# US 8,541,948 B2 · Operating device and method for operating at least one Hg low pressure discharge lamp > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 8,541,948 B2 - Document ID: US8541948B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 13/132,081 - Filed: 2009-12-01 - Published: 2011-09-29 - Granted: 2013-09-24 - Earliest claimed: 2008-12-05 - Assignees: Osram Gesellschaft Mit Beschraenkter Haftung - Applicants: Armin Konrad; Roger Hunt; Martin Zachau; Ralph Hoeck - Inventors: Armin Konrad; Roger Hunt; Martin Zachau; Ralph Hoeck - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US8541948B2 ## CPC - H05B 41/36: Controlling - H05B: ELECTRIC HEATING; ELECTRIC LIGHT SOURCES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; CIRCUIT ARRANGEMENTS FOR ELECTRIC LIGHT SOURCES, IN GENERAL ## Abstract An operating device for operating at least one Hg low-pressure discharge lamp which has a first and a second electrode coil may include a unit for providing a variable that is correlated with the Hg vapor pressure in the at least one Hg low-pressure discharge lamp comprises at least one unit for capturing emission spectra of at least specifiable spectral ranges, wherein the unit for capturing emission spectra may include at least one light receiving unit which is arranged in the beam path of the at least one Hg low-pressure discharge lamp. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An operating device for operating at least one Hg low-pressure discharge lamp which has a first and a second electrode coil, the operating device comprising: an input for connecting a supply voltage; an output for connecting the at least one Hg low-pressure discharge lamp; a unit for providing a variable that is correlated with the Hg vapor pressure in the Hg low-pressure discharge lamp; a microcontroller which is coupled to said unit for providing the variable that is correlated with the Hg vapor pressure and to the output of the operating device, and is configured to provide at the output a signal for operating the at least one Hg low-pressure discharge lamp, wherein the signal is comprises at least one lamp operating parameter which is dependent on the variable that is correlated with the Hg vapor pressure, wherein the unit for providing a variable that is correlated with the Hg vapor pressure in the at least one Hg low-pressure discharge lamp comprises at least one unit for capturing emission spectra of at least specifiable spectral ranges, wherein the unit for capturing emission spectra comprises at least one light receiving unit which is arranged in the beam path of the at least one Hg low-pressure discharge lamp. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The operating device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the at least one lamp operating parameter relates to the heating of at least one electrode coil of the at least one Hg low-pressure discharge lamp. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The operating device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the microcontroller is configured to determine the emission intensities of lines selected from a group of lines consisting of: specifiable Hg lines; Ar lines; luminophore emission lines; and noble gas lines, and to analyze these at least for the purpose of determining the Hg vapor pressure of the at least one Hg low-pressure discharge lamp. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The operating device as claimed in claim 3, wherein the microcontroller is configured to determine the ratio of the emission intensity of the Hg line at at least one of 405 nm; 436 nm; 546 nm; 579 nm; and the Ar line at 764 nm, and to analyze these at least for the purpose of determining the Hg vapor pressure of the at least one Hg low-pressure discharge lamp. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The operating device as claimed in claim 4, wherein the microcontroller is configured to determine the ratio of the emission intensities of the Hg line at 436 nm and the Hg line at 405 nm, and to analyze these at least for the purpose of determining the Hg vapor pressure of the at least one Hg low-pressure discharge lamp. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The operating device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the unit for capturing emission spectra comprises a spectrometer. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The operating device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the unit for capturing emission spectra comprises at least one sensor which is suitable for at least one specifiable spectral range. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The operating device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the unit for capturing emission spectra is connected to the at least one Hg low-pressure discharge lamp. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The operating device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the microcontroller is configured to provide a signal, at the output of the operating device, for effecting an end-of-life shutdown. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The operating device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the microcontroller is further configured to activate at least one component that is relevant for the heat management of the at least one Hg low-pressure discharge lamp, depending on the Hg vapor pressure of the at least one Hg low-pressure discharge lamp. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The operating device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the unit for providing a variable that is correlated with the Hg vapor pressure in the at least one Hg low-pressure discharge lamp is configured to provide a variable that is correlated with the Hg vapor pressure of a plurality of Hg low-pressure discharge lamps, wherein an optical waveguide which is arranged in the beam path of the relevant Hg low-pressure discharge lamp is provided in each case as a light receiving unit for each Hg low-pressure discharge lamp, wherein each optical waveguide is coupled to the unit for capturing emission spectra. ### Claim 12 A method for operating at least one Hg low-pressure discharge lamp which has a first and a second electrode coil, comprising an operating device having an input for connecting a supply voltage; an output for connecting the at least one Hg low-pressure discharge lamp; a unit for providing a variable that is correlated with the Hg vapor pressure in the Hg low-pressure discharge lamp; a microcontroller which is coupled to said unit for providing the variable that is correlated with the Hg vapor pressure and to the output of the operating device, and is configured to provide at the output a signal for operating the at least one Hg low-pressure discharge lamp, wherein the signal is comprises at least one lamp operating parameter which is dependent on the variable that is correlated with the Hg vapor pressure, the method comprising: arranging at least one light receiving unit in the beam path of the at least one Hg low-pressure discharge lamp; capturing the emission spectrum of at least specifiable spectral ranges by means of the at least one light receiving unit which is arranged in the beam path of the at least one Hg low-pressure discharge lamp; and from the captured emission spectrum, determining the variable that is correlated with the Hg vapor pressure of the at least one Hg low-pressure discharge lamp. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The method as claimed in claim 12, further comprising: determining a first variable which is correlated with the Hg vapor pressure of a first Hg low-pressure discharge lamp at time point t1 using the temperature T1 and the voltage U1 at the output of the operating device; determining at least one variable which is correlated with the spectral locus using the first variable that was correlated with the Hg vapor pressure of the first Hg low-pressure discharge lamp, at the time point t1 using the temperature T1 and the voltage U1 at the output of the operating device; determining the variable which is correlated with the Hg vapor pressure of a second Hg low-pressure discharge lamp at the time point t2 using the temperature T2 and the voltage U2 at the output of the operating device; and computing at least one variable which is correlated with the spectral locus of the first Hg low-pressure discharge lamp at the time point t2 using the temperature T2 and the voltage U2, from the corresponding variable which was correlated with the spectral locus of the first Hg low-pressure discharge lamp at the time point t1 using the temperature T1 and the voltage U1, from the first variable which was correlated with the Hg vapor pressure of the first Hg low-pressure discharge lamp at the time point t1 using the temperature T1 and the voltage U1, and from the second variable which was correlated with the Hg vapor pressure of the second Hg low-pressure discharge lamp at the time point t2 using the temperature T2 and the voltage U2. ### Claim 14 (depends on 2) The operating device as claimed in claim 2, wherein the at least one lamp operating parameter relates to the heating selected from a group consisting of: preheating; continuous heating; and additional heating. ### Claim 15 (depends on 3) The operating device as claimed in claim 3, wherein the microcontroller is configured to determine the emission intensities of at least one of Kr and Xe lines. ### Claim 16 (depends on 10) The operating device as claimed in claim 10, wherein the microcontroller is further configured to activate at least one component that is relevant for the heat management of a Peltier element, a fan, a heating unit, or a cooling unit, depending on the Hg vapor pressure of the at least one Hg low-pressure discharge lamp. ### Claim 17 (depends on 11) The operating device as claimed in claim 11, wherein each optical waveguide is coupled to the unit for capturing emission spectra via a multiplexer.