Dimmable backlight system

A backlight system comprising:

• a lamp;
• a current source which provides a drive current to the lamp;
• a temperature detector which determines the temperature of the lamp;
• and
• a controller which adjusts the amplitude of the current source based on the temperature of the lamp.

A method of dimming a backlight lamp comprising the steps of:

• receiving a first control signal indicating the desired current duty cycle;
• receiving a second control signal indicating the desired current amplitude;
• and
• generating an AC current having a defined amplitude and duty cycle.

A dimmable backlight system comprising:

• a lamp;
• at least one circuit for converting an input control signal into a DC voltage;
• a controller which receives the DC voltage, the controller adjusting either the duty cycle or the amplitude of an output signal based on the DC voltage;
• and
• a lamp drive network which converts the output signal into an AC current to illuminate the lamp at a plurality of different brightness levels.

A backlight system comprising:

• a self-heating cold cathode fluorescent lamp;
• a current source which provides a drive current to the lamp;
• a temperature detector which determines the temperature of the lamp;
• and
• a controller which adjusts the amplitude of the current source based on the temperature of the lamp.

A backlight system comprising:

• a self-heating cold cathode fluorescent lamp which has a first gas optimized at a first temperature range and a second gas optimized at a second temperature range;
• a current source which provides a drive current to the lamp;
• a temperature detector which determines the temperature of the lamp;
• and
• a controller which adjusts the amplitude of the current source based on the temperature of the lamp.

A method of illuminating a self-heating cold cathode fluorescent lamp comprising the steps of:

• supplying a current signal to the self-heating cold cathode fluorescent lamp;
• detecting the temperature of the self-heating cold cathode fluorescent lamp;
• and
• adjusting the amplitude of the current signal based on the temperature of the self-heating cold cathode fluorescent lamp.

A method of illuminating a backlight lamp comprising the steps of:

• supplying a current signal to the lamp at a first current level;
• detecting the temperature of the lamp;
• and
• varying the level of the current signal to the lamp based on the temperature of the lamp.

A method of illuminating a backlight fluorescent lamp comprising the steps of:

• supplying a current signal to the fluorescent lamp at a first current level;
• detecting the temperature of the fluorescent lamp;
• and
• varying the level of the current signal to the fluorescent lamp based on the temperature of the fluorescent lamp.

A method of illuminating a backlight cold cathode fluorescent lamp comprising the steps of:

• supplying a current signal to the cold cathode fluorescent lamp at a first current level;
• detecting the temperature of the cold cathode fluorescent lamp;
• and
• varying the level of the current signal to the cold cathode fluorescent lamp based on the temperature of the cold cathode fluorescent lamp.

A backlight system comprising:

• a lamp;
• a current source which provides a drive current to the lamp at a first current level;
• a temperature detector which determines the temperature of the lamp;
• and
• a controller which reduces the current level when the temperature exceeds a predetermined level.

A backlight system comprising:

• a fluorescent lamp;
• a current source which provides a drive current to the fluorescent lamp at a first current level;
• a temperature detector which determines the temperature of the fluorescent lamp;
• and
• a controller which reduces the current level when the temperature exceeds a predetermined level.

A backlight system comprising:

• a cold cathode fluorescent lamp;
• a current source which provides a drive current to the cold cathode fluorescent lamp at a first current level;
• a temperature detector which determines the temperature of the cold cathode fluorescent lamp;
• and
• a controller which reduces the current level when the temperature exceeds a predetermined level.

A method of illuminating a backlight lamp comprising the steps of:

• supplying a current signal to the lamp at a first amplitude;
• waiting for a predetermined amount of time;
• and
• adjusting the current signal to a second amplitude when the predetermined amount of time has elapsed.