Integrated circuit for lamp heating and dimming control
US6531831B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Apr 3, 2001 |
| Grant date | Mar 11, 2003 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Apr 3, 2021 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
- CPC primaryY10S315/04
- WIPO fieldElectrical machinery, apparatus, energy
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
An electronic ballast for lamps or tubes is provided. In one embodiment the present invention includes a ballast controller that includes filament heating circuitry and dimming circuitry. The filament heating circuitry may include preheat dimming circuits which preheat the filaments for a predetermined time period prior to striking the lamp, and steady-state heating circuitry that continually heats the filaments during steady state operation of the lamp. The steady state heating circuitry may be adapted to heat the filaments inversely proportional to the dim desired value of the lamp. The dimming circuitry may include conventional analog dimming and/or burst mode dimming to define a wide range of dimming characteristics for the lamp.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.