Driver circuit with llc start-up control

A driver circuit (1) for at least one lighting means (2), comprising one or more LEDs, the driver circuit (1) comprising:

• an LLC circuit (6) with an inverter (21) which is clocked by means of at least two switches (LS, HS) and is configured to supply a resonant circuit (22), wherein the resonant circuit (22) is coupled to a primary winding (11) of a transformer (23) for transforming electrical energy from the primary winding (L1) to a secondary winding (L2), and the lighting means (2) can be supplied with current starting from the secondary winding (L2), and
• a control unit (9) which is configured to control the switches (LS, HS) of the inverter (21) after an activation of the driver circuit (1) during a start phase, wherein after a single or after multiple alternating cycles of the switches (LS, HS), the cycling of the switches (LS, HS) is suspended for the duration of at least one alternating cycling of the switches (LS, HS) until a criterion for ending the start phase is satisfied.