Electrical circuit with voltage multiplier for facilitating ignition of a gas discharge lamp

An ignition circuit for igniting a gas discharge lamp, the circuit comprising:

• a rectifier circuit responsive to a variable voltage signal having a peak voltage corresponding to a DC bus voltage level;
• a voltage multiplier circuit connected to the rectifier circuit to receive an output signal from the rectifier circuit, the voltage multiplier circuit comprising first and second voltage storing circuits configured to each respectively store a voltage level corresponding to at least twice the DC bus voltage level, and further comprising a peak voltage holding circuit connected to the first and second voltage storing circuits to accumulate a voltage level corresponding to at least four times the DC bus voltage level;
• and
• an ignition module comprising a transformer selectively connected by way of a switch to the voltage multiplier circuit through a primary winding to receive the voltage accumulated at the peak voltage holding circuit, and thereby generate an ignition pulse voltage applied to the lamp through a secondary winding of the transformer.

A method for igniting a gas discharge lamp comprising:

• rectifying in a rectifier circuit a variable voltage signal having a peak voltage corresponding to a DC bus voltage level;
• connecting a voltage multiplier circuit to receive an output signal from the rectifier circuit, wherein the voltage multiplier circuit comprises first and second voltage storing circuits;
• storing a voltage level corresponding to at least twice the DC bus voltage level in each first and second voltage storing circuit;
• connecting a peak voltage holding circuit to the first and second voltage storing circuits;
• accumulating in the peak voltage holding circuit a voltage level corresponding to at least four times the DC bus voltage level;
• and
• inductively coupling through a transformer the voltage accumulated at the peak voltage holding circuit to generate an ignition voltage pulse applied to the lamp, the ignition pulse having a desired pulse amplitude, wherein a voltage multiplier effect provided by the multiplier circuit with respect to the DC bus voltage level enables a reduction from a given turn-ratio in the transformer for generating the ignition pulse of the desired amplitude.

A method for igniting a gas discharge lamp comprising:

• rectifying in a rectifier circuit a variable voltage signal having a peak voltage corresponding to a DC bus voltage level;
• connecting a voltage multiplier circuit to receive an output signal from the rectifier circuit, wherein the voltage multiplier circuit comprises first and second voltage storing circuits;
• storing a voltage level corresponding to at least twice the DC bus voltage level in each first and second voltage storing circuit;
• connecting a peak voltage holding circuit to the first and second voltage storing circuits;
• accumulating in the peak voltage holding circuit a voltage level corresponding to at least four times the DC bus voltage level;
• and
• inductively coupling through a transformer the voltage accumulated at the peak voltage holding circuit to generate an ignition voltage pulse applied to the lamp, the ignition pulse having a desired pulse amplitude, wherein a voltage multiplier effect provided by the multiplier circuit with respect to the DC bus voltage level enables a reduction in the DC voltage level while maintaining a given turn-ratio in the transformer for generating the ignition pulse with the desired amplitude.