Drive circuit for a power semiconductor circuit

A drive circuit for a power semiconductor circuit, comprising:

• input contact means for inputting a control signal, the control signal representing a switching command for the power semiconductor circuit;
• at least one output contact means, to which the power semiconductor circuit is connectable, for outputting a switching signal to the power semiconductor circuit;
• current path connection means for connecting the drive circuit to a current path to be switched by the power semiconductor circuit;
• means for galvanically isolating the input contact means from the output contact means and the current path connection means
• circuit means which output a switching signal that switches on the power semiconductor circuit if a control signal representing a switch-on command for the power semiconductor circuit is input at the input contact means and a voltage is present at the current path connection means, wherein the circuit means comprise a monitoring circuit for the supply voltage of the drive circuit, the circuit means configured to operate such that
• the switching signal that switches on the power semiconductor circuit is output for the first time if the supply voltage exceeds a threshold value and a control signal representing the switch-on command for the power semiconductor circuit is input at the input contact means,
• a switching signal that keeps the power semiconductor circuit in the switched-on state is output when a control signal representing the switch-on command for the power semiconductor circuit is input at the input contact means, and
• a switching signal that switches on the power semiconductor circuit is not output if the supply voltage is below the threshold value and the control signal representing the switch-on command for the power semiconductor circuit is not received by the input contact means.