Patent ID: 7291982

Claim:
A method for the closed-loop and open-loop control of filament heating for a number of lamps (L 1 to Ln), the method comprising the steps of: a) detecting an operational parameter of at least a first filament (W 1 ), wherein the first filament is arranged in a control loop; b) determining a manipulated variable (SG) on the basis of the detected operational parameter; c) providing, on the basis of the manipulated variable, closed-loop control of the first filament (W 1 ) and open-loop control of at least a second filament (W 2 to Wn), wherein the second filament (W 2 to Wn) is arranged outside the control loop; and wherein the steps of detecting the operational parameter and of determining the manipulated variable (SG) are carried out independently of the number of filaments (W 1 to Wn) and the number of lamps (L 1 to Ln) which are electrically connected to the filaments (W 1 to Wn).