Abstract: In an up-converter supplied by the mains supply and operating in the critical mode, the on-time of the switching element (2) is modulated so that it is increased in the vicinity of the zero crossings of the mains supply voltage. As a result the THD is lowered.

Abstract: In a bride circuit comprising a lamp choke that might partially saturate during the ignition of the lamp, at least one of the switches is switched off when the amount of charge displaced through it in forward direction equals a predetermined value. Despite the partial paturation of the lamp choke the amplitude of the ignition voltage is thereby effectively controlled.

Abstract: An integrated circuit (IC) switching power converter includes a main power supply for providing a main voltage output and an auxiliary power supply for providing an auxiliary voltage output lower than the main voltage output. All of the integrated components of the main power supply and the auxiliary power supply are formed in a single IC die which is mounted in a single IC package. For improved economy and/or efficiency, the main power supply and the auxiliary power supply can share external electrical connection pins, and the two power supplies may also share circuitry.

Abstract: A switched bridge circuit includes a low voltage to high voltage interface which selectively controls an input to a high side switch. A controller compares the voltage across the interface, the state of the high side switch, and the output of the circuit. If hard switching is detected by the controller, it latches the voltage across the interface thus keeping the high side switch on to allow the hard switching to occur. If soft switching is detected, the high side switch is kept off. A source follower is used to drive the high side switch so that the circuit output follows the interface output thereby avoiding oscillation. A falling edge detector for the output of the circuit uses the inherent parasitic capacitance of a high voltage device which also forms a bootstrap diode. When the output drops, the parasitic capacitance feeds a resistance which causes a driver to actuate. A second falling edge detector uses the inherent parasitic capacitance of the level shifter switch which is another high voltage device.

Abstract: A dimming ballast for use with a phase control dimmer, and particularly a triac dimmer, includes an EMI filter selected with a high impedance to avoid excessive voltage and peak currents in the filter due to resonance with the phase controlled AC waveform at low conduction angles, when the load presented by the lamp is low. The EMI filter includes a filter capacitor connected at the output of a rectifier. The ballast also includes circuitry to sense the rectified DC voltage and to discharge the filter capacitor when the rectified voltage is at or near zero, to thereby keep the EMI filter loaded and prevent misfiring of the triac dimmer. In a favorable embodiment, the sensing and discharge function is carried out by a pre-conditioner of the switched-mode type.