Patent ID: 7952298

Claim:
A method to drive a plurality of floating lamps, said method comprising: generating a first AC signal across a secondary winding of a first transformer, wherein the first transformer is driven by a first switching network; generating a second AC signal across a secondary winding of a second transformer, wherein the second transformer is driven by a second switching network; coupling at least a first lamp between a first terminal of the secondary winding of the first transformer and a first terminal of the secondary winding of the second transformer; and coupling at least a second lamp between a second terminal of the secondary winding of the first transformer and a second terminal of the secondary winding of the second transformer such that the first AC signal and the second AC signal combine to generate respective lamp voltages across the first lamp and the second lamp; using a common controller to control both the first switching network and the second switching network such that the first AC signal and the second AC signal combine destructively when switching states of the first switching network and the second switching network are in phase, and such that the first AC signal and the second AC signal combine constructively when switching states of the first switching network and the second switching network are out of phase.