Abstract: An illumination apparatus is provided for outputting a light of mixed colors in a desired color temperature by controlling light outputs from light sources. The illumination apparatus includes a light output setting unit for outputting a set signal presenting a set value for adjusting an output of the light of mixed colors, and a first filter for smoothing the set signal from the light output setting unit. The illumination apparatus further includes a light output adjustment unit for adjusting the light outputs from the respective light sources based on the set signal smoothed by the first filter, and a plurality of second filters smoothing signals outputted from the light output adjustment unit to the light sources, respectively. Each of time constants of the second filters is lower than that of the first filter.

Abstract: The lighting device according to the present invention includes a power supply circuit, a temperature detection circuit, and a temperature control circuit. The power supply circuit supplies operation power to a light source including a solid state light emitting device. The temperature detection circuit measures a surrounding temperature of the light source and outputs the measured surrounding temperature as a detection temperature. The temperature control circuit determines whether an increase rate of the surrounding temperature exceeds a predetermined criterion value. When determining that the increase rate exceeds the criterion value, the temperature control circuit performs a process of decreasing a temperature of the light source.

Abstract: The lighting device of the present invention includes: a power source configured to supply power to a plurality of light sources; and a cooling control circuit configured to control a plurality of cooling devices for respectively cooling the plurality of light sources. The cooling control circuit includes a power supply circuit, a plurality of output circuits, a plurality of temperature measurement circuits, and an output control circuit. The power supply circuit outputs a constant voltage by use of power from the power source. The output circuits receive the constant voltage from the power supply circuit and supply drive voltages to the plurality of cooling devices respectively. The temperature measurement circuits measure temperatures of the plurality of light sources respectively. The output control circuit regulates the drive voltages respectively supplied from the plurality of output circuits based on the temperatures respectively measured by the plurality of temperature measurement circuits.

Abstract: The lighting device according to the present invention includes: a power source configured to supply power to a light source having a plurality of regions; a plurality of cooling devices arranged corresponding to the plurality of regions to cool the plurality of regions, respectively; and a cooling control circuit configured to control the plurality of cooling devices. The cooling control circuit includes: a plurality of output circuits configured to supply drive voltages to the plurality of cooling devices by use of power from the power source to drive the plurality of cooling devices, respectively; a plurality of temperature measurement circuits configured to respectively measure temperatures of the plurality of regions; and an output control circuit configured to regulate the drive voltages respectively supplied from the plurality of output circuits based on the temperatures respectively measured by the plurality of temperature measurement circuits.

Abstract: A lighting device includes: a lighting unit for supplying a lighting power to a light source unit; and a controller, for controlling the lighting unit. The lighting unit has an inductor and a switching element, and a diode for flowing a flyback current of the inductor to the light source unit during an OFF period of the switching element, and the controller has a unit for intermittently driving an ON/OFF operation of the switching element by a PWM signal and a unit for driving the switching element by a frequency higher than that of the PWM signal during an ON period of the PWM signal, and when the PWM signal falls, the controller reduces a peak value of a load current flowing through the light source unit during a certain period.

Abstract: The lighting device in accordance with the present invention includes: a switching regulator including a switching element and an inductor and configured to supply a direct current to a DC light source; a control circuit unit for controlling the switching element in accordance with a dimming signal for determining an on period in which the DC light source is kept turned on and an off period in which the DC light source is kept turned off to adjust luminance of the DC light source; a current detection unit configured to output a detection value indicative of a current flowing through the inductor; and a superimposing circuit unit. The circuit control unit, in the on period, turns off the switching element when an input value received via the input terminal for receiving the detection value exceeds a first threshold, and turns on the switching element when the input value falls below a second threshold, and keeps turning off the switching element in the off period.

