Field configurable ballast
First Claim
1. A method for employing an electronic ballast, the method comprising the steps of:
- providing a distributor with the electronic ballast, wherein at least one operative parameter of the electronic ballast is configurable to operate at least one of a plurality of gas discharge lamp types;
providing said distributor with a configuration mechanism for configuring said electronic ballast;
subsequent to said providing the distributor with the electronic ballast, attaching the electronic ballast to said configuration mechanism, wherein said configuration mechanism is operatively attached to a client computer and said client computer is operatively attached to a configuration service;
requesting said configuration service to configure said ballast, wherein said requesting is performed by said distributor at said client computer;
configuring said electronic ballast by said configuration mechanism by transmitting instructions from said configuration service to said client computer in response to said requesting, thereby producing a ballast configuration;
updating a data base attached to said configuration service based on said ballast configuration; and
detaching said electronic ballast from said configuration mechanism.
3 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A method for employing an electronic ballast. A distributor is provided with the electronic ballast. An operative parameter of the electronic ballast is configurable to operate a type of gas discharge lamp. The distributor is further provided with a configuration mechanism for configuring said electronic ballast. The electronic ballast is attached to the configuration mechanism, the configuration mechanism is attached to a client computer and the client computer is operatively attached to a configuration service, typically over a wide area network, e.g. Internet. The distributor, using the client computer, requests from the configuration server to configure the ballast. The configuration is performed using the configuration mechanism by transmitting instructions from the configuration server to the client computer in response to the request.
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Citations
23 Claims
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1. A method for employing an electronic ballast, the method comprising the steps of:
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providing a distributor with the electronic ballast, wherein at least one operative parameter of the electronic ballast is configurable to operate at least one of a plurality of gas discharge lamp types; providing said distributor with a configuration mechanism for configuring said electronic ballast; subsequent to said providing the distributor with the electronic ballast, attaching the electronic ballast to said configuration mechanism, wherein said configuration mechanism is operatively attached to a client computer and said client computer is operatively attached to a configuration service; requesting said configuration service to configure said ballast, wherein said requesting is performed by said distributor at said client computer; configuring said electronic ballast by said configuration mechanism by transmitting instructions from said configuration service to said client computer in response to said requesting, thereby producing a ballast configuration; updating a data base attached to said configuration service based on said ballast configuration; and detaching said electronic ballast from said configuration mechanism. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. A computerized method for remotely configuring an electronic ballast, by a configuration server, wherein a distributor is provided with the electronic ballast and a configuration mechanism for said configuring, the method comprising the steps of:
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receiving a request from the distributor to configure said ballast; said configuring said electronic ballast by transmitting instructions from the configuration server to said configuration mechanism to produce a ballast configuration; and updating a data base attached to the configuration server based on said ballast configuration. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A method for configuring an electronic ballast, wherein a distributor is provided with the electronic ballast and a client computer, wherein the client computer is operatively attached to a configuration service, the method comprising the steps of:
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requesting by the distributor to configure said ballast, thereby transmitting from the client computer a configuration request to said configuration service; configuring said electronic ballast by receiving instructions from said configuration service;
wherein said instructions are in response to said configuration request;updating a data base attached to said configuration service based on said configuring; and upon completing said configuring, operatively detaching said electronic ballast from the client computer. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17)
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18. A method for employing an electronic ballast, the method comprising the steps of:
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providing a distributor with the electronic ballast, wherein at least one operative parameter of the electronic ballast is configurable to operate at least one of a plurality of gas discharge lamp types; providing said distributor with a configuration mechanism for configuring said electronic ballast; attaching the electronic ballast to said configuration mechanism; and subsequent to said providing the distributor with the electronic ballast, configuring said electronic ballast using said configuration mechanism thereby producing a ballast configuration; updating a data base attached based on said ballast configuration; and
detaching said electronic ballast from said configuration mechanism. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21, 22, 23)
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Specification