Patent attributes
The invention relates to a method for operating a discharge lamp 11 including two electrodes 12,13. The method comprises applying to the electrodes an alternating current ILamp. In order to improve the performance of the lamp and to increase the life time of the lamp, it is proposed that the alternating current has a direct current component DC for compensating a temperature difference between the two electrodes. The direct current component is selected more specifically such that a first electrode, which is expected to have a lower temperature than the second electrode, functions as anode for the direct current component, while the second electrode functions as cathode for the direct current component. The invention relates equally to an electronic circuit and to a software program for operating a discharge lamp correspondingly, as well as to a lighting system comprising a discharge lamp and means for operating this discharge lamp correspondingly.
