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| Number | Title | Issue Date |
| 7429828 | Method and system for luminance characterization A system for luminance characterization of a luminaire includes a ballast coil and a multi-tap capacitor connected in series with the ballast coil. The multi-tap capacitor has a plurality of tap capacitors integrated into a capacitor housing. A plurality of switches... | 09/30/2008 |
| 7352139 | Multiple lamp ballast control circuit A ballast control circuit for multiple lamps comprising a ballast control circuit for driving two series connected switches of a lamp ballast connected across a supply potential and having a switched node between the switches; the switched node adapted to be connect... | 04/01/2008 |
| 7279851 | Systems and methods for fault protection in a balancing transformer An apparatus and methods for balancing current in multiple negative impedance gas discharge lamp loads. Embodiments advantageously include balancing transformer configurations that are relatively cost-effective, reliable, efficient, and good performing. Embodiments ... | 10/09/2007 |
| 7235931 | Discharge lamp lighting apparatus for lighting multiple discharge lamps In a discharge lamp lighting apparatus to light two discharge lamps, one terminal of the secondary side of a step-up transformer is connected to one terminal of each of the two discharge lamps, the other terminal of each of the two discharge lamps is connected, via ... | 06/26/2007 |
| 7190124 | Two-wire dimmer with power supply and load protection circuit in the event of switch failure A dimmer circuit provides AC power to an inductive lighting load in series with the dimmer circuit. A bidirectional semiconductor switch has a control electrode with a control signal for determining the power provided to the load. The switch in normal operation is c... | 03/13/2007 |
| 7161302 | High lamp-power lighting system and fluorescent lamp A lighting system includes a fluorescent lamp 4 and a main body 1 for attaching the fluorescent lamp 4 thereto. The main body 1 is provided with a socket assembly 6 for the attachment of the fluorescent lamp 4, and an electr... | 01/09/2007 |
| 7141933 | Systems and methods for a transformer configuration for driving multiple gas discharge tubes in parallel An apparatus and methods for balancing current in multiple negative impedance gas discharge lamp loads. Embodiments advantageously include balancing transformer configurations that are relatively cost-effective, reliable, efficient, and good performing. Embodiments ... | 11/28/2006 |
| 7084864 | Computer display with switched capacitor power supply A computer (80) includes a display assembly 10 which uses a backlight power supply 40 to power a fluorescent tube 18 for backlighting purposes. The power supply generates voltages necessary to power the tube 18, generally in the ra... | 08/01/2006 |
| 7061183 | Zigzag topology for balancing current among paralleled gas discharge lamps An apparatus and methods for balancing current in multiple negative impedance gas discharge lamp loads. Embodiments advantageously include balancing transformer configurations that are relatively cost-effective, reliable, and efficient. Embodiments include configura... | 06/13/2006 |
| 7042165 | Driver circuit for LED vehicle lamp A first vehicle lamp driver circuit for a light emitting diode (LED) array, the LED array having a first string of four LEDs in series and a second string of four LEDs in series. A first LED driver drives the first LED string and a second LED driver drives the secon... | 05/09/2006 |
| 6943504 | Open loop magnetic boost LED driver system and method Current is delivered to a load using an open-loop boost circuit topology that is suitable for LED driver applications. An inductor in the circuit is charged when a transistor is active during a first operating phase. The inductor delivers current to the load when th... | 09/13/2005 |
| 6867553 | Continuous mode voltage fed inverter In accordance with one aspect of the present application, a continuous mode voltage fed inverter includes a resistor starting network configured to start a charging of the inverter. A resonant feedback circuit is configured to generate an oscillating signal followin... | 03/15/2005 |
| 6853150 | Light emitting diode driver A LED driver includes a high frequency inverter and an impedance circuit. The high frequency inverter operates to produce a high frequency voltage source whereby the impedance circuit directs a flow of alternating current through a LED array including one or more an... | 02/08/2005 |
