Patent ID: 7586272

Claim:
A driving apparatus for driving a cold cathode fluorescent lamp which includes an optically transparent sealed vessel containing a gas and having a fluorescent material disposed on an inner surface thereof, the gas emitting light when electrons collide therewith, and the fluorescent material reacting with the light, first and second internal electrodes disposed inside the sealed vessel and formed at least partially from an electron emitting material, and first and second external electrodes disposed in a spaced relationship from each other on an outer surface of the sealed vessel, the driving apparatus comprising: a dc driving circuit operable to apply a dc voltage between the first and second internal electrodes; an ac driving circuit operable to apply an ac voltage between the first and second external electrodes; and a changeover circuit operable to control the dc driving circuit and the ac driving circuit such that the ac voltage is applied for a predetermined period of time to cause the electrons and the gas to collide with each other and the dc voltage is applied while the collisions between the electrons and the gas continue.