Patent ID: 8256938

Claim:
A method for converting a low or high pressure sodium street lamp to an electrode-less lamp device, the method comprising: providing a street lamp apparatus comprising a first housing having an inner region and an outer region, the inner region forming a cavity structure, a transparent cover coupled to the housing to enclose the inner region, a socket being provided within the cavity structure, the socket being coupled to a sodium lamp having a first terminal and a second terminal, a ballast being coupled to the first terminal and an AC power source coupled between the ballast and the second terminal; removing the first housing from the street lamp apparatus by at least decoupling an AC power source and mechanically decoupling the first housing from the street lamp apparatus; attaching a second housing to the street lamp apparatus, the second housing comprising a plasma lamp device coupled to a resonator structure, the resonator structure coupled to an rf power source; coupling the AC power source to the rf power source; and supplying the power from the AC power source to the plasma lamp, wherein the plasma lamp comprises: a conductive housing having a spatial volume defined within the conductive housing, the spatial volume having an inner region and an outer region; a gas-filled vessel having a transparent or translucent body having an inner surface and an outer surface and a cavity formed within the inner surface, the gas filled vessel comprising a first end region and a second end region and a length defined between the first end region and the second end region; a first coupling-element spatially disposed within the inner region of the conductive housing coupled to the first end region of the gas-filled vessel, the other end of the first coupling-element being electrically connected to the conductive housing; an RF source coupling-element spatially disposed within the outer region of the conductive housing and within a predetermined distance from the first coupling-element, one end of the RF source coupling-element being electrically connected to the conductive housing; a gap provided between the RF source coupling-element and the first coupling-element, the gap being formed by the predetermined distance; an RF source comprising an output, the output of the RF source being coupled to the first coupling-element through the gap and the RF source coupling-element.