Method of driving a gas-discharge lamp

US9161423B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• KONINIKLIJKE PHILIPS N.V. · NL

Inventors

• Michael Haacke · Aachen, DE
• Lars Dabringhausen · Baesweiler, DE
• Xaver Riederer · Aachen, DE
• Heinz Helmut Huedepohl · Aachen, DE

Key dates

• Filing date: Mar 5, 2012
• Grant date: Oct 13, 2015
• Expiry date: Nov 1, 2032

Classification

• Technology area (CPC H): Electricity
• CPC primary: H05B41/38
• WIPO field: Electrical machinery, apparatus, energy
• WIPO sector: Electrical engineering

Abstract

The invention describes a method of driving a gas-discharge lamp (1) according to conditions in a specific region (R) of the lamp (1), which gas-discharge lamp (1) comprises a burner (2) in which a first electrode (4) and a second electrode (5) are arranged on either side of a discharge gap, which lamp (1) is realised such that the position (PCs) of a coldest spot during an AC mode of operation is in the vicinity of the first electrode (4), which method comprises the steps of initially driving the lamp (1) in the AC mode of operation; monitoring an environment variable of the lamp (1), which environment variable is indicative of conditions in a specific region (R) of the lamp (1); switching to a temporary DC mode of operation at a DC power value on the basis of the monitored environment variable, whereby the first electrode (4) is allocated as the anode; and driving the lamp (1) in the DC mode of operation until the monitored environment variable has returned to an intermediate environment variable threshold value (TDCAC). The invention also describes a gas-discharge lamp and a driver for a gas-discharge lamp.