Patent ID: 6166492
Filing Date: 2000-12-26
Classification: H05B

Abstract:
An electronic ballast circuit including a starting circuit and an operator circuit for starting and operating a high intensity discharge lamp from a low voltage AC power source, said operating circuit comprising:first circuit means for storing a first voltage at a first energy level wherein said first circuit means provides an output to a high intensity discharge lamp and wherein said first voltage at said first energy level functions to lower an impedance of said lamp;second circuit means including a second means for storing a second voltage at second energy level and providing an output pulse at said second energy level to said lamp in order to operate said lamp; anddiode matrixing means connected between said first and second circuit means for causing said second energy level pulse to bypass said first circuit means during a half-cycle operation of said source and immediately following the lowering of said lamp impedance during said half-cycle, wherein said first circuit means for storing said first voltage and said second circuit means for storing said second voltage are selected so that a value of said first energy level is of the same order of magnitude as a value of said second energy level.