High intensity discharge lamp with current sense resistor

The present invention is directed to a circuit for operating a high intensity discharge (HID) lamp. More particularly, the circuit is for automotive lamp applications.

HID lamps sense the current in the lamp to regulate lamp power. A known technique for sensing current is to connect a resistor in series between ground and the lamp (see, for example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,170,747 and 6,389,694). In such lamps, during lamp run-up the current in the lamp is limited to, for example, 2.5 amps for lamps containing mercury and 4 amps for mercury-free lamps. If a 0.68 ohm resistor is used to sense lamp current, there is a 1.7 volt drop across the resistor. Since this voltage drop is felt in the field effect transistors (FETs) of the H-bridge lamp driver connected to ground, a level shift circuit must be added to drive these FETs.

An object of the present invention is to provide a novel circuit for operating a HID lamp. The circuit includes an H-bridge connected between a common terminal (e.g., ground) and a power line, and a control circuit connected to the H-bridge. The control circuit includes a transformer having a primary winding connected between the common terminal and a power terminal and a secondary winding connected between the common terminal and the power line, and a current sense resistor connected in series between the secondary winding and the common terminal. The HID lamp is connected to the common terminal and to the second winding so as to sense a current across the current sense resistor.

The current sense resistor monitors the current output of the secondary winding, eliminating or reducing the influence of larger boost circuit currents. The voltage drop across the current sense resistor is not in the ground path driving the FETs of the H-bridge.

The FIGURE is a circuit diagram of an embodiment of the circuit of the present invention.

An embodiment of the present invention is depicted in the FIGURE. As shown therein, a circuit 10 for operating a HID lamp includes an H-bridge 12 connected between a common terminal 14 , such as ground, and a power line 16 . The H-bridge 12 has four field effect transistors (FETs) 18 , where two of these FETs 18 ′ have a first terminal 18 a connected to the common terminal. The H-bridge 12 is connected to the HID lamp 20 at second terminals 18 b of these two FETs.

The circuit 10 also includes a control circuit 30 connected to the H-bridge 12 . The control circuit 30 includes a transformer 32 having a primary winding 32 a connected between the common terminal 14 and a power terminal 34 and a secondary winding 32 b connected between the common terminal 14 and the power line 16 . The control circuit 30 also includes a current sense resistor 40 connected in series between the secondary winding 32 b and the common terminal 14 . The voltage drop across the current sense resistor 40 is not in the ground path driving the FETs 18 of the H-bridge 12 .

The HID lamp 20 is also connected to the common terminal 14 and to the secondary winding 32 b so as to sense a current across the current sense resistor 40 . The circuitry for using the current sensed by current sense resistor 40 to control lamp power is known and is not part of the present invention.

The current sense resistor 40 monitors the current output of the secondary winding 32 b , eliminating or reducing the influence of large boost circuit currents that may be present during lamp starting.

The control circuit may also include a switch 42 , such as a transistor, connected in series between the primary winding 32 a and the common terminal 14 and a further connection 44 connected in parallel with the switch 42 between the primary winding 32 a and the common terminal 14 , where the further connection includes a capacitor 46 and a resistor 48 connected in series.

While embodiments of the present invention have been described in the foregoing specification and drawings, it is to be understood that the present invention is defined by the following claims when read in light of the specification and drawings.