects a temperature inside said enclosure, and wherein said first internal condition inferring unit infers said first internal condition of said discharge lamp based on said detected temperature inside said enclosure. ### Claim 15 (depends on 12) An apparatus of claim 12, wherein said first internal condition inferring unit includes, a first memory which memorizes a first voltage which is a minimum voltage applied to said discharge lamp after discharge in a cold start of said discharge lamp, a second memory which memorizes a second voltage applied to said discharge lamp when said discharge lamp is being lighted at a rated power, a third memory which memorizes a third voltage which is a minimum voltage applied to said discharge lamp after each time said discharge lamp is lit, and a calculator which calculates a lighting state discriminant number which is a ratio of a difference between said third voltage and said first voltage and a difference between said second voltage and said first voltage, and wherein said first internal condition inferring unit infers said first internal condition of said discharge lamp before discharge based on said calculated discriminant number. ### Claim 16 (depends on 12) An apparatus of claim 12, further comprising: a calculator which calculates a changing rate of voltage supplied to said discharge lamp based on voltages supplied to said discharge lamp at at least two predetermined points of time after a time when a voltage supplied to said discharge lamp becomes minimum after discharge takes place, and wherein said first internal condition inferring unit infers said first internal condition of said discharge lamp before discharge based on said calculated changing rate. ### Claim 17 (depends on 12) An apparatus of claim 12, further comprising: a measuring unit which measures a non-lighting time period during which said discharge lamp is turned off, and wherein said first internal condition inferring unit infers said first internal condition of said discharge lamp before discharge based on said measured non-lighting time period. ### Claim 18 A method for lighting a discharge lamp, comprising: inferring an internal condition of said discharge lamp; adjusting a direct current voltage applying period to apply a direct current voltage to said discharge lamp based on said internal condition before applying said direct current voltage to said discharge lamp for the first time after receiving an instruction to start lighting said discharge lamp; and supplying said direct current voltage to said discharge lamp for said adjusted direct current voltage applying time period after receiving said instruction to turn on said discharge lamp. ### Claim 19 (depends on 1) An apparatus of claim 1, wherein said adjusting means includes a memory for storing pre-established relationships between said first internal state and information indicative of said direct current voltage applying period. ### Claim 20 (depends on 1) An apparatus of claim 1, further comprising: an external condition detecting means for detecting an external condition of said discharge lamp, wherein said first internal state inferring means includes a memory for storing pre-established relationships between said external condition of said discharge lamp and information indicative of said first internal state of said discharge lamp. ### Claim 21 (depends on 12) An apparatus of claim 12, wherein said adjusting unit includes a memory storing pre-established relationships between said first internal condition and information indicative of said direct current voltage applying time period. ### Claim 22 (depends on 12) An apparatus of claim 12, further comprising: an external condition detecting unit detecting an external condition of said discharge lamp, wherein said first internal condition inferring unit includes a memory storing pre-established relationships between said external condition of said discharge lamp and information indicative of said first internal condition of said discharge lamp. ### Claim 23 (depends on 18) The method of claim 18, further comprising: storing pre-established relationships between said internal condition and information indicative of said direct current voltage applying period. ### Claim 24 (depends on 18) The method of claim 18, further comprising: detecting an external condition of said discharge lamp; and storing pre-established relationships between said external condition of said discharge lamp and information indicative of said internal condition of said discharge lamp. ### Claim 25 (depends on 1) An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said adjusting means adjusts said direct current voltage applying period to obtain an optimal direct current voltage applying period for initiating discharge in said discharge lamp specifically at said inferred first internal condition. ### Claim 26 (depends on 12) An apparatus according to claim 12, wherein said adjusting unit adjusts said direct current voltage applying period to obtain an optimal direct current voltage applying period for initiating discharge in said discharge lamp specifically at said inferred first internal condition. ### Claim 27 (depends on 18) The method of claim 18, wherein said adjusting step includes obtaining an optimal direct current voltage applying period for initiating discharge in said discharge lamp specifically at said inferred internal condition.