Abstract: An improved system and method for controlling the temperature of a resistance heater in a heating, ventilation and air-conditioning (“HVAC”) system is disclosed. The control circuit and method includes three separate thermostats per heater leg and are designed to trip at three, sequential pre-selected temperatures to address certain issues associated with prior art designs for thermal overload protection. One of the thermostats is of an automatically resettable type wherein the remaining two are of a “one-shot” design and will remain open until there is human intervention.

Abstract: A cycle-skipping control system uses a pseudorandom number generator with a digital comparator to produce a random binary bit stream having a data rate equal to the frequency of the AC line. The bit stream is used to turn a power control switch coupled to the AC line source on and off such that the desired fraction of full load power is provided to the load. Fine power control resolution is achieved without requiring a long control period. In addition, perceptible flicker due to pulsating AC line current is reduced, both in visibly radiant loads and in electric illumination devices in close proximity to the load.

Abstract: A back-light assembly for a liquid crystal display (LCD) includes an LCD display screen and at least one cold cathode fluorescent lamp positioned for illuminating a back-side of the display screen. A reflector positioned adjacent the lamp reflects light toward the display screen. A light diffuser is positioned between the lamp and the display screen; and a power controller regulates current supplied to the lamp from an external power source so as to establish a predetermined luminance level at the display screen. A light level sensor provides a signal representative of the luminance output of the lamp to the controller so as to regulate lamp current to maintain the predetermined luminance level.

Abstract: A diagnostic circuit monitors filament currents in hot cathode fluorescent lamps for detecting when the filament erodes to the point of breaking. When such a filament failure is detected, information is processed and a request is sent to replace the lamp before it actually fails. The diagnostic circuit is low power and low voltage and is electrically isolated from the high-voltage end of the lamp. Additionally, a simple circuit to regulate rms value of filament voltage without having to compute or otherwise measure the actual rms value is provided.

Abstract: A ballast system for at least one dimmable fluorescent lamp includes a resonant switching inverter and a controller which controls the inverter to operate above resonance during starting and normal running operation. After a start delay timer allows time for the lamp filaments to heat up, the controller provides control signals to a gate driver to drive the switching devices of the switching inverter initially at a relatively high frequency and then reduces the frequency until a sufficiently high voltage is reached to start the lamp. Once the lamp is started, the inverter is operated in its normal feedback mode. The ballast system further includes an overvoltage shutdown mechanism. During lamp starting, if either the output of the start delay timer is high or the output voltage is greater than a first overvoltage shutdown threshold, then an overvoltage shutdown timer is activated to shut down operation of the inverter for a predetermined overvoltage shutdown period.

Abstract: A filament-heater power supply includes a combination forward and flyback power converter for supplying electronically variable, isolated voltages to dimmable discharge lamp filaments while supplying a fixed dc output voltage to a ballast control circuit. Hence, only a single ballast power supply is needed. The control circuit controls the level of filament voltage to operate the lamp filaments at an optimum temperature, even during dimming operation, thereby substantially extending lamp life. The filament-heater power supply provides a high degree of isolation among filament voltages while regulating and tracking the voltage across each filament. The filament-heater power supply can preheat the filaments to aid lamp starting, thereby extending the useful life of the lamp, and is also structured to sense when a lamp is not present in a fixture so that high voltage starting pulses are not applied to the terminals of an empty fixture.

Abstract: A ballast system for at least one dimmable fluorescent lamp includes a ballast inverter for driving the fluorescent lamp to provide light output and a parallel impedance for coupling across the fluorescent lamp for providing an alternative path for diverting sufficient ac current to avoid developing striated light output as the light output is dimmed. The parallel impedance may be a resistor connected in series with a diode. For multiple lamp systems, the parallel impedance may be connected across one or more of the lamps.