Anschaltschaltung für Entladungslampe

A lighting circuit converts the output voltage of a DC booster circuit to an AC voltage which is in turn supplied to a discharge lamp. The lighting circuit comprises a current/voltage detector for detecting signals equivalent to the current and voltage of the discharge lamp and a control circuit for controlling the output voltage of the DC booster circuit in accordance with detection signals from the current/voltage detector. The lighting circuit further comprises a first lighting acceleration controller for supplying power equal to or greater than-the rated power to the discharge lamp when the lamp voltage is smaller than a predetermined value, and a second lighting acceleration controller for detecting the light-OFF time of the discharge lamp and changing the length of a period in which the current or power to be supplied to the discharge lamp by the second lighting acceleration controller is greater than the current or power to be supplied to the discharge lamp by the first lighting acceleration controller, in accordance with the light-OFF time of the discharge lamp.