Abstract: A system and method for supplying back-up electric power to a house or other building from a hybrid vehicle. Switches in the vehicle and in the house can place the vehicle in a mode where it receives charging power from the house, or where it can supply power into the main electrical distribution system of the house. These switches can be controlled from a control module in the house that can sense or cause the vehicle to sense if there is adequate ventilation in the environment to start the internal combustion engine (ICE) in the vehicle. The control module or the vehicle can cause a garage door to open or ventilation fans or vents to open. If the ICE can be started, the generator/battery can supply most if not all of the power needed by the house until the outage is over. If there is inadequate ventilation, the control system can cause only the battery in the vehicle to supply limited power to the house, typically only to critical circuits.

Abstract: LED or other lamps that remove heat using evaporation of water or other coolant inside a lamp enclosure structure such as a glass bulb typically without the use of external heat sinks or fins. Optionally, the pressure inside the enclosure can be reduced to lower the boiling point of the coolant. One or more LEDs or other light source can be mounted on a support structure that conducts heat to an evaporation surface. A coolant, preferably water or alcohol (or a water/alcohol mixture), is included inside the structure and can be optionally wicked to the evaporation surface. Vaporized coolant condenses on the inside surface of the enclosure or bulb transferring heat to the ambient through the enclosure. The condensed liquid coolant can return to a pool in the bottom of the enclosure.

Abstract: A lighting system having one or more voltage conditioners which are connected to a power line, each conditioner providing multiple output ports into which various types of luminaries may be connected. The voltage conditioner comprises an AC-DC converter and is constructed such that the power line connection is filtered to reduce electromagnetic emanations and provides a DC voltage at one or more pairs of terminals from which no more than a manifestly limited amount of power can be drawn, thereby reducing the fire initiation hazard of the lighting system.

Abstract: An inverter is powered from a DC voltage whose instantaneous absolute magnitude is equal to that of the AC power line voltage except for being prevented from falling below a level equal to half the peak of the power line voltage. The inverter's output is loaded via a series-tuned high-Q LC circuit. Two fluorescent lamps are loading the secondary winding of a transformer whose primary winding is connected across the capacitor of the LC circuit. The magnitude of the voltage present across the capacitor is normally limited by the loading of the fluorescent lamps. However, with the lamps removed, if not expressly prevented from doing so, the magnitude of the voltage across the capacitor will increase to a destructive level due to Q-multiplication.

Abstract: A push-pull inverter is supplied from an inductively current-limited DC voltage source by way of a center-tap on a transformer having significant inductance. This transformer inductance is parallel-coupled with a capacitance means. The inverter is made to self-oscillate through positive feedback provided by way of a saturable current transformer. The inverter frequency is determined by the saturation time of this current transformer, which saturation time is designed to be somewhat longer than the half-cycle period of the natural resonance frequency of the transformer inductance combined with the capacitance means. By controlling the length of this saturation time, the magnitude of the current provided to the fluorescent lamp is controlled, thereby permitting control of the light output in response to changes in the magnitude of the power line voltage.

Abstract: In an electronic ballast, a half-bridge inverter is powered from a DC voltage and provides a 40 kHz squarewave inverter output voltage. The DC voltage is obtained via a pre-converter with a control input operative to permit control of the magnitude of the DC voltage. The 40 kHz squarewave inverter output voltage is applied across a series-resonant L-C circuit, thereby establishing a 40 kHz sinusoidal voltage across the L-C circuit's tank capacitor. By controlling the symmetry of the squarewave voltage, the magnitude of the 40 kHz sinusoidal voltage is regulated to be appropriate to instant-starting a gas discharge lamp. Each of several instant-start fluorescent lamps is series-connected with a capacitor, such as to form several lamp-capacitor series-combinations, each of which is connected across the tank capacitor, thereby to be properly ignited and powered from the magnitude-controlled 40 kHz sinusoidal voltage.

Abstract: Power to a self-oscillating full-bridge inverter is supplied from a center-tapped DC voltage source through an inductor means having two separate windings on a common magnetic core—with one winding being positioned in each leg of the power supply. The full-bridge inverter, which comprises four switching transistors connected in usual full-bridge fashion, is loaded by way of a center-tapped parallel-tuned L-C circuit connected across the bridge output, thereby providing a sinusoidal voltage at its output. Due to the effect of the inductor means, the current provided to the bridge is substantially constant during a complete period of the inverter's oscillation. The arrangement is completely symmetrical, which provides for the center-tap of the DC voltage source to be at the same potential as the center-tap of the parallel-tuned L-C circuit.

