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:
Mar. 06, 2001
Filed:
Dec. 22, 1999
Abstract
The invention relates to a circuit arrangement for operating at least one discharge lamp (LP) on a half-bridge inverter (Q,, Q,), having at least one coupling capacitor (C,) and having a switch-off device (T,, A) which permanently switches off the half-bridge inverter (Q,, Q,) when the lamp (LP) refuses to start. According to the invention, the circuit arrangement has first and second devices (V,, V,) for monitoring the voltage drop across the at least one coupling capacitor (C,) and for activating the switch-off device (T,, A) as a function of the voltage drop detected across the at least one coupling capacitor (C,). If the voltage across the coupling capacitor (C,) deviates substantially from its normal value, for example owing to the occurrence or the rectifying effect at the end of the service life of the discharge lamp (LP), the half-bridge inverter (Q,, Q,) is shut down by the switch-off device (T,, A).