Driver device and driving method for driving a load, in particular a LED unit

A driving method for driving a load, in particular an LED unit comprising one or more LEDs, the driving method comprising the steps of:

• receiving an input voltage from an external power supply at input terminals,
• connecting the input terminals by means of a measurement path including a resistor,
• measuring an alternating voltage corresponding to the input voltage at the measurement path and detecting of a zero crossing (tz) of the input voltage,
• connecting the input terminals to each other by means of a current path including a controllable switch upon detecting a zero crossing (tz) of the input voltage,
• disconnecting the input terminals from each other by means of the current path including the controllable switch before a second zero crossing of the input voltage.

A driver device for driving a load, in particular an LED unit having one or more LEDs, comprising:

• input terminals for receiving an input voltage from an external power source for powering the load,
• a current path including a controllable switch for connecting the input terminals to each other,
• a measurement path including a resistor connecting the input terminals to each other for providing an alternating voltage corresponding to the input voltage and including a measuring device for measuring the alternating voltage at the measurement path, wherein the measuring device is configured to detect a zero crossing (tz) of the input voltage, and
• a controller for controlling the controllable switch on the basis of the measured alternating voltage, wherein the measuring device is configured to detect a zero crossing (tz) of the input voltage,
• wherein the measurement path comprises a resistor divider including the first resistor and a second resistor, and wherein the resistance of the second resistor is lower than the resistance of the first resistor,
• wherein the measurement path comprises a rectifier unit and wherein the first resistor is connected in series to the rectifier unit and wherein the second resistor is connected in parallel to the rectifier unit.