Driver circuit for operating a
light source, preferably at least one LED, comprising a galvanically isolated converter switched on the primary side by a
control unit (SE', SE'') by means of at least one controlled switch unit (S), the switch unit (S) with a first
inverter switch (Q1) and a second
inverter switch (Q2), which feeds a
rectifier (D1, D2) from which the
light source can be supplied, wherein a detection circuit (E', E'') for indirect detection of the current on the
secondary side of the converter comprises a
transformer (L3_1, L3_3) with at least one primary-side winding (L3_1), wherein the detection circuit (E', E'') includes an
active detection rectifier (AG, AG'), wherein the
control unit (SE', SE'') activates / deactivates a first
diagonal of the active
rectifier (AG, AG') synchronously with the first
inverter switch (Q1), and wherein the
control unit (SE', SE'') activates / deactivates a second
diagonal of the active rectifier (AG', AG'') synchronously with the second inverter switch (Q2), and wherein only the first or the second
diagonal is active at any given time, wherein the secondary winding (L3_3) of the
transformer (L3_1, L3_3) is part of each of the diagonals of the
active sensing rectifier (AG, AG'), where, by switching the tap of the secondary winding (L3_3), the fault-inducing "
reverse current" is measured as a negative current, so that the
lamp current is controlled by the control unit (SE'') by a corresponding control of the switch unit (S) on the primary side of the circuit, wherein the parameter representing the current through the
light source is detected by means of an integration circuit (I), wherein a feedback
signal is detected at the midpoint of a
voltage divider formed from two resistors (R1, R2) by the control unit (SE''), where the
voltage divider (R1, R2) is connected in parallel with a
capacitor (C3), and wherein the rectified output
signal from the
active detection rectifier (AG') is supplied to the parallel circuit at the higher potential terminal of the
capacitor (C3).