| 6793366 | Watertight, low power L.E.D. flashlight A watertight, low power flashlight is disclosed that uses a voltage tripler and regulator that enables the use of a single AA or lithium battery. The voltage tripler is a “step-up power component” that raises the battery voltage from 1.5 volts to approximately 5... | 09/21/2004 |
| 6541920 | DC/DC converter and self-luminous display apparatus A DC/DC converter for an electronic equipment, e.g., a self-luminous display apparatus, includes a plurality of choke coils connected in parallel to each other to a DC power supply, a control circuit for controlling the ON/OFF operation of a switching ele... | 04/01/2003 |
| 6504318 | Supply coupling of a fluorescent lamp The invention relates to a supply coupling of a fluorescent lamp used for supervising the operation and condition of a lamp circuit, particularly a supply coupling in connection with an electronic coupling device wherein the power required by the lamp cir... | 01/07/2003 |
| 6486613 | Reducing the clamping voltage of operating devices for gas discharge lamps An electronic operating device for discharge lamps is disclosed in which an output terminal is connected via a coupling capacitor (CB) to a reference potential (E). An electric component (VC) which acts as a voltage source is inserted in series with the c... | 11/26/2002 |
| 6448950 | Energy efficient resonant switching electroluminescent display driver A driving circuit for powering an electroluminescent display using energy recovered from a varying panel capacitance of the display. The driving circuit comprises a source of electrical energy; and a resonant circuit using the panel capacitance for receiv... | 09/10/2002 |
| 6198226 | Low-noise drive circuit for electroluminescent lamp, and electroluminescent lamp assembly comprising same A circuit driving an electroluminescent lamp at a frequency at or in the vicinity of the lower threshold of human hearing, thus reducing objectionable noise otherwise generated by such lamps when operated at high frequencies. In an electroluminescent lamp... | 03/06/2001 |
| 6188179 | Induction circuits for lighting Disclosed is inductive coupling of power to devices having negative resistances, such as gas-filled discharge lamps (fluorescent tubes, neon signs, and the like) from a primary inductive loop, using resonant conditioning of the power provided to the devic... | 02/13/2001 |
| 6181078 | Discharge lamp lighting system The present invention provides a discharge lamp lighting system in which a discharge lamp is lighted by a commercial power source without using a choke transformer, electric power can be saved, and, in order to prevent a bad influence of high harmonic wav... | 01/30/2001 |
| 6034485 | Low-voltage non-thermionic ballast-free energy-efficient light-producing gas discharge system and method A system of igniting a gas discharge device having spaced electrodes immersed in a gas, at voltages below the required starter ignition voltage for cold cathodes. A square wave alternating voltage source of between about 75 kHz and 4 MHz is applied direct... | 03/07/2000 |
| 5757144 | Gas discharge lamp ballasting means A power-line-operated frequency-converting power supply provides a 30 kHz current-limited AC voltage at an output receptacle. An instant-start gas discharge or neon lamp is connected across the secondary winding of a gapped ferrite-type leakage transforme... | 05/26/1998 |
| 5537010 | Voltage-comparator, solid-state, current-switch starter for fluorescent lamp A starter for a fluorescent lamp selectively conducts current from an AC power source through a ballast and cathodes of the lamp during one half cycle of conducted current from the AC power source. Thereafter and during the same on half cycle of current t... | 07/16/1996 |
| 5446348 | Apparatus for providing ignition to a gas turbine engine and method of short circuit detection A solid state, bipolar, ignition exciter for gas turbine engines is described for delivering high energy pulses to one or more igniter plugs. A storage capacitor is charged with typically 12 to 20 Joules of stored energy and discharged through a solid sta... | 08/29/1995 |
| 5444334 | System for starting a high intensity discharge lamp A ballast circuit arrangement with hot restrike capabilities includes an input transformer having a primary winding receptive of line power and a secondary winding over which an output voltage is made available. A first capacitor coupled across the second... | 08/22/1995 |
| 5428264 | Electronic ballast with controlled operating voltage In a fluorescent lamp ballast, a high-frequency AC voltage is applied directly across a tuned L-C circuit. The fluorescent lamp is connected in parallel with the capacitor of the L-C circuit and a voltage-limiting means prevents the series-resonating L-C ... | 06/27/1995 |
