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:
Dec. 02, 2008
Filed:
Sep. 05, 2006
Xiaoli Yao, Shanghai, CN;
Rajendra Kumar Pokharna, Columbia, MD (US);
Viktor Karoly Varga, Solon, OH (US);
Chao Yang, Shanghai, CN;
Yingqi Zhang, Shanghai, CN;
Xiaoli Yao, Shanghai, CN;
Rajendra Kumar Pokharna, Columbia, MD (US);
Viktor Karoly Varga, Solon, OH (US);
Chao Yang, Shanghai, CN;
Yingqi Zhang, Shanghai, CN;
General Electric Company, Niskayuna, NY (US);
Abstract
An ignition circuit and method, as may be used for igniting a gas discharge lamp, are provided. The circuit includes a voltage multiplier circuit connected to receive a signal corresponding to a DC bus voltage level from a rectifier circuit. The voltage multiplier circuit includes first and second voltage storing circuits configured to each respectively store a voltage level corresponding to a first multiple of the DC bus voltage level (e.g., at least twice the DC bus voltage level). The voltage multiplier circuit further includes a peak voltage holding circuit connected to the first and second voltage storing circuits to accumulate a voltage level corresponding to a second multiple of the DC bus voltage level (e.g., at least four times the DC bus voltage level). The circuit further includes an ignition module having a transformer selectively connected by way of a switch to the voltage multiplier circuit through a primary winding to receive the voltage accumulated at the peak voltage holding circuit, and thereby generate an ignition pulse voltage applied to the lamp through a secondary winding of the transformer.