Method and apparatus for improved relay control

Methods and apparatus provided by the invention comprise: at least one electromechanical relay including a coil and at least one pair of contacts, the contacts transitioning between a de-energized state and an energized state in response to current through the coil; a microcontroller having at least one tri-state output operating to produce on, off, and float states; and a driver circuit operating, in conjunction with the tri-state output of the microcontroller, to control the current through the coil of the relay such that: (i) a transition of the tri-state output from off to float maintains the contacts of the relay in their de-energized state through the transition, and (ii) a transition of the tri-state output from on to float maintains the contacts of the relay in their energized state through the transition.