Switching device and related operating method

A switching device for repeatedly turning a switching power element on and off, comprising:

• a memory storing a basic pattern;
• and
• a drive pulse generator configured to generate a train of drive pulses under the basic pattern, stored in the memory, for a repetition cycle time having leading time intervals, associated with leading edges of the drive pulses, and trailing time intervals associated with trailing edges of the drive pulses, with at least one of the leading time intervals and the trailing time intervals being different from each other;
• wherein an inverse number of the repetition cycle time is kept away from an audible band under a condition where switching frequencies, resulting from at least one of the leading time intervals and the trailing time intervals, and associated harmonics intermittently overlap a given frequency for which the switching device needs to undertake a measure for noise suppression.