Patent ID: 8237378

Claim:
A driving device adapted to drive a discharge lamp including a first electrode and a second electrode adapted to generate discharge light, a primary reflecting mirror disposed on a side of the second electrode and adapted to reflect the discharge light, a secondary reflecting mirror disposed on a side of the first electrode so as to be opposed to the primary reflecting mirror, and adapted to reflect the discharge light, which is emitted toward the first electrode side, toward the primary reflecting mirror, the driving device comprising: a deterioration detection section adapted to detect a degree of progression of deterioration in the first and the second electrodes; and a deterioration handling section adapted to increase first anode power energy, which is supplied while the first electrode acts as an anode, in accordance with the degree of progression of the deterioration detected by the deterioration detection section, wherein: the deterioration handling section increases the first anode power energy to a first energy value when the degree of progression of the deterioration detected by the deterioration detection section is equal to or greater than a first threshold value, and the deterioration handling section increases the first anode power energy to a second energy value that is larger than the first energy value when the degree of progression of the deterioration detected by the deterioration detection section is equal to or greater than a second threshold value that is larger than the first threshold value.