Patent ID: 8294376

Claim:
An apparatus for a fast reignition of a high intensity discharge lamp comprising: a ballast operatively coupled to said lamp, and configured to receive power from a power supply; a timer circuit configured to enter a timing phase and produce a quantum of timing information when said lamp ceases to receive power from said power supply; and a control circuit configured to receive said quantum of timing information and permit said ballast to restrike said lamp based on said quantum of timing information; wherein said timer circuit is powered internally during said timing phase; wherein said timer circuit further comprises a resistive-capacitive circuit configured to be charged by said power supply when said lamp is receiving power from said power supply, to discharge when said timer circuit is in said timing phase, and to output a timer voltage; and wherein said control circuit is configured to permit said ballast to restrike said lamp when said timer voltage drops below a predetermined level which indicates that a cool-down period of said lamp has elapsed.