Abstract: In an ignition circuit for igniting a plasma fed with alternating power in a gas discharge chamber, having two line sections for connection to an alternating power source and at least one line section for connection to a housing earth of the gas discharge chamber, at least one series connection of a non-linear element and an energy store is connected between the line sections for connection to an alternating power source, and the line section for connection to a housing earth of the gas discharge chamber is connected to a connection node between an energy store and a non-linear element.

Abstract: A ballast including a latching circuit is provided. The ballast includes an inverter circuit for providing an oscillating voltage signal to energize a lamp set, a control circuit for controlling operation of the inverter circuit, and a voltage supply circuit for providing a supply voltage to the control circuit. The ballast also includes a fault detection circuit for detecting a fault condition and a latching circuit connected to the fault detection circuit. The latching circuit is configured to drain the supply voltage and thereby disable the control circuit so that operation of the inverter circuit is discontinued during a fault condition.

Abstract: A xenon lamp drive unit of the present invention comprises: a charging circuit; and a current control circuit adapted to supply a current to a xenon lamp by using a charged voltage of the charging circuit as a power source, wherein the current control circuit is adapted to supply, in a first period after a lamp ignition, a high output lamp current having a higher current value than a steady output lamp current to the xenon lamp by constant current control and supply, in a second period after the first period, the steady output lamp current to the xenon lamp by constant current control.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and computer program products are described for measuring and controlling parameters of a plasma generator. A current in a primary winding of a transformer or inductive element that generates a plasma is measured. A voltage across a secondary winding of the transformer or inductive element is measured. Based on the current of the primary winding and the voltage across the secondary winding, a parameter of the plasma is determined. The parameter includes a resistance value associated with the plasma, a power value associated with the plasma, or both.

Abstract: An electro magnetic ballast (110) for a gas discharge lamp (2) comprises: input terminals (3), for receiving a mains voltage; lamp connector terminals (4), for receiving a lamp; a controllable semiconductor switch (26) coupled in parallel to the lamp connector terminals; a current sensor (127) connected in series with the controllable switch (26); and a control circuit (28) for controlling the controllable switch (26) and responsive to the current sensor (127). When operating in a normal mode, the control circuit (28) is responsive to a current sense signal received from the current sensor to switch the controllable switch (26) ON if said current sense signal indicates a current flowing in the controllable switch (26) and to switch the controllable switch (26) OFF if said current sense signal indicates that no current is flowing in the controllable switch (26).

Abstract: A lighting dimmer (52) adaptable to four wiring configurations is capable of use in serial or parallel lighting circuits and in place of two-way or three-way switches. The dimmer operates in series when one active input wire (H) is connected and in parallel when two active input wires (H, N) are connected. The dimmer is operated in place of a two-way switch by connecting one output wire (DH1) and in place of a three-way switch by connecting two output wires (DH1, DH2).

Abstract: A dimmer (42) adaptable to either two (H, DH) or three (H, N, DH) active wires includes a first full-wave rectifier (D1, D2, D3, D4) across an AC power hot (H) terminal and a dimmer hot (DH) terminal and a second full-wave rectifier (D1, D4, D5, D6) across the AC power hot (H) terminal and an AC power neutral (N) terminal. The dimmer (42) operates in a two-wire configuration by drawing power through a load (13) when a control circuit (422) is not conducting or in a three-wire configuration, when the AC power neutral (N) terminal is connected, by drawing power from AC power hot (H) and AC power neutral (N) terminals.

Abstract: An ignition circuit and method, as may be used for igniting a gas discharge lamp, are provided. The circuit includes a voltage multiplier circuit connected to receive a signal corresponding to a DC bus voltage level from a rectifier circuit. The voltage multiplier circuit includes first and second voltage storing circuits configured to each respectively store a voltage level corresponding to a first multiple of the DC bus voltage level (e.g., at least twice the DC bus voltage level). The voltage multiplier circuit further includes a peak voltage holding circuit connected to the first and second voltage storing circuits to accumulate a voltage level corresponding to a second multiple of the DC bus voltage level (e.g., at least four times the DC bus voltage level).

Abstract: A multi-mode electromagnetic radiation emitting device comprising at least one source of electromagnetic radiation which emits radiation according to predefined or programmable user selectable instruction sets is disclosed. Reversal of the polarity of the device's power supply allows for enhanced features to be accessed including multiple instruction sets per switch setting, reprogramming mode, infra-red (covert) mode, night mode and water activation mode. A switch mechanism for providing selectable switched circuit connections is also disclosed as well as a power supply for supplying DC power to an electronic circuit comprising at least one microcontroller or microprocessor.

