METHOD FOR ASCERTAINING A TYPE OF A GAS DISCHARGE LAMP AND ELECTRONIC BALLAST FOR OPERATING AT LEAST TWO DIFFERENT TYPES OF GAS DISCHARGE LAMPS
First Claim
1. A method for ascertaining a type of a gas discharge lamp using an electronic ballast for operating different types of gas discharge lamps, wherein the different types of gas discharge lamps differ in at least one operating parameter, the method comprising:
- a) preheating at least one filament in the gas discharge lamp for a predetermined preheating time;
b) measuring a physical variable which is characteristic of the type of the gas discharge lamp at the end of the preheating time and providing the measurement value of the variable; and
c) ascertaining the lamp type on the basis of the measurement value which is provided;
wherein the preheating time is increased by a predetermined time period and b) and c) are repeated if the lamp type in c) cannot be ascertained uniquely.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Various embodiments provide a method for ascertaining a type of a gas discharge lamp using an electronic ballast for operating different types of gas discharge lamps, wherein the different types of gas discharge lamps differ in at least one operating parameter, wherein the method may include: a) preheating at least one filament in the gas discharge lamp for a predetermined preheating time; b) measuring a physical variable which is characteristic for the type of the gas discharge lamp at the end of the preheating time and providing the measurement value of said variable; and c) ascertaining the lamp type on the basis of the measurement value which is provided, wherein the preheating time is increased by a predetermined time period and the b) and c) are repeated if the lamp type in c) cannot be ascertained uniquely. Moreover, various embodiments provide an electronic ballast for operating at least two different types of gas discharge lamps which have at least one different operating parameter.
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Citations
13 Claims
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1. A method for ascertaining a type of a gas discharge lamp using an electronic ballast for operating different types of gas discharge lamps, wherein the different types of gas discharge lamps differ in at least one operating parameter, the method comprising:
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a) preheating at least one filament in the gas discharge lamp for a predetermined preheating time; b) measuring a physical variable which is characteristic of the type of the gas discharge lamp at the end of the preheating time and providing the measurement value of the variable; and c) ascertaining the lamp type on the basis of the measurement value which is provided; wherein the preheating time is increased by a predetermined time period and b) and c) are repeated if the lamp type in c) cannot be ascertained uniquely. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. An electronic ballast for operating at least two different types of gas discharge lamps which have at least one different operating parameter, the electronic ballast comprising:
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a preheating device for preheating at least one filament of at least one gas discharge lamp which is to be operated using the ballast; at least one memory device for storing an assignment of operating parameters to the at least two different lamp types, wherein one of the operating parameters is a preheating time to be used during preheating of the at least one filament and for storing a lamp type, or operating parameters assigned to it, on which the next preheating phase is based; a measurement device for measuring a physical variable which is characteristic of the lamp type of the at least one gas discharge lamp to be operated using the ballast and for providing a measurement value of the physical variable; and a control unit which is adapted to switch on the preheating device for a preheating time which is assigned to the lamp type to be taken from the at least one memory device, to ascertain the current lamp type on the basis of the measurement value provided by the measurement device at the end of the preheating time and to store the ascertained lamp type, or operating parameters assigned to it, in the at least one memory device; wherein the control unit is furthermore adapted to increase the duration of the preheating time by a predetermined time period if the lamp type cannot be uniquely identified on the basis of the provided measurement value at the end of the preheating time which is assigned to the lamp type which can be taken from the at least one storage device, and the control unit is additionally adapted to ascertain one more time the lamp type on the basis of the measurement value provided at the end of the increased preheating time. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13)
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Specification