IGNITION FOR CERAMIC METAL HALIDE HIGH FREQUENCY BALLASTS
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A method of controlling an oscillator of a high frequency ballast driving a metal halide lamp comprising:
- receiving power from an alternating current (AC) power supply;
converting the received power to direct current (DC) power wherein the converted DC power is provided to the controller of the ballast;
initializing a controller of the ballast in response to receiving the DC power at the controller;
closing a power supply loop of the oscillator via a switch, said power supply loop including the converted DC power and a ground path, wherein the oscillator generates AC power from the converted DC power and provides the generated AC power to the lamp when the power supply loop is closed;
monitoring a current of the power supply loop of the oscillator; and
open circuiting the power supply loop of the oscillator via the switch when the monitored current is above a current threshold, said current threshold indicating that the lamp has not ignited.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A high frequency ballast for a metal halide lamp comprises a controller, a switch, and an oscillator. The controller selectively enables and disables the oscillator via the switch to ignite the lamp. The switch is in a power supply loop of the oscillator and selectively open circuits and close circuits the power supply loop. When the switch close circuits the power supply loop, the oscillator oscillates and provides power to the lamp. When the switch open circuits the power supply loop, the oscillator does not oscillate and does not provide power to the lamp.
-
Citations
20 Claims
-
1. A method of controlling an oscillator of a high frequency ballast driving a metal halide lamp comprising:
-
receiving power from an alternating current (AC) power supply; converting the received power to direct current (DC) power wherein the converted DC power is provided to the controller of the ballast; initializing a controller of the ballast in response to receiving the DC power at the controller; closing a power supply loop of the oscillator via a switch, said power supply loop including the converted DC power and a ground path, wherein the oscillator generates AC power from the converted DC power and provides the generated AC power to the lamp when the power supply loop is closed; monitoring a current of the power supply loop of the oscillator; and open circuiting the power supply loop of the oscillator via the switch when the monitored current is above a current threshold, said current threshold indicating that the lamp has not ignited. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
-
-
8. A high frequency metal halide lamp ballast for providing power to a metal halide lamp from an alternating current (AC) power source, said ballast comprising:
-
a direct current (DC) converter for receiving AC power from the AC power source and providing DC power; an oscillator connected in a power supply loop with the converter for receiving the DC power from the DC converter and connected to the lamp for providing a high frequency output to the lamp; a switch having a first mode and a second mode, said switch connected to the power supply loop for the oscillator such that when the switch is in the first mode the power supply loop is enabled and the oscillator provides the high frequency output to the lamp and such that when the switch is in the second mode the power supply loop is disabled and the oscillator does not provide the high frequency output to the lamp; and a controller connected to the switch for controlling the mode of the switch in either the first mode or the second mode to selectively enable or disable the power supply loop for the oscillator. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
-
-
14. A light source comprising:
-
a metal halide lamp for providing light in response to receiving power; and a ballast for igniting the lamp and providing power to the lamp from an alternating current (AC) power source, said ballast comprising; a direct current (DC) converter for receiving AC power from the AC power source and converting the received AC power to DC power; an oscillator connected in a power supply loop with the converter for receiving the DC power from the DC converter and connected to the lamp for providing a high frequency output to the lamp; a switch having a first mode and a second mode, said switch connected to the power supply loop for the oscillator such that when the switch is in the first mode, the power supply loop is enabled and the oscillator provides the high frequency output to the lamp and such that when the switch is in the second mode, the power supply loop is enabled and the oscillator does not provide the high frequency output to the lamp; and a controller connected to the switch for controlling the mode of the switch in either the first mode or the second mode to selectively enable or disable the power supply loop for the oscillator. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
-
Specification