The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Apr. 16, 1991
Filed:
Feb. 14, 1990
Richard C Counts, Dallas, TX (US);
USI Lighting, Inc., San Leandro, CA (US);
Abstract
In a ballast circuit for producing a DC signal with a high voltage amplitude, a capacitor is connected to a circuit output. The capacitor stores a charge which provides the high voltage amplitude of the DC signal. Current from an inductor is used to charge the capacitor. A current gate, when it is turned on, drains current from the inductor. A control circuit turns the current gate on and off so that the amplitude of the current drawn from the incoming AC voltage signal is in phase with the amplitude of the voltage of the incoming AC voltage signal. The control circuit includes a ramp generator which generates a pulse modulation reference signal with a varying voltage amplitude and a comparator which compares the pulse modulation reference signal with the incoming AC voltage signal after the incoming AC voltage signal has been rectified and the voltage divided by a voltage divider. The comparator produces a first modulated signal. The control circuit also includes a second comparator which compares the pulse modulation reference signal with a feedback signal to produce a second modulated signal. A logical AND is performed on the first modulated and the second modulated signal to produce a control signal.