A dimmable ballast circuit for a compact fluorescent lamp controls the intensity of a lamp tube in response to a phase-control voltage received from a dimmer switch. The ballast circuit comprises a phase-control-to-DC converter circuit that receives the phase-control voltage, which is characterized by a duty cycle defining a target intensity of the lamp tube, and generates a DC voltage representative of the duty cycle of the phase-control voltage. Changes in the duty cycle of the phase-control voltage that are below a threshold amount are filtered out by the converter circuit, while intentional changes in the duty cycle of the phase-control voltage are reflected in changes in the target intensity level and thereby the intensity level of the lamp tube.

A dimmable ballast circuit for a compact fluorescent lamp controls the intensity of a lamp tube in response to a phase-control voltage received from a dimmer switch. The ballast circuit comprises a phase-control-to-DC converter circuit that receives the phase-control voltage, which is characterized by a duty cycle defining a target intensity of the lamp tube, and generates a DC voltage representative of the duty cycle of the phase-control voltage. Changes in the duty cycle of the phase-control voltage that are below a threshold amount are filtered out by the converter circuit, while intentional changes in the duty cycle of the phase-control voltage are reflected in changes in the target intensity level and thereby the intensity level of the lamp tube.

A dimmable ballast circuit for a compact fluorescent lamp controls the intensity of a lamp tube in response to a phase-control voltage received from a dimmer switch. The ballast circuit comprises a phase-control-to-DC converter circuit that receives the phase-control voltage, which is characterized by a duty cycle defining a target intensity of the lamp tube, and generates a DC voltage representative of the duty cycle of the phase-control voltage. Changes in the duty cycle of the phase-control voltage that are below a threshold amount are filtered out by the converter circuit, while intentional changes in the duty cycle of the phase-control voltage are reflected in changes in the target intensity level and thereby the intensity level of the lamp tube.

A sanitization apparatus includes an excimer lamp and a power converter. The power converter comprises a wide band gap device and a planar inductor. The wide band gap device is selectively switchable between a first mode wherein the inductor is electrically charged and a second mode wherein the inductor is electrically discharged. The wide band gap may be repeatedly switched between the first and second modes to generate a nano second pulse output voltage waveform.

A sanitization apparatus may include an excimer lamp and a power supply. The power supply includes a power converter including a capacitor, a wide band gap device configured to receive an electric current from the capacitor, and an inductor configured to receive the electric current from the wide band gap device. The power converter is configured to supply a nano second pulse output voltage signal to the excimer lamp.

The invention discloses a method for controlling the time sharing starting of electronic ballasts and a delayed-started electronic ballast. According to the method, the electronic ballasts are delayed-started after being energized, and delay time for the delayed starting of the electronic ballasts is a random number acquired based on the temperature of the ballasts. The delayed-started electronic ballast includes an electronic ballast body and a delay switch. After the adoption of the technical scheme of the invention, a delayer with the delay time set by virtue of random numbers corresponding to different environmental temperature is additionally arranged in the ballast, and multiple ballasts connected in parallel in a circuit can be started at different time points after different delay time under the control of the same control switch, which remarkably reduces current impact on a power grid and reduces a voltage drop condition.

The invention discloses a method for controlling the time sharing starting of electronic ballasts and a delayed-started electronic ballast. According to the method, the electronic ballasts are delayed-started after being energized, and delay time for the delayed starting of the electronic ballasts is a random number acquired based on the temperature of the ballasts. The delayed-started electronic ballast includes an electronic ballast body and a delay switch. After the adoption of the technical scheme of the invention, a delayer with the delay time set by virtue of random numbers corresponding to different environmental temperature is additionally arranged in the ballast, and multiple ballasts connected in parallel in a circuit can be started at different time points after different delay time under the control of the same control switch, which remarkably reduces current impact on a power grid and reduces a voltage drop condition.

An inverter producing an alternating current from a direct current source has a primary stage coupled to the direct current source having a step-up transformer, a first switching circuit coupling the direct current to the transformer primary and a rectifier coupled to a secondary of the transformer for producing a DC voltage; a controller for the first switching circuit providing pulse drive signals to control switches of the first switching circuit to cause current to flow in the transformer primary and induce an alternating current in the transformer secondary; a secondary stage receiving the DC voltage having a second switching circuit and a controller for the second switching circuit for generating control signals to cause current through the second switching circuit to flow in alternate directions thorough the load. In one embodiment the alternating current period is divided into time slices and the switches of the first switching circuit are duty cycle modulated at different duty cycles in each time slice. A second embodiment switches series-connected primary windings of a multi-tap transformer.

An electronic device adapted for adjusting a light effect of a CCFL is provided. The electronic device is electronically connected to the CCFL. The electronic device comprises a PWM controller configured to receive at least a digital signal and to output a specific-frequency reference signal according to the digital signal, a driver electronically connected to the PWM controller and configured to output a first voltage signal according to the specific-frequency reference signal, and a transformer electronically connected to the driver and the CCFL. The transformer amplifies the first voltage signal to generate a second voltage signal and sends the second voltage signal to the CCFL. A light effect is generated by the CCFL according to the second voltage signal.

A dimmable ballast circuit for a compact fluorescent lamp controls the intensity of a lamp tube in response to a phase-control voltage received from a dimmer switch. The ballast circuit comprises a phase-control-to-DC converter circuit that receives the phase-control voltage, which is characterized by a duty cycle defining a target intensity of the lamp tube, and generates a DC voltage representative of the duty cycle of the phase-control voltage. Changes in the duty cycle of the phase-control voltage that are below a threshold amount are filtered out by the converter circuit, while intentional changes in the duty cycle of the phase-control voltage are reflected in changes in the target intensity level and thereby the intensity level of the lamp tube.