A two-wire load control device (such as, a dimmer switch) for controlling the amount of power delivered from an AC power source to an electrical load (such as, a high-efficiency lighting load) includes a thyristor coupled between the source and the load, a gate coupling circuit coupled between a first main load terminal and the gate of the thyristor, and a control circuit coupled to a control input of the gate coupling circuit. The control circuit generates a drive voltage for causing the gate coupling circuit to conduct a gate current to thus render the thyristor conductive at a firing time during a half cycle of the AC power source, and to allow the gate coupling circuit to conduct the gate current at any time from the firing time through approximately the remainder of the half cycle, where the gate coupling circuit conducts approximately no net average current to render and maintain the thyristor conductive.

A discharge lamp drive device includes a discharge lamp driver configured to supply drive electric current to a discharge lamp having a first electrode and a second electrode, a control unit configured to control the discharge lamp driver; and a storage unit configured to store a plurality of drive patterns of the drive electric current. The control unit is configured to select one drive pattern from among the plurality of drive patterns based on machine learning, and implement the selected drive pattern. The control unit is configured to adjust a drive electric power supplied to the discharge lamp based on illumination level information relating to an illumination level of the discharge lamp, while performing switching among the drive patterns based on the machine learning, in a case where an inter-electrode voltage of the discharge lamp is larger than a given voltage value.

A dimming switch system (130). The system (130) may include a dimming switch (520), a weak current module (510) and a strong current module (530). The weak current module (510) may receive at least one drive signal and control a state of the dimming switch (520) based on the drive signal. The strong current module (530) may be connected to the dimming switch (520) and at least one lighting device (140). The strong current module (530) may control brightness of the lighting device (140) connected thereto based on the state of the dimming switch (520). The dimming switch (520) may include a phase-cutting switch (610) and at least one omnidirectional conduction unit (620). When the omnidirectional conduction unit (620) works, the dimming switch (520) is omnidirectionally conductive.

A device (1) for providing an amount of power to a gas discharge lamp (2) comprises a control circuit (3) for controlling a supply circuit (4) for supplying the power according to a power versus voltage graph (10). A calculator (30) calculates a boundary voltage value as a function of a measured voltage value of a voltage signal that has been measured after a predefined time-interval from a cold start of the gas discharge lamp (2). A more accurate boundary voltage value results in more stability and in less time required to reach a steady state. The calculator (30) may be arranged for calculating the boundary voltage value as a function of a minimum voltage value of the voltage signal and of a steady state voltage value of the voltage signal. A memory (31) may store voltage values of the voltage signal and a processor (32) may update these voltage values.

A two-wire load control device (such as, a dimmer switch) for controlling the amount of power delivered from an AC power source to an electrical load (such as, a high-efficiency lighting load) includes a thyristor coupled between the source and the load, a gate coupling circuit coupled between a first main load terminal and the gate of the thyristor, and a control circuit coupled to a control input of the gate coupling circuit. The control circuit generates a drive voltage for causing the gate coupling circuit to conduct a gate current to thus render the thyristor conductive at a firing time during a half cycle of the AC power source, and to allow the gate coupling circuit to conduct the gate current at any time from the firing time through approximately the remainder of the half cycle, where the gate coupling circuit conducts approximately no net average current to render and maintain the thyristor conductive.

An RF fluorescent lamp, comprising a bulbous vitreous portion of the RF fluorescent lamp comprising a vitreous envelope filled with a working gas mixture, a power coupler to induce an alternating electric field within the vitreous envelope, an electronic ballast, and a mercury amalgam accommodating structure mounted within the lamp envelope and adapted to absorb power from the electric field to rapidly heat and vaporize an amalgam of mercury to rapidly illuminate the lamp envelope during a turn-on phase of the RF fluorescent lamp, wherein the structure is comprised of a substrate material coated with a mixture of indium and gold.

A discharge lamp drive device includes a discharge lamp driver configured to supply drive electric current to a discharge lamp having a first electrode and a second electrode, a control unit configured to control the discharge lamp driver, and a storage unit configured to store a plurality of drive patterns of the drive electric current. The control unit is configured to select one drive pattern from among the plurality of drive patterns based on machine learning, and implement the selected drive pattern. The control unit performs a first control that increases a drive electric power supplied to the discharge lamp according to an increase in an inter-electrode voltage of the discharge lamp, in a case where the inter-electrode voltage is equal to or larger than a first voltage value and the inter-electrode voltage is equal to or lower than a second voltage value higher than the first voltage value.

A two-wire load control device (such as, a dimmer switch) for controlling the amount of power delivered from an AC power source to an electrical load (such as, a high-efficiency lighting load) includes a thyristor coupled between the source and the load, a gate coupling circuit coupled between a first main load terminal and the gate of the thyristor, and a control circuit coupled to a control input of the gate coupling circuit. The control circuit generates a drive voltage for causing the gate coupling circuit to conduct a gate current to thus render the thyristor conductive at a firing time during a half cycle of the AC power source, and to allow the gate coupling circuit to conduct the gate current at any time from the firing time through approximately the remainder of the half cycle, where the gate coupling circuit conducts approximately no net average current to render and maintain the thyristor conductive.

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.