Apparatus and method for remotely detecting a magnetic ballast
US6445142B1 · kind B1 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | May 8, 2001 |
| Grant date | Sep 3, 2002 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | May 8, 2021 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH05B41/36
- WIPO fieldElectrical machinery, apparatus, energy
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
A portable, electronic device for remotely detecting and indicating whether a ballast driving a fluorescent lamp is of the magnetic type. The device comprises a power supply, a light sensor that receives emitted light from the fluorescent lamp and, in response, produces an output signal having a frequency proportional to the flicker frequency of the emitted light, a voltage detector that converts the output signal into a digital signal stream having a pulse frequency proportional to the frequency of the output signal, a microcontroller that determines whether the pulse frequency of the digital signal stream is between predetermined high and low threshold levels, wherein a first indicator signal indicating the presence of a magnetic ballast is produced as an output of the microcontroller when the pulse frequency of the digital signal stream is determined to be between the threshold levels. Until activated by a user, the microcontroller remains in a “sleep” mode, thus conserving the power supply.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.