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US 8,138,676 B2Granted
Methods and systems for dimmable fluorescent lighting using multiple frequencies
OwnerRobert L. Millsinventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A system for operating a fluorescent light is provided. The system comprises: a fluorescent lamp with at least one electrode having at least one corresponding heating filament; a filament signal power supply for providing a filament current signal having a filament current frequency, the filament signal power supply connected to create a filament current through the at least one filament; and a plasma signal power supply for providing a plasma power signal having a plasma power frequency, the plasma signal power supply connected to create a plasma current between the at least one electrode and a gas contained in the fluorescent lamp. The plasma power frequency is greater than the filament current frequency.
Claims26
A system for operating a fluorescent light, the system comprising:
- a fluorescent lamp comprising at least one electrode, the at least one electrode comprising at least one corresponding filament;
- a filament signal power supply connected to output a filament signal and to create a corresponding filament current through the at least one filament, the filament current having a filament frequency;
- and
- a plasma signal power supply connected to output a plasma signal and to create a corresponding plasma current flowing between the at least one electrode and a gas contained in the lamp, the plasma current having a plasma frequency;
- wherein the plasma frequency is greater than the filament frequency;
- and
- wherein the plasma signal power supply is configurable to control a power of the plasma current flowing between the at least one electrode and the gas such that the plasma current is confined to a confinement region extending from the at least one electrode, the confinement region having a length less than a length of the lamp.
4 more elements
A system for operating a fluorescent light, the system comprising:
- a fluorescent lamp comprising at least one electrode, the at least one electrode comprising at least one corresponding filament;
- a filament signal power supply connected to output a filament signal and to create a corresponding filament current through the at least one filament, the filament current having a filament frequency;
- and
- a plasma signal power supply connected to output a plasma signal and to create a corresponding plasma current flowing between the at least one electrode and a gas contained in the lamp, the plasma current having a plasma frequency;
- wherein the plasma frequency is greater than the filament frequency;
- and
- wherein the lamp comprises a pair of electrodes at opposing ends of the lamp and the plasma signal power supply is configurable to control:
- a power of a first plasma current flowing between a first electrode and the gas contained in the lamp such that the first plasma current is confined to a first confinement region extending from the first electrode into the gas;
- a power of a second plasma current flowing between a second electrode and the gas contained in the lamp such that the second plasma current is confined to a second confinement region extending from the second electrode and into the gas;
- wherein lengths of the first and second confinement regions are less than a distance between the first and second electrodes.
7 more elements
A method for operating a fluorescent light, the method comprising:
- providing a fluorescent lamp comprising at least one electrode, the at least one electrode having a corresponding filament;
- generating a filament signal which creates a filament current through the at least one filament, the filament current having a filament frequency;
- generating a plasma signal which creates a plasma current flowing between the at least one electrode and a gas contained in the fluorescent lamp, the plasma current having a plasma frequency greater than the filament frequency;
- controlling a power of the plasma current at the plasma frequency such that the plasma current flowing between the at least one electrode and the gas is confined to a confinement region extending from the at least one electrode, the confinement region having a length less than a length of the lamp.
1 more element
A method for operating a fluorescent light, the method comprising:
- providing a fluorescent lamp comprising at least one electrode, the at least one electrode having a corresponding filament;
- generating a filament signal which creates a filament current through the at least one filament, the filament current having a filament frequency;
- generating a plasma signal which creates a plasma current flowing between the at least one electrode and a gas contained in the fluorescent lamp, the plasma current having a plasma frequency greater than the filament frequency;
- wherein the lamp comprises a pair of electrodes at opposing ends of the lamp and wherein generating the plasma signal comprises:
- controlling a power of a first plasma current flowing between a first electrode and the gas contained in the lamp such that the first plasma current is confined to a first confinement region extending from the first electrode into the gas;
- controlling a power of a second plasma current flowing between a second electrode and the gas contained in the lamp such that the second plasma current is confined to a second confinement region extending from the second electrode and into the gas;
- wherein lengths of the first and second confinement regions are less than a distance between the first and second electrodes.
4 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.