Patent ID: 7372213

Claim:
A system, comprising: a transformer capable of generating, at least in part, AC voltage and current and a striking voltage; inverter circuitry coupled to said transformer; at least two lamp loads coupled in parallel to said transformer; current balancing circuitry coupled to said plurality of lamp loads, said current balancing circuitry is capable of balancing said AC current supplied by said transformer through said at least two lamp loads, said current balancing circuitry is also capable of providing simultaneous striking voltage, supplied by said transformer, to said at least two lamps loads, wherein said current balancing circuitry comprises at least one differential mode inductor circuitry having at least one primary winding and secondary winding, said primary and secondary winding having approximately equal inductance values; inverter controller circuitry and coupled to said inverter circuitry, said inverter controller circuitry is capable of controlling said inverter circuitry to generate said AC voltage and current from a DC signal, said inverter controller circuitry is coupled to said current balancing circuitry and capable of controlling inverter circuitry to generate said striking voltage and steady-state voltage for said at least two lamp loads; and fault protection signal generating circuitry configured to receive at least one output from said plurality of lamp loads and to generate a fault protection signal for use by said inverter controller circuitry.