Abstract: An improved high input voltage instant start electronic ballast uses a substantially lossless snubber circuit. The substantially lossless snubber circuit is incorporated into the ballast to reduce turn off losses and increase the efficiency of the ballast. The snubber circuit includes two capacitors connected in parallel with respect to the two switching transistors or FETS in the inverter of the ballast. A series-resonant lamp voltage sensing circuit is also provided that uses a voltage dividing capacitor to accomplish lossless monitoring of the open circuit voltage of the ballast. A cable compensation circuit minimizes variations in the open circuit voltage due to the connecting and disconnecting of a cable to the ballast by limiting the turn on times of the transistors during high voltage conditions.

Abstract: An electronic ballast uses a voltage sampling circuit and a voltage control circuit to limit the open circuit voltage of the ballast. A lamp voltage sensing circuit is provided that uses a voltage dividing capacitor to accomplish lossless monitoring of the open circuit voltage of the ballast. A resistor placed in series with the sampling capacitor is used to create a voltage that turns a control transistor off and on. The control transistor produces a gating signal trimming signal that a half bridge driver uses to alter the gating signals provided to the inverter transistors of the ballast. A cable compensation circuit is included that minimizes variations in the open circuit voltage due to the connecting and disconnecting of a cable to the ballast by turning the control transistor off and on.

Abstract: An electronic ballast has a resonant tank circuit that includes a tank inductor and a tank capacitor connected in series. Lossless sampling of the output voltage of the electronic ballast is achieved by monitoring the voltage across a sampling capacitor placed in series with the tank capacitor. A resistive and capacitive filter is used to filter the monitored voltage such that it can be accurately received by a microcontroller. A resistor is connected in series with the sampling capacitor to produce an open circuit output voltage control signal that is used by the microcontroller to limit the open circuit output voltage. A cable compensation circuit is utilized to minimize variations in the open circuit voltage due to the connecting and disconnecting of a cable to the ballast output terminals.

Abstract: A device, applicable to the field of wireless transmission, receives and/or transmits electromagnetic waves with radiation diversity. This device comprises, on a common substrate (3), at least one antenna of the slot type (1) formed by a closed curve, known as a slot antenna, electromagnetically coupled to a first supply line (6), and an antenna radiating parallel to the substrate (2), positioned inside the slot antenna and connected to a second supply line. The first and second supply lines are connected via a switching means to means to exploit the electromagnetic waves.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a planar antenna comprising a resonating slot 12 dimensioned to operate at a given frequency, the slot being realized on a substrate 10 and supplied by a feed line 13 in a short circuit plane in which it is located. The substrate has a variable thickness 10b. The invention can be used in wireless networks.

Abstract: An apparatus with a flash lamp can trigger a flash of light by application of an ignition pulse. The apparatus encompasses a first capacitor, a second capacitor, a switching element and a control circuit. The first capacitor, second capacitor and switching element are arranged in a network in such a way that the switching element is located on the low side of a power circuit. The apparatus can be operated in a first mode and a second mode by actuating the control circuit. In the first mode the first capacitor is discharged by the flash lamp, triggering a flash of light of high energy. In the second mode the second capacitor is discharged by the flash lamp and a flash of light of low energy is triggered.

Abstract: A device and a method for the control of a gas discharge lamp are disclosed. In order to detract as little as possible from lamp life in spite of the luminous flux requirements to be fulfilled during the run-up of the lamp, the lamp is operated with an alternating current in a run-up phase which comprises at least the interval from 1 s to 3 s after lamp ignition, the amplitude of said current rising during the run-up phase. After the rise in the run-up phase, the current may first rise further or remain constant in a transitional phase which preferably follows the former phase, and is subsequently reduced until the lamp enters the stationary operational phase. The time gradient of the current is preferably chosen such here that minimum values for the luminous flux of the lamp are achieved at given moments. Particular advantages are obtained, for example, in the case of Hg-free lamps which are operated with high currents, especially during the run-up.

Abstract: An antenna capable of attaining the miniaturization thereof and the widening of a band in use, and an electronic device containing this antenna therein, having a miniaturized structure and adaptable to a wide band. This antenna is provided with a feeding element having a feeder end, an antenna core provided with the feeding element on an outer circumference thereof, a feeder lead connected to the feeder end, and a magnetic member covering the feeder end. This electronic device is provided with the antenna, a transmission system, and a reception system, and the feeder lead of the antenna is connected to at least one of the transmission system and reception system.

Abstract: A discharge lamp lighting circuit 1 has: a DC-AC converter circuit 3 which receives a DC input, and which conducts AC conversion and a boosting operation; and a starting circuit 4 which supplies a starting signal to a discharge lamp 10. The lighting circuit has a structure in which the primary and secondary circuits of an AC conversion transformer 7 constituting the DC-AC converter circuit 3 are electrically insulated from each other. An input terminal of the starting circuit 4 is connected to the secondary winding 7s of the AC conversion transformer 7 to obtain an input voltage for the starting circuit, and a starting signal which is boosted by the AC conversion transformer 7 is superimposed on the AC-converted output to be supplied to the discharge lamp 10.

Abstract: A computer power supply with a display function has a rectifying circuit, an EMI filter, a power factor corrector, a switching circuit, a transformer and a secondary coil voltage regulator located between an AC voltage input and a DC voltage output. A linear rectifying circuit as a major technique connects to the output of the power factor corrector to detect power dissipation and represent the result in a display, thus user can take necessary measures when a computer draws excessive power.

