Abstract: The electronic ballast with lamp type determination for an electronic ballast providing power to a lamp filament 208 includes a filament current sensing circuit 220 operably connected to the lamp filament 208 and generating a sensed filament current signal, and a microprocessor U2 receiving the sensed filament current signal and operably connected to control the power to the lamp filament 208. The microprocessor U2 is programmed to heat the lamp filament by applying the power at a first frequency, measure the filament characteristics, and determine lamp type from the measured filament characteristics. The microprocessor U2 can also be programmed to update operating parameters for the electronic ballast to suit the determined lamp type.

Abstract: An electronic ballast with transformer interface communicating between an external control system and the electronic ballast comprises an outboard circuit (160) operably connected to the external control system and communicating with the external control system by an external signal (140); a transformer (162) being operably connected to the outboard circuit (160) and communicating with the outboard circuit (160) by an outboard signal (166); and an inboard circuit (164) being operably connected to the transformer (162), communicating with the transformer (162) by an inboard signal (168), and communicating with a micro-processor (128) by an internal signal (150). The external signal (140) can use the Digital Addressable Lighting Interface (DALI) protocol. The in board signal (168) can have a lower duty cycle and a higher duty cycle on the primary winding to generate a lower voltage and a higher voltage, respectively, for the outboard signal (166) on the secondary winding.

Abstract: A network (20) employs a wireless network topology (30), a wireless network manager (40). Network (20) further employs a wireless device (70) and wireless device manager (80) pairing and/or a wireless system (90) and a wireless system manager (100) pairing. Managers (40, 80) cooperatively control an operating profile and monitor an operational status of the device (70). Managers (40, 100) cooperatively control an operating profile and monitor an operational status of system (90). Manager (40) can be installed on a computer (150, 170) and wirelessly communicate within network (20) via a wireless control device (160, 180) employing a port connector (161, 181) that can be plugged into a port (151, 171) of the computer (150, 170). Device (70) or system (90) can implement a digital ballast (120) that determines an average power consumption of the digital ballast (120) drawn by a power interface (121) of digital ballast (120).

Abstract: An electronic ballast includes open circuit voltage regulation comprises an filament current sensing circuit 224 operably connected to an output of the electronic ballast and generating a sensed output voltage signal, and a regulating pulse width modulator U3 receiving the sensed output voltage signal and operably connected to control voltage at the output of the electronic ballast, the regulating pulse width modulator U3 having an output voltage threshold limit. The regulating pulse width modulator U3 limits the voltage at the output of the electronic ballast when the sensed output voltage signal exceeds the output voltage threshold limit. The regulating pulse width modulator U3 can limit the output voltage by limiting the pulse width to the high voltage driver and the resonant half bridge. The filament current sensing circuit 224 can sense the output voltage indirectly, such as by sensing tank current, or can sense the output voltage directly.

Abstract: The electronic ballast with lamp type determination for an electronic ballast providing power to a lamp filament 208 includes a filament current sensing circuit 220 operably connected to the lamp filament 208 and generating a sensed filament current signal, and a microprocessor U2 receiving the sensed filament current signal and operably connected to control the power to the lamp filament 208. The microprocessor U2 is programmed to heat the lamp filament by applying the power at a first frequency, measure the filament characteristics, and determine lamp type from the measured filament characteristics. The microprocessor U2 can also be programmed to update operating parameters for the electronic ballast to suit the determined lamp type.