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Method for starting a discharge lamp using high energy initial pulse

  • US 7,880,397 B2
  • Filed: 08/15/2007
  • Issued: 02/01/2011
  • Est. Priority Date: 12/11/1998
  • Status: Expired due to Fees
First Claim
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1. A method of controlling a DC to AC inverter that includes a network of plurality of switches that generates an AC signal from a DC signal, a tank circuit, and a controller for driving a discharge lamp, comprising:

  • initializing said controller;

    striking said discharge lamp using a first AC signal generated by said network of plurality of switches and said tank circuit, said first AC signal having the same frequency as a resonant frequency of said tank circuit; and

    driving said discharge lamp using a second AC signal generated by said network of plurality of switches and said tank circuit, wherein said first AC signal has a higher electrical energy than said second AC signal;

    wherein said first AC signal has a larger pulse width than said second AC signal, and further wherein said striking of said discharge lamp using a first AC signal comprises modulating the pulse width of each half cycle of said first AC signal.

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