| 5412286 | Variable voltage ballast system for mini-fluorescent lamp An efficient ballast for Mini-fluorescent lamps, includes an inductor, in communication with a power source and constructed as transformer with only primary winding, a fluorescent lamp in series with the inductor, and a capacitor in series with the fluore... | 05/02/1995 |
| 5410466 | High power-factor inverter device having reduced output ripple An inverter device includes an input power-factor improving circuit which causes part of a high frequency output of an inverter circuit to feedback, through an impedance element forming at least part of two oscillatory systems, to a rectified output end o... | 04/25/1995 |
| 5396152 | Electrical circuit for the pulsed operation of high-pressure gas-discharge lamps The Lamp (La) is connected in series with first reactive impedances (C1, . To generate pulses, one or more second reactive impedances (C3, L3; C3-L2) are located as energy storage elements in series with one or more switch elements (S3, VTh1, VD1) to at ... | 03/07/1995 |
| 5349270 | Transformerless fluorescent lamp operating circuit, particularly for a compact fluorescent lamp, with phase-shifted inverter control To eliminate the necessity for a saturated or air gap inductance to provide feedback circuit for a self-exciting oscillator including two active electronic switches (T1, T2) , for example MOSFETs, an auxiliary winding (HW1, HW2, . . . HW11) is inductively... | 09/20/1994 |
| 5338110 | Circuit, having multiple series resonant paths, for lighting a blinking fluorescent lamp without adversely affecting lamp life A circuit for lighting a fluorescent lamp. The present invention takes into account the fastidious characteristics of the fluorescent lamp, and during the momentary lighting of the fluorescent lamp. In order to reduce the temperature fluctuations, a separ... | 08/16/1994 |
| 5266869 | Discharge lamp lighting apparatus having output impedance which limits current flow therethrough after start of discharging A discharge lamp lighting apparatus comprises a transformer for stepping up an AC power source voltage from an AC power source to produce a high voltage as an output voltage required for lighting a discharge lamp. Particularly, the lighting apparatus furt... | 11/30/1993 |
| 5256939 | Magnetic electronic fluorescent lamp ballast A magnetic-type ballast powers an F40/T12 four foot fluorescent lamp from a regular 120 Volt/60 Hz power line by way of a main inductor. A power factor correction capacitor is connected in series with an auxiliary inductor of relatively small inductance v... | 10/26/1993 |
| 5059867 | Ballast circuit with improved transfer functions A ballast circuit for operating a metal halide lamp by applying DC excitation during its start, glow and run modes is disclosed. The type and values of the circuit components of the ballast circuit are selected to provide automatic, sequential and desired... | 10/22/1991 |
| 5023519 | Circuit for starting and operating a gas discharge lamp A circuit is disclosed which is capable of positively shifting a gas discharge lamp from its off-state to its on-state without emitting light flashes and further positively maintains the gas discharge lamp in its on-state when first ignited. The circuit c... | 06/11/1991 |
| 4983888 | Fluorescent lamp device In a fluorescent lamp device, a discharge tube is made by arranging electrodes at the ends of a glass tube, sealing mercury and a rare gas into the glass tube and coating the inner surface of the glass tube with a phosphor, and an amalgam forming material... | 01/08/1991 |
| 4885507 | Electronic starter combined with the L-C ballast of a fluorescent lamp A low voltage electronic starter for an L-C Ballast of a fluorescent lamp is provided having a switching circuit having a resistive-capacitive network, a diac and triac, a transformer and a voltage multiplying rectifier.... | 12/05/1989 |
| 4808888 | Starting circuit for gaseous discharge lamps A starting and operating circuit for high pressure discharge lamps including a pair of input terminals for connection to an alternating current supply and a pair of output terminals for connection across the lamp. A ballast inductor is connected at its en... | 02/28/1989 |
| 4806830 | Device and process for lighting a fluorescent discharge lamp There is disclosed a device and process for starting up a fluorescent discharge lamp in which a high-frequency pulse is generated having narrow voltage peaks above the voltage required to start electric discharge and broad valleys, applied to the elements... | 02/21/1989 |
