Switching method and apparatus

A method of operating a control circuit to actuate a switch, the control circuit comprising a series resonant circuit including a capacitor and an inductor, a first auxiliary switch coupled between a first node of the switch and an input of the series resonant circuit, a diode coupled between an output of the series resonant circuit and a second node of the switch, and a second auxiliary switch coupled in parallel with the series resonant circuit, the method comprising:

• turning on the second auxiliary switch;
• turning off the second auxiliary switch after a polarity of a voltage across the capacitor has been reversed;
• turning on the first auxiliary switch to discharge the capacitor;
• and
• actuating the switch at approximately a zero-crossing point of the voltage across the capacitor.

A method of operating a switch comprising:

• reducing a voltage across the switch to approximately zero by generating a first resonant current responsive to an instruction to turn on the switch;
• closing the switch when the voltage across the switch is approximately zero, wherein the voltage across the switch reduces to approximately zero prior to closing the switch;
• reducing a current through the switch to approximately zero by generating a second resonant current responsive to an instruction to turn off the switch;
• and
• opening the switch when the current is approximately zero, wherein the current across the switch reduces to approximately zero prior to opening the switch.