Abstract: In a high-frequency electronic ballast, a screw-in fluorescent lamp is connected with and powered by way of a series-resonant LC circuit. A resistive load is connected with the LC circuit, thereby to constitute a load therefor before ignition of the fluorescent lamp or in case the fluorescent lamp were to fail to ignite.

Abstract: In an electronic ballast, a rapid start fluorescent lamp is powered by being parallel-connected with the tank-capacitor of a series-resonant LC circuit. Beating power for the lamp's cathodes is obtained by way of loosely-coupled auxiliary windings on the tank inductor of the LC circuit. In case the fluorescent lamp were to be disconnected or otherwise were to fail to properly load the series-resonant LC circuit, due to so-called Q-multiplication, the magnitude of the voltage develped across the tank-capacitor would normally increase to a high and potentially destructive level. However, due to feedback operable to cause the inverter frequency to increase as a function of the magnitude of the voltage across the tank-capacitor, the magnitude of this tank-capacitor voltage is limited to a level substantially lower than what otherwise would be the case.

Abstract: A frequency-converting power supply is mounted on a power plug operable to be plugged into and held by an ordinary household electric power receptacle. Through an inductive internal impedance, the power supply provides a 20-40 kHz output voltage to a pair of output terminals that connect, by way of a female plug at the end of a light-weight power cord, with the input terminals of a fluorescent lamp assembly; across which input terminals is connected a capacitor of such capacitance value as to resonate with the power supply's inductive internal impedance, thereby providing the required lamp starting voltage and operating current. Also across the input terminals is connected a series-combination of a first instant-start fluorescent lamp and a special (normally shorted) female receptacle adapted to receive and disconnectably hold a special male plug; which, in turn, is connected with the terminals of a second instant-start fluorescent lamp.

Abstract: An inverter-type fluorescent lamp ballast is, via a light switch, powered from the power line by way of two power conductors and one control conductor. From the light switch, which contains a switch means as well as an adjustment means, the control conductor is provided with an adjustable-magnitude DC voltage; which DC voltage is referenced to one of the power conductors. At the ballast, the DC voltage is introduced into the ballast circuitry via a diode, thereby to establish within the ballast a control voltage of magnitude substantially equal to the DC voltage. This control voltage is used for controlling the magnitude of the ballast's 30 kHz output current, thereby providing for light output control. The ballast itself is a self-oscillating half-bridge inverter loaded via a series-tuned high-Q LC circuit connected across its output. A pair of fluorescent lamps is series-connected across the tank-capacitor of the LC circuit.

Abstract: In a high-frequency electronic ballast, a fluorescent lamp is connected with and powered by way of a series-resonant LC circuit. A resistive load is connected with the LC circuit, thereby to constitute a load therefor before ignition of the fluorescent lamp or in case the fluorescent lamp were to fail to ignite.

Abstract: A special telephone instrument has a cordless hand-piece and one or more base-stations. Each base-station is hard-wire-connected with the ordinary telephone utility system and may include a built-in cellular transceiver. The hand-piece, which is powered by a built-in rechargeable battery, is--within its maximum cordless range (e.g., 500 feet)--connected with its nearest base-station via two-way radio transmission. When not in use, the hand-piece is at times resting in a cradle at its nearest base-station, thereby getting its battery recharged. When in use, the hand-piece is removed from its cradle. When so removed, the hand-piece may--while located within cordless range--be used for receiving and/or placing phone-calls via any one of the base-stations.

Abstract: An electronic ballast is powered from a constant-magnitude DC supply voltage and provides a high-magnitude high-frequency voltage at a ballast output across which are connected two lamp-ballast series-combinations, each consisting of an instant-start fluorescent lamp series-connected with a ballasting capacitor. An auxiliary capacitor is connected in series with the ballast output, thereby having the total ballast output current flowing through it and causing an auxiliary high-frequency voltage to develop across its terminals. The constant-magnitude DC supply voltage is provided via a series-combination of a power-line-connected rectifier delivering an unfiltered full-wave-rectified power line voltage across a pair of rectifier DC terminals and an auxiliary DC power supply delivering an auxiliary DC voltage across a pair of auxiliary DC terminals from which, under open circuit condition, is available a DC voltage of magnitude equal to the peak magnitude of the full-wave-rectified power line voltage.

