Patent ID: 8558478

Claim:
A hybrid lamp apparatus, comprising: a rectifier with an input to receive AC input power; a primary lamp circuit, comprising: a compact fluorescent lamp, and an electronic ballast with a ballast input to receive DC input power, and a ballast output coupled with the compact fluorescent lamp to provide AC output power to the compact fluorescent lamp; and an auxiliary lamp circuit, comprising: an auxiliary lamp, a switching device coupled with the auxiliary lamp, the switching device being operative in a first switching state to allow current to flow in the auxiliary lamp and in a second switching state to prevent current flow in the auxiliary lamp, and a control circuit providing a control signal to set the switching state of the switching device to the first switching state when or shortly after AC input power is applied to the rectifier, and to thereafter set the switching state of the switching device to the second switching state to turn off the auxiliary lamp a time period after the AC input power is applied to the rectifier, where the control circuit comprises: a first series circuit branch extending between upper and lower DC bus outputs of the rectifier, including a first resistance coupled between the upper DC bus output and a first intermediate node, and a control switching device with a first switch terminal coupled with the second terminal of the first resistance at the first intermediate node, a second switch terminal coupled with the lower DC bus output, and a control switch control terminal, a second series circuit branch extending between the upper and lower DC bus outputs of the rectifier, including a second resistance coupled between the upper DC bus output and a second intermediate node, a third resistance coupled between the second intermediate node and the lower DC bus output, and a capacitance coupled in parallel with the third resistance between the second intermediate node and the lower DC bus output, and a zener diode with an anode terminal coupled with the control switch control terminal and a cathode terminal coupled with the second intermediate node of the second series circuit branch.