Abstract: A light emitting element lighting device includes: a rectifying unit which rectifies an AC voltage; a smoothing unit which smoothes a ripple voltage from the rectifying unit; a power supply unit having a switching element; and a control unit which controls on/off of the switching element. Further, the smoothing unit servers as a partial smoothing circuit for partially smoothing a low voltage period of the ripple voltage outputted from the rectifying unit. The power supply unit supplies a lighting power to a light source unit including one or more light emitting elements. The control unit controls a switching frequency of the switching element to decrease as the output voltage of the smoothing unit decreases.

Abstract: A lighting device includes lighting control units respectively provided for controlling lighting of solid state light emitting element groups irradiating light of different chromaticities and a color ratio setting unit for setting a target output ratio of the solid state light emitting element groups. In an xy chromaticity diagram of an XYZ color system, a straight line connecting chromaticity coordinates of lights irradiated by a first and a second solid state light emitting element group intersects a black body locus. Further, the lighting control units include a first and a second lighting control unit for controlling lighting of the first and the second solid state light emitting element group, and the first and the second control unit perform a feedback control such that an output ratio of the second to the first solid state light emitting element group becomes equal to the target output ratio thereof.

Abstract: An illumination apparatus, for outputting a light of mixed colors in a desired color temperature by controlling light outputs from light sources, includes: a light output setting unit for outputting a set signal presenting a set value for adjusting an output of the light of mixed colors; a first filter for smoothing the set signal from the light output setting unit; a light output adjustment unit for adjusting the light outputs from the respective light sources based on the set signal smoothed by the first filter; and a plurality of second filters smoothing signals outputted from the light output adjustment unit to the light sources, respectively. Each of time constants of the second filters is lower than that of the first filter.

Abstract: A light emitting device includes a set of light source units including multiple types of solid state light emitting elements having different light colors, each of the light source units comprising the same type of the solid state light emitting elements connected in series and; and an information storage unit which stores information about electrical characteristic of the set of light source units. The information stored in the information storage unit represents a relationship between a light output and a drive current in the set of light source units.

Abstract: A lighting device includes: a lighting unit for supplying a lighting power to a light source unit; and a controller, for controlling the lighting unit. The lighting unit has an inductor and a switching element, and a diode for flowing a flyback current of the inductor to the light source unit during an OFF period of the switching element, and the controller has a unit for intermittently driving an ON/OFF operation of the switching element by a PWM signal and a unit for driving the switching element by a frequency higher than that of the PWM signal during an ON period of the PWM signal, and when the PWM signal falls, the controller reduces a peak value of a load current flowing through the light source unit during a certain period.

Abstract: An illumination apparatus includes: a series circuit of a thyristor and at least one load circuit connected across an AC power source; a current control circuit for adjusting an input current to be maintained at a predetermined level during a part or the whole of an ON period of the thyristor; and a short circuit for short-circuiting input ports of the load circuit to have a predetermined resistance during a part of the ON period of the thyristor and a part or the whole of an OFF period of the thyristor. The current control circuit and the short circuit are connected in parallel to the load circuit.

Abstract: An illumination system includes a lighting apparatus having a solid-state light emitting element as a light source; and a dimmer including a bidirectional switching element having a self-sustaining function and connected to a serial circuit of the lighting apparatus and an external power source. The dimmer varies a conduction angle of the bidirectional switching element by controlling a phase of an AC voltage of the external power source, wherein the lighting apparatus performs dimming of the light source based on the conduction angle of the bidirectional switching element, and the dimmer continues to apply driving current to the bidirectional switching element during a first period, which is a part of a second period, the bidirectional switching element being allowed to conduct throughout the second period.

Abstract: A lighting device has: a lighting circuit for lighting a plurality of hot-cathode lamps having filaments at both ends; preheating circuits for preheating the individual filaments of the hot-cathode lamps; at least one first circuit substrate arranged near filaments on one side of the hot-cathode lamps; and at least one second circuit substrate arranged near filaments on the other side of the hot-cathode lamps. The lighting circuit is packaged in either the first circuit substrate or the second circuit substrate, and the preheating circuits are packaged or wired by being divided in the first circuit substrate and the second circuit substrate.

