Patent · US Active

Method for detection of non-zero-voltage switching operation of a ballast of fluorescent lamps, and ballast

US8378590B2 · kind B2 · utility

0Cited by

8References

9Claims

0Family size

Assignee

Infineon Technologies AG · DE

Inventors

Martin Feldtkeller · Munich, DE
Antoine Fery · Munich, DE
Michael Herfurth · Gilching, DE

Key dates

Filing date	Sep 12, 2011
Grant date	Feb 19, 2013
Priority date	—
Expiry date	Sep 14, 2031

Classification

Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
CPC primaryH05B41/2986
WIPO fieldElectrical machinery, apparatus, energy
WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

A method for use in a lamp ballast includes obtaining a measurement signal representative of a voltage at an output of a half-bridge circuit. The half-bridge circuit includes first and second semiconductor switching elements, a resonant circuit connected to the half-bridge circuit, and a snubber capacitance connected in parallel with one of the semiconductor switching elements. The method also includes providing a comparison signal by comparing the measurement signal with a reference value. The method further includes detecting one of a first type of non-zero-voltage switching operation and a second type of non-zero-voltage switching operation based on evaluations of the comparison signal, wherein the evaluations of the comparison signal occurs in each case before the first semiconductor element is switched on and in each case before the second semiconductor element is switched on.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.