Patent ID: 7619539
Filing Date: 2009-11-17
Classification: H05B

Abstract:
1. An electronic ballast for driving a gas discharge lamp, comprising: an inverter for producing a high frequency drive voltage for driving a lamp current in said gas discharge lamp, said drive voltage having an operating frequency and an operating duty cycle; a microprocessor electrically connected to said inverter for directly controlling said inverter to control said lamp current, said microprocessor operable to provide an output signal to said inverter, such that said operating frequency and said operating duty cycle of said drive voltage are substantially the same as a frequency and a duty cycle of said output signal; and a port in electrical communication with said microprocessor for sending a first message from said microprocessor comprising at least one command and for sending a second message from said microprocessor comprising at least one ballast configuration onto a communication link operable to connect said electronic ballast to at least one other electronic ballast connected to said communication link, wherein: