Circuit assembly for operating at least a first and a second cascade of leds

A circuit assembly for operating at least a first and a second cascade of LEDs, comprising:

• an input with a first and a second input connection for coupling with a rectified alternating supply voltage;
• a linear controller with an input;
• at least a first, higher LED unit and a second, lower LED unit, wherein the first LED unit comprises the first cascade of LEDs and the second LED unit comprises the second cascade of LEDs;
• and
• a voltage divider that is coupled between the first and the second input connection, wherein the pickup of the voltage divider is coupled to the input of the linear controller;
• wherein each LED unit further comprises:
• a first diode, which is coupled in series to the respective LED cascade, wherein the coupling point between the first diode and the respective LED cascade constitutes a first node, wherein the connection of the LED cascade that is not coupled to the first diode constitutes a second node, wherein the connection of the first diode that is not coupled to the LED cascade constitutes a third node;
• the serial connection of a first capacitor and a second diode, which is coupled between the third and the second nodes, wherein the coupling point between the first capacitor and the second diode constitutes a fourth node;
• and
• a first and a second electronic switch, each of which has one control electrode, one reference electrode and one working electrode, wherein the control electrode of the first electronic switch is coupled with a fifth node, wherein the reference electrode of the first electronic switch is coupled with the fourth node, wherein the working electrode of the first electronic switch is coupled with the control electrode of the second electronic switch, wherein the reference electrode of the second electronic switch is coupled with the third node, wherein the working electrode of the second electronic switch is coupled with the second node;
• wherein the third node of the highest LED unit is coupled with the first input connection, wherein the second node of the lowest LED unit is coupled with the linear controller in such manner that the linear controller is coupled serially between the second node of the lowest LED unit and the second input connection;
• wherein the third node of each LED unit that is not the highest LED unit is coupled with the second node of the next highest LED unit;
• wherein the fifth nodes of all LED units are coupled with a DC voltage source;
• wherein at least the highest LED cascade is assigned a switching device that is designed to switch all LEDs of the LED cascade in series in a first state and to switch a first half of the LEDs in the LED cascade in parallel with a second half of the LEDs in the LED cascade in a second state.