Patent ID: 7671545
Filing Date: 2010-03-02
Classification: H05B,Y02B

Abstract:
1. A method for operating a high-pressure discharge lamp (Lp), which has been provided with an auxiliary ignition electrode (ZE), with a current of alternating polarity, an increased voltage due to resonance being provided at main electrodes (E 1 , E 2 ) of the high-pressure discharge lamp (Lp) by a series resonant circuit (L 11 , C 1 ; L, C 3 ), whose resonant inductance (L 11 ; L), once the gas discharge in the high-pressure discharge lamp (Lp) has been ignited, has the lamp current flowing through it, during the ignition phase of the high-pressure discharge lamp (Lp), characterized in that, once the gas discharge in the high-pressure discharge lamp (Lp) has been ignited, the inductance of the resonant inductance (L 11 ; L), through which the lamp current flows, of the series resonant circuit (L 11 , C 1 ; L, C 3 ) is at least partially compensated by a capacitive component part, which is connected in series therewith and wherein an alternating current being applied to the series resonant circuit (L 11 , C 1 ; L, C 3 ) for igniting the gas discharge in the high-pressure discharge lamp (Lp), the frequency of said alternating current being in a first frequency range which is close to the resonant frequency of the series resonant circuit (L 11 , C 1 ; L, C 3 ), and, once the gas discharge in the high-pressure discharge lamp (Lp) has been ignited, the alternating current is applied to the resonant inductance (L 11 ; L) of the series resonant circuit (L 11 , C 1 ; L, C 3 ) and the high-pressure discharge lamp (Lp), the frequency of said alternating current being arranged in a second frequency range which is below the resonant frequency of the virtually undamped series resonant circuit (L 11 , C 1 ; L, C 3 ).