Abstract: A power supply is adapted to be powered from an ordinary electric utility power line, or alternately from a standby storage battery, and is operable to provide a power-line-isolated output of 120 Volt RMS at a frequency of about 30 kHz. The Volt-Ampere product available from this power supply is limited to be no more than 100 Volt-Ampere. Due to the high frequency, the electric shock hazard associated with this 120 Volt/30 kHz power supply is not higher than it is for a power supply voltage a voltage of only 30 Volt RMS at 60 Hz.The power supply is used to provide shock-hazard-free and fire-initiation-hazard-free electric power for an auxiliary power distribution system in a home. Due to the Volt-Ampere limitation and the absence of shock-hazard, the power distribution can safely be done by way of so-called bell wire installation and without requiring the services of a licensed electrician.

Abstract: A fluorescent lighting system has: (A) a central power supply including: (i) a parallel-resonant self-oscillating bridge inverter operative to provide a 35 kHz sinusoidal output voltage at a pair of primary output terminals; (ii) a tank-inductor and a tank-capacitor parallel-connected across the primary output terminals; and (iii) plural pairs of secondary output terminals, each connected with the primary output terminals via its own dedicated current-limiting sub-circuit; thereby to prevent a load connected therewith from drawing more than a certain amount of power; thereby, in turn, to render each pair of secondary output terminals fire-hazard-safe and shock-hazard-safe; each pair of secondary power output terminals being connected with its own power output receptacle; and (B) a light-weight power cord plug-in-connected with one of the power output receptacles and having a pair of power conductors between which are connected a number of individually ballasted lighting units; each lighting unit having at lea

Abstract: Unfiltered full-wave-rectified 60 Hz power line voltage is supplied to a first self-oscillating series-resonance-loaded inverter, the high frequency output current from which is magnitude-controlled, rectified and used for maintaining a substantially constant-magnitude DC voltage on an energy-storing capacitor. This constant-magnitude DC voltage is used in combination with the unfiltered full-wave-rectified 60 Hz power line voltage for powering a second self-oscillating series-resonance-loaded inverter, the high frequency current output from which is used for powering a fluorescent lamp load. By frequency-modulating the first inverter at a 120 Hz rate, the current drawn from the power line is made to be of such waveshape as to result in a power factor well in excess of 90% while at the same time having a content of under 20% of odd triplets of third harmonic currents. The high frequency current provided to the fluorescent lamp load has a crest factor not in excess of 1.7.

Abstract: In a power-line-operated high-frequency electronic ballast, a half-bridge inverter is powered from a DC supply voltage and a fluorescent lamp is connected with the inverter's more-or-less asymmetrical squarewave output voltage by way of a of a series-resonant L-C circuit. The amount of power supplied by the inverter to the series-resonant L-C circuit and/or to the fluorescent lamp at any given moment depends on four significant factors: (i) the instantaneous magnitude of the DC supply voltage, (ii) the instantaneous frequency of the inverter's squarewave output voltage, (iii) the symmetry of the inverter's squarewave output voltage (which determines the effective magnitude of of its fundamental frequency voltage component), and (iv) the instantaneous operational characteristics of the fluorescent lamp.

Abstract: A fluorescent lighting system has: (A) a central power supply connected with regular power line voltage and including a number of power supply modules (e.g., eight), each such module having: (i) a parallel-resonant self-oscillating bridge inverter operative to provide a 35 kHz sinusoidal output voltage at a pair of primary output terminals; (ii) a tank-inductor and a tank-capacitor parallel-connected across the primary output terminals; and (iii) several (e.g., four) pairs of secondary output terminals, each connected with the primary output terminals via its own dedicated current-limiting sub- circuit; thereby to prevent a load connected with a pair of secondary output terminals from drawing more than a certain amount of power; thereby, in turn, to render each pair of secondary output terminals fire-hazard-safe; (B) a plurality of lighting fixtures (e.g.

Abstract: A telephone and auxiliary power distribution system in a building has a flexible multi-conductor signal and power distribution cable; which cable originates from a central signal & power management facility located near the point where the telephone utility line enters the building and extends from there to each of numerous locations within the building at which a fire-hazard-proof signal & power outlet is wanted; each of which outlets is adapted to service one of plural different loads, such as a wide variety of telephone and telephone-related instruments, smoke detectors, PC's, TV's & VCR's, clocks and timers, thermostats, door chimes and buttons, modems, fax machines, lamps & lights, Class-2 & Class-3 sub-circuits, etc.