Abstract: The inventive control circuit 40 serves to render the output voltage to be the output value of any one of the outputs OUT1 to OUT5 when both the main power source A of the power saving device 100 and the control circuit's switch B are in ON state, and to maintain the output value to be constant by the operations of the comparator, CPU or the like in the control circuit 40. In addition, if the input voltage or input current is excessively high or low, the control circuit 40 can cut off the voltage or current, so that the protection device 100 can be protected from abnormal voltage or abnormal current.

Abstract: In a cold-cathode dimmer, a current detector includes a LPF for removing the frequency component of a lighting/driving signal for a lighting driver from the output of a diode for rectifying the voltage across a current detecting resistor and passing the frequency component of an intermittent control signal for controlling the duty ratio of the lighting/driving signal.

Abstract: An arrangement for protecting low-voltage control circuitry from externally applied high voltages comprises a voltage source (30) and a current-sourcing circuit (40). Current-sourcing circuit (40) provides current to an external controller (18) in a normal manner when an external source of high voltage is not applied to the output connections (42,44), protects itself (40) and the voltage source (30) from damage when an external source of high voltage is applied to the output connections (42,44), and provides current to the external controller (18) in a normal manner after the external source of high voltage is subsequently removed from the output connections (42,44). The arrangement may be employed as the dimming interface circuit (900) of an electronic dimming ballast (60) for gas discharge lamps to protect ballast circuitry from damage due to wiring errors during installation.

Abstract: In a multiresonant DC--DC converter provided with a switching element (S1), a transformer (T) and a rectifier coupled to the secondary winding (S) of the transformer, the rectifier is constructed as a diode bridge (D1, D2, D3, D4). It is achieved thereby that the maximum amplitude of the voltage across the switching element is comparatively low. The switching element is highly suitable for supplying a network of LEDs.

Abstract: A measuring unit which is not easily accessible often has a power source which supplies power to the elements for the measuring operation, more particularly, the conversion of an analog measured signal into digital measured data, and for storage thereof, as required. These measured data of a measuring unit are transmitted to a base station without any contact being made the moment this base station is brought into the neighborhood of the measuring unit and transmits a signal. For a minimum load on the power source power from the power source is not supplied to the transmitter for the transmission of measured data from the measuring unit to the base station. Instead, a signal transmitted by the base station provides transmission power. In the measuring unit this signal provides a voltage for feeding the transmitter.

Abstract: An improved fluorescent light ballast circuit extends the on/off life of a florescent lamp within a lighting circuit having a pair of series connected fluorescent lamps. The ballast circuit includes a DC pulse generation circuit, filtering and voltage regulation circuitry, a step-up voltage transformer, and a current altering circuit which alters the current within selected filaments within the lamps. The current altering circuit includes a diode and a coil winding which connect across a filament within one of the fluorescent lamps. The net effect of the current altering circuit is to increase the voltage supplied across the lamp connected to the current altering circuit so that the voltage levels across both lamps are balanced.

Abstract: A ballast for a gas discharge lamp circuit has a d-c output which contains three series-connected diodes connected across the output terminals, a pair of capacitors connected from different respective nodes of the diodes to respective ones of the output terminals, and a resistor connected between two of the diodes. The resistor increases the circuit power factor to greater than 0.95.

Abstract: In a cathodoluminescent lamp of the type having an electrically conductive coating forms the anode on the interior surface of the bulb wall, a phosphor coating overlies the anode coating and an electron emissive cathode below a grid, the lead to the anode passes through a glass tube, additional to the exhaust tube, incorporated in the pinched foot tube, and is sealed through the pinch, and the contact between the anode lead and the anode coating on the bulb is provided by a bent metal strip attached to envelope the neck and partially covered by the anode coating, which extends partly down the neck, the end of the anode lead being engaged with an upstanding portion of the contact strip.

Abstract: A high intensity discharge lamp, for example a high pressure sodium or sodium halide lamp, which utilizes a refractory metal spiral with positive electric potential applied to it positioned around the arc tube to aid in starting and inhibit sodium migration through the arc tube during operation.

Abstract: A thyratron is provided with at least one pair of adjacent electrodes separating two voltage withstanding gaps. In order to reduce the likelihood of voltage breakdown occurring across one of the gaps that electrode of a pair of adjacent electrodes which is nearer to the anode of the thyratron is biased negatively relative to the other electrode of the pair.

Abstract: Apparatus for varying microwave power level is included in a microwave oven. The microwave oven includes a magnetron for producing microwaves used for heating and a half-wave voltage doubler for supplying half-wave pulsating DC voltage to the magnetron. In order to vary voltage and thus power output of the magnetron, the charging of the capacitor in the half-wave voltage doubler is controlled by a variable resistance connected in series with the rectifier in the otherwise conventional half-wave voltage doubler.