Patent ID: 7400100
Filing Date: 2008-07-15
Classification: H01J,H05B,Y10S

Abstract:
1. A discharge-lamp lighting apparatus comprising: a direct-current power supply circuit that controls a current for supplying predetermined electric power to a high-pressure discharge lamp; an inverter that converts the current outputted from the direct-current power supply circuit into a drive current and supplies the drive current to the high-pressure discharge lamp; an igniter that generates a high voltage at a start of lighting the high-pressure discharge lamp; a voltage detection circuit that detects a voltage of the high-pressure discharge lamp; a current detection circuit that detects the drive current of the high-pressure discharge lamp; and a control unit for controlling the direct-current power supply circuit, the inverter, and the igniter, wherein, after the start of lighting, the control unit determines electric power to be supplied to the high-pressure discharge lamp in accordance with the voltage detected by the voltage detection circuit and the drive current detected by the current detection circuit, and wherein, during a period from the start of lighting to a time when the electric power determined by the control unit grows to a predetermined electric value, the control unit controls the drive current such that a rate of increase in the electric power supplied to the high-pressure discharge lamp becomes equal to or less than a predetermined rate.