Patent ID: 7982411
Filing Date: 2011-07-19
Classification: H05B,Y02B

Abstract:
1. A method for igniting and operating a high intensity discharge (HID) lamp using an electronic ballast controlled by a ballast microcontroller, the method comprising the steps of: providing an ignition circuit including a parallel capacitive circuit connected in parallel to the HID lamp, said ignition circuit being resonant at an ignition resonance frequency; applying an ignition waveform to the HID lamp while controlling voltage and minimizing duration of the ignition waveform at said ignition resonance frequency, by receiving a feedback signal from the HID lamp during said ignition waveform, wherein said controlling is performed by the ballast microcontroller based on said feedback signal; upon sensing ignition, powering the HID lamp at an operation frequency under control of the ballast microcontroller, wherein both said ignition resonance frequency and said operation frequency are both in a high frequency range above fifty kilohertz; wherein under control of the ballast microprocessor, voltage of the HID lamp is substantially continuous during the transition from said providing ignition voltage during said ignition to said powering the HID lamp at said operation frequency.