Abstract: A lighting apparatus includes: a lighting circuit; a dimming signal circuit; and a feedforward control circuit. The lighting circuit receives an output which is rectified and smoothed commercial power, and supplies power to a light source Lamp. The dimming signal circuit sends a timing signal to the lighting circuit, wherein the timing signal is a signal for switching an output of the lighting circuit periodically to an ON state and either of an OFF state and a dimmed state. The feedforward control circuit detects either of an input voltage of the lighting circuit and an input voltage of the smoothing circuit, and sends a control signal to the dimming signal circuit, wherein the control signal is a signal for correcting a lighting time so that a light output of the light source can become a desired value.

Abstract: The orientation of fluorescent lamps is detected in a manufacturing method for a direct backlight unit that alternates orientations of adjacent fluorescent lamps. In a preparation step of the manufacturing method for the backlight unit of the present invention, a plurality of fluorescent lamps are prepared. In each of the fluorescent lamps, a length (a1) from a first sealed portion of a glass bulb (26) to a non-phosphor layer (32) area is shorter than a length (a2) from a second sealed portion to a non-phosphor layer (32) area (a1<a2). In a detection step, the difference between the lengths is detected with use of a sensor. In an installation step, the fluorescent lamps are arranged with use of the detection results so that the first and second ends alternate on a same side of a housing.

Abstract: The orientation of fluorescent lamps is detected in a manufacturing method for a direct backlight unit that alternates orientations of adjacent fluorescent lamps. In a preparation step of the manufacturing method for the backlight unit of the present invention, a plurality of fluorescent lamps are prepared. In each of the fluorescent lamps, a length (a1) from a first sealed portion of a glass bulb (26) to a non-phosphor layer (32) area is shorter than a length (a2) from a second sealed portion to a non-phosphor layer (32) area (a1<a2). In a detection step, the difference between the lengths is detected with use of a sensor. In an installation step, the fluorescent lamps are arranged with use of the detection results so that the first and second ends alternate on a same side of a housing.

Abstract: A fluorescent lamp has a glass container that has a phosphor layer formed on an inner surface of the glass container, and that is hermetically sealed, wherein phosphors of the phosphor layer include a blue phosphor, a green phosphor, and a red phosphor, a main luminescence peak of the blue phosphor exists in a wavelength region in a range of 430 nm to 460 nm inclusive, a half-value width of a spectrum of the main luminescence peak of the blue phosphor is less than or equal to 50 nm, a main luminescence peak of the green phosphor exists in a wavelength region in a range of 510 nm to 530 nm inclusive, a half-value width of a spectrum of the main luminescence peak of the green phosphor is less than or equal to 30 nm, and a main luminescence peak of the red phosphor exists in a wavelength region in a range of 600 nm to 780 nm inclusive, and a difference between a wavelength of the main luminescence peak of the blue phosphor and a wavelength of the main luminescence peak of the green phosphor is in a range of 70 n

Abstract: A discharge lamp includes a glass bulb and a pair of electrodes provided at both ends of the glass bulb. At least one of the electrodes is an external electrode formed on an outer surface of the glass bulb as a thin layer whose maximum thickness is 70 ?m or less, and an end portion of the external electrode becomes smaller in thickness towards an end of the external electrode.

Abstract: A cold cathode fluorescent lamp includes a glass bulb (16), a protective film (22) formed on an inner face of the glass bulb, and a phosphor layer (24) that overlaps the protective film and that contains blue phosphor particles (26B), green phosphor particles (26) and red phosphor particles (26). The glass bulb has been formed from soda glass, and the blue phosphor particles have been coated with a metal oxide (30). Also, the protective film is made of silica (SiO2). Since the protective film has been provided in the fluorescent lamp and since the blue phosphor particles, which readily deteriorate, have been coated with the metal oxide, a good luminance maintenance rate is obtained. In addition, although the glass bulb of the fluorescent lamp is made of soda glass, since the protective film is made of silica, the fluorescent lamp obtains an initial luminance equivalent to the initial luminance of a fluorescent lamp whose glass bulb is made of borosilicate glass.