Patent ID: 7334928

Claim:
A lamp, comprising: a first common discharge unit for producing a first electrical discharge according to a first AC waveform having a first phase; a second common discharge unit for producing a second electrical discharge according to a second AC waveform having a second phase, wherein the second phase is different from the first phase; a plurality of discharge tubes each having first and second ends, wherein each first end is connected to the first common discharge unit and wherein each second end is connected to the second common discharge unit, wherein the plurality of discharge tubes emit light according to the electrical discharges produced by the first and second common discharge units; and a discharge gas injecting into the first and second common discharge units and the plurality of discharge tubes; wherein the first and second common discharge units each include: a common discharge tube joined to one end of the plurality of discharge tubes; a common electrode on an exterior of the common discharge tube; and a connector electrically connected to the common electrode, wherein the connector is connected to an AC waveform source.