LED converter for an LED module, • the LED module comprising: ∘ ports for an LED series; ∘ ports for the LED converter; ∘ a circuit designed to constitute a load, preferably an active power load, when a first supply voltage is applied to the LED module in a starting phase and is designed not to constitute a load when the starting phase has elapsed, the circuit being designed during the starting phase to encode at least one operating and/or maintenance parameter of the LED module by a change in a power consumption according to a predetermined protocol, the circuit being in addition designed to constitute a variable-current load which causes the change in the power consumption of the LED module according to the predetermined protocol, • wherein the LED converter has ports for the LED module and in addition has a high-frequency clocked converter, preferably an isolated flyback converter, and the high-frequency clocked converter has a transformer, wherein, by setting the first supply voltage or a second supply voltage for the LED module, the high-frequency clocked converter is designed to switch selectively between a mode for detecting the power consumption of the LED module when the first supply voltage is applied and a mode for lighting operation of the LED series when the second supply voltage is applied; to indirectly detect the power consumption of the LED module on a primary side of the transformer of the high-frequency clocked converter during the starting phase; and to decode the at least one operating and/or maintenance parameter of the LED module on the basis of the indirectly detected power consumption and by means of the predetermined protocol, • characterized in that for indirