Device for controlling at least one light-emitting
diode (LED1) to generate short light pulses (LP),- with an H-bridge (H) consisting of a first half-bridge (HB1: T1, T2) with a first
transistor (T1) and a second
transistor (T2) and a second half-bridge (HB2: T2, T3) with a third
transistor (T3) and a fourth transistor (T4),- wherein the H-bridge (H) is controlled by a
control unit (ST) and- wherein the H-bridge (H) can be operated by the
control unit (ST) in
pulsed mode (GPB) and in quasi-
continuous mode (QDB) and- wherein the first half-bridge (HB1: T1, T2) is supplied with electrical energy from a first positive supply
voltage (VCC1) and a first negative supply
voltage (GND1) and- wherein the second half-bridge (HB2: T3,T4) is supplied with electrical energy from a second positive supply
voltage (VCC2) and a second negative supply voltage (GND2) and- wherein the light-emitting
diode (LED1) is connected with its
cathode (K) to the output of the first half-bridge (HB1: T1, T2) and- wherein the light-emitting
diode (LED1) is connected with its
anode (A) to the output of the second half-bridge (HB2: T3, T4) and- wherein the first positive supply voltage (VCC1) and the second positive supply voltage (VCC2) can be equal and- wherein the first negative supply voltage (GND1) and the second negative supply voltage (GND2) can be equal and- wherein the
light source, in particular the one or more light-emitting diodes (LED1), represents the load of the H-bridge (H) between the output of the first half-bridge (HB1: T1, T2) and the output of the second half-bridge (HB2: T3, T4) and- wherein the control device (ST) is designed to operate in
pulsed mode (GPB) a “PAn” condition,in which a
forward voltage in the forward direction of the light-emitting diode (LED1) is applied to the light-emitting diode (LED1) through the H-bridge (H), is not maintained by the H-bridge (H) for longer than a turn-on time (τpp), and- wherein the control device (ST) is designed so that in pulsed operation (GPB) a "PAus" state, in which a reverse voltage against the forward direction of the light-emitting diode (LED1) is applied to the light-emitting diode (LED1) through the H-bridge (H), is not maintained by the H-bridge (H) for longer than a clearing time (τpn), and- wherein the clearing time (τpn) is less than the
charge carrier lifetime (τ) in the PN junction of the light-emitting diode (LED1), and- wherein the turn-on time (τpp) is less than the
charge carrier lifetime (τ) in the PN junction of the light-emitting diode (LED1).