Abstract: A method for driving an electroluminescent lamp to emit light at a brightness set level includes providing a variable bias voltage to the electroluminescent lamp. The variable bias voltage is increased with the duration of the on-time of the electroluminescent lamp. To stabilize the electroluminescent lamp at the brightness set level against aging, a closed loop control of the brightness of the electroluminescent lamp is applied, which is subject to said duration of the on-time the electroluminescent lamp.

Abstract: A beam source has a plasma generating chamber, an antenna for generating plasma in the plasma generating chamber, a first electrode disposed in the plasma generating chamber, and a second electrode disposed in the plasma generating chamber. Both of the antenna and the second electrode face the first electrode. The beam source also includes a power supply for applying a voltage between the first electrode and the second electrode to extract particles from the plasma generated by the antenna. The beam source applies various kinds of beams having a large diameter, such as a positive ion beam, a negative ion beam, and a neutral particle beam, uniformly to a workpiece.

Abstract: A discharge lamp illumination circuit 1 has a DC-AC conversion circuit 3 which effects AC conversion and boosting upon receipt of a DC input, and a starter circuit 4 for supplying a start-up signal to a discharge lamp. Power output from the DC-AC conversion circuit 3 is controlled by control means 6, thereby controlling illumination of a discharge lamp 10. An AC transformer 7 constituting the DC-AC conversion circuit 3 is provided, and a primary circuit and a secondary circuit, both forming part of the AC transformer 7, are insulated from each other. The start-up signal boosted by the AC transformer 7 is superposed on the AC-converted output, and the resultant signal is supplied to the discharge lamp 10. Thus, the need for a starter transformer specifically designed for startup can be obviated.

Abstract: Flat panel displays, such as field emission displays (FEDs), plasma displays, liquid crystal displays (LCDs), and electroluminescent displays (ELs), are provided incorporating driver circuitry on the same substrate as the active display region of the display device and further reducing through-vacuum and substrate-to-substrate interconnects. In one implementation, an image display device comprises a substrate; an active display region formed on the substrate and including addressable rows and columns defining pixels; and one or more driver ICs on the substrate, respective outputs of each driver IC coupled to respective ones of the addressable rows and columns, the driver ICs adapted to drive the active display region to display an image. The device also comprises a wireless receiver coupled to the driver ICs, the wireless receiver adapted to wirelessly receive a wireless signal including an input video signal for display and couple the input video signal to the driver ICs.

Abstract: A system and method for controlling an optical light source is provided. A current source drives the light source, while the voltage across and the current through the light source is measured. The voltage and current are converted to digital signals and sent to a neural network, which generates a modeled optical output power of the light source and a modeled value of the optical wavelength. A control circuit receives the modeled optical output power and wavelength and sends a control signal to the current source to minimize the difference between the desired power output and the modeled output power. In addition, a control signal is sent to a Peltier driver to control the temperature of a Peltier cooler in order to increase or decrease the wavelength emitted by a laser diode.

Abstract: An apparatus for detecting the authenticity of a container sealed with a cap (or other closure) which automatically disables itself when the cap is first removed. A radio frequency identification (RFID) tag includes a substrate, a radio frequency transceiver circuit mounted upon the substrate and connected to an antenna having a fixed length that is also mounted upon the substrate, and a protrusion affixed to or a slot in the substrate. A cap for a container includes the RFID tag mounted on an inner surface adjacent to the closed end. When mounted on the container, the cap mates with a ratchet wheel connected to the container that engages the protrusion or slot such that removing the cap from the container will cause the substrate to fracture and thereby cause the RFID tag to become permanently disabled.

Abstract: An antenna coupling device for a mobile terminal adapted to couple, to a terminal body of the mobile terminal, an antenna unit including an antenna housing adapted to be coupled to the terminal body, and an antenna extending through the antenna housing into the terminal body at an inner end. The antenna coupling device includes an antenna coupling member rotatably fitted in the antenna housing at one end of the antenna housing facing the terminal body, and engaging elements for selectively engaging the antenna with the antenna coupling member to restrain the antenna coupling member by the antenna, causing the antenna coupling member to be coupled to an antenna bushing provided at the terminal body in accordance with rotation of the antenna.

Abstract: A method of installing a satellite dish mast, comprises providing a mast member including a generally cylindrical wall and having an aperture therethrough, and providing a level mounted interior of the mast member but visible from outside the mast member through the aperture in the mast member; and adjusting the position of the mast member using the level and securing the position of the mast member.

Abstract: An antenna array comprised of a fractile array having a plurality of antenna elements uniformly distributed along a Peano-Gosper curve. An antenna array comprised of an array having an irregular boundary contour comprising a plane tiled by a plurality of fractiles covering the plane without any gaps or overlaps. A method for generating an antenna array having improved broadband performance wherein a plane is tiled with a plurality of non-uniform shaped unit cells or an antenna array, the non-uniform shaped and tiling of the unit cells are then optimized. A method for rapidly forming a radiation pattern of a fractile array employing a pattern multiplication for fractile arrays wherein a product formulation is derived for the radiation pattern of a fractile array for a desired stage of growth. The pattern multiplication is recursively applied to construct higher order fractile array forming an antenna array.

Abstract: An improved antenna array includes at least two vertically running gaps. There are overall at least two and preferably at least three radiators or radiator groups offset to one another in the vertical direction in one gap and preferably in all gaps. In at least one gap, the arrangement is such that the radiators or radiator groups in this at least one gap except for at least one radiator or at least one radiator group are jointly supplied. This at least one radiator or at least one radiator group is supplied jointly with the radiators or radiator groups of an adjacent gap.