Ballast for luminous means having a microprocessor and a programming interface

A component of a lighting system comprising one of a ballast for LED lamps and a sensor, the component also comprising a microprocessor (2) with at least one memory unit (3), and a printed circuit board (1) with at least one programming interface (P), and at least one signaling interface (S) attached to it, wherein the microprocessor can be configured via the programming interface (P), and wherein at least one application software (A) that can be executed by the microprocessor (2) via the programming interface (P) can be transmitted to the at least one memory unit (3), wherein the application software (A) has an effect on at least one of the following functions of the component:

• interaction with other additional sensors,
• evaluation of signals transmitted to the signaling interface (S),
• activation of lamps,
• activation/deactivation of interfaces of the component,
• activation/deactivation of communication protocols, and
• recording, adjustment and/or evaluation of operating data and/or operating parameters of the ballast (V),
• structure of a network,
• linking of network;
• and
• wherein the programming interface (P) and the signaling interface (S) use the same hardware, and are different only in terms of software.