Patent ID: 6930454
Filing Date: 2005-08-16
Classification: H05B,Y10S

Abstract:
1. A method for operating at least one low-pressure discharge lamp using an inverter, an occurrence of a rectifier effect in said at least one low-pressure discharge lamp being monitored during the operation of the at least one low-pressure discharge lamp in order to determine the end of its life, wherein for a purpose of monitoring said rectifier effect of the at least one low-pressure discharge lamp, a d.c. voltage drop across electric connections of said at least one low-pressure discharge lamp, an electric power fed into said inverter, or a first variable which is proportional thereto, and a second variable correlated with a running voltage of said at least one low-pressure discharge lamp are evaluated, wherein said second variable correlated with the running voltage of said at least one low-pressure discharge lamp is one of: (i) an r.m.s. value of an a.c. voltage component of the running voltage of said at least one low-pressure discharge lamp; and (ii) a constant value which corresponds to an average value of said running voltage which is characteristic of a lamp type of said at least one low-pressure discharge lamp.