A fluorescent lamp, including a vitreous portion of the fluorescent lamp comprising a vitreous envelope filled with a working gas mixture, the vitreous envelope having an inner surface facing the working gas mixture side of the vitreous portion; a first coating deposited on the inner surface, the first coating comprising a first metal oxide; a second coating deposited on top of the first coating, the second coating comprising a phosphor; and a third coating deposited on top of the second coating, the third coating comprising a second metal oxide.

An electronic dimming ballast or light emitting diode (LED) driver for driving a gas discharge lamp or LED lamp may be operable to control the lamp to avoid flickering and flashing of the lamp during low temperature or low mercury conditions. Such a ballast or driver may include a control circuit that is operable to adjust the intensity of the lamp. Adjusting the intensity of the lamp may include decreasing the intensity of the lamp. The control circuit may be operable to stop adjustment of the intensity of the lamp if a magnitude of the lamp voltage across the lamp is greater than an upper threshold, and subsequently begin to adjust the intensity of the lamp when the lamp voltage across the lamp is less than a lower threshold. Subsequently beginning to adjust the intensity of the lamp may include subsequently decreasing the intensity of the lamp.

An electronic dimming ballast or light emitting diode (LED) driver for driving a gas discharge lamp or LED lamp may be operable to control the lamp to avoid flickering and flashing of the lamp during low temperature or low mercury conditions. Such a ballast or driver may include a control circuit that is operable to adjust the intensity of the lamp. Adjusting the intensity of the lamp may include decreasing the intensity of the lamp. The control circuit may be operable to stop adjustment of the intensity of the lamp if a magnitude of the lamp voltage across the lamp is greater than an upper threshold, and subsequently begin to adjust the intensity of the lamp when the lamp voltage across the lamp is less than a lower threshold. Subsequently beginning to adjust the intensity of the lamp may include subsequently decreasing the intensity of the lamp.

An electronic dimming ballast or light emitting diode (LED) driver for driving a gas discharge lamp or LED lamp may be operable to control the lamp to avoid flickering and flashing of the lamp during low temperature or low mercury conditions. Such a ballast or driver may include a control circuit that is operable to adjust the intensity of the lamp. Adjusting the intensity of the lamp may include decreasing the intensity of the lamp. The control circuit may be operable to stop adjustment of the intensity of the lamp if a magnitude of the lamp voltage across the lamp is greater than an upper threshold, and subsequently begin to adjust the intensity of the lamp when the lamp voltage across the lamp is less than a lower threshold. Subsequently beginning to adjust the intensity of the lamp may include subsequently decreasing the intensity of the lamp.

An electronic dimming ballast or light emitting diode (LED) driver for driving a gas discharge lamp or LED lamp may be operable to control the lamp to avoid flickering and flashing of the lamp during low temperature or low mercury conditions. Such a ballast or driver may include a control circuit that is operable to adjust the intensity of the lamp. Adjusting the intensity of the lamp may include decreasing the intensity of the lamp. The control circuit may be operable to stop adjustment of the intensity of the lamp if a magnitude of the lamp voltage across the lamp is greater than an upper threshold, and subsequently begin to adjust the intensity of the lamp when the lamp voltage across the lamp is less than a lower threshold. Subsequently beginning to adjust the intensity of the lamp may include subsequently decreasing the intensity of the lamp.

A gas discharge lamp includes at least two electrodes arranged in a manner spaced apart with a spacing in a discharge vessel filled with gas. A method of operating a ballast includes applying electrical energy to the electrodes. The ballast provides an electrical electrode current including a ripple current being dependent on an operating frequency of converter. Operating frequency is dependent on a charging time period and a discharging time period for an electrical energy store of the converter. The operating frequency is chosen such that the ripple current in the region of an arc discharge brings about a resonant excitation of the gas, and providing a pause time period between the discharging time periods and the respectively succeeding charging time period, the time duration of which pause time period is chosen such that a sum formed from the time periods attains the period duration corresponding to the operating frequency.

A gas discharge lamp includes at least two electrodes arranged in a manner spaced apart with a spacing in a discharge vessel filled with gas. A method of operating a ballast includes applying electrical energy to the electrodes. The ballast provides an electrical electrode current including a ripple current being dependent on an operating frequency of converter. Operating frequency is dependent on a charging time period and a discharging time period for an electrical energy store of the converter. The operating frequency is chosen such that the ripple current in the region of an arc discharge brings about a resonant excitation of the gas, and providing a pause time period between the discharging time periods and the respectively succeeding charging time period, the time duration of which pause time period is chosen such that a sum formed from the time periods attains the period duration corresponding to the operating frequency.

A system for controlling lighting includes a control module coupled to a driver, a light source coupled to the driver, a first sensor configured to cooperate with the control module to detect occupancy and control the power delivered to the light source according to a signal provided by the first sensor, and a second sensor configured to cooperate with the control module to detect ambient light and control the power delivered according to a signal provided by the second sensor. A GUI executing on a controller device wirelessly coupled to the control module communicates with the control module to configure the operation thereof, executes on a touch-sensitive display configured to facilitate user interaction with the controller, and creates one or more control groups. The GUI is also operable to control the driver to control the state of the light source. The control module is programmable to cause the driver to control the light source according to the detection by the first sensor of occupancy, turning it on upon detecting that an area is occupied and turning it off after a configurable delay period. The control module is programmable to cause the driver to control the light source according to the detection by the second sensor of ambient light. The system is configurable to include a switch to cause the light source to be turned on without regard to occupancy detected by the first sensor or ambient light detected by the second sensor.

A system for controlling lighting includes a control module coupled to a driver, a light source coupled to the driver, a first sensor configured to cooperate with the control module to detect occupancy and control the power delivered to the light source according to a signal provided by the first sensor, and a second sensor configured to cooperate with the control module to detect ambient light and control the power delivered according to a signal provided by the second sensor. A GUI executing on a controller device wirelessly coupled to the control module communicates with the control module to configure the operation thereof, executes on a touch-sensitive display configured to facilitate user interaction with the controller, and creates one or more control groups. The GUI is also operable to control the driver to control the state of the light source. The control module is programmable to cause the driver to control the light source according to the detection by the first sensor of occupancy, turning it on upon detecting that an area is occupied and turning it off after a configurable delay period. The control module is programmable to cause the driver to control the light source according to the detection by the second sensor of ambient light. The system is configurable to include a switch to cause the light source to be turned on without regard to occupancy detected by the first sensor or ambient light detected by the second sensor.

The present invention discloses a light-emitting diode lamp for connecting to an external current source. The LED lamp comprises: a lighting source comprising a plurality of LEDs; a power control module for connecting in parallel to the external current source; and a driver unit connected between the power control module and the lighting source, wherein the power control module is configured to transform a source voltage of the external current source to a desired load voltage based on output power requirement of the plurality of LEDs; and the driver unit is configured to rectify the desired load voltage and output a driving voltage to drive the plurality of LEDs. Without the need to modify a lamp base of a conventional High Intensity Discharge lamp, the LED lamp of the present invention can be directly used to replace the HID lamp. Moreover, the power control module of the present invention ensures that LED lamps of different power have consistent shapes and dimensions, thus enhancing the versatility of components of the LED lamp and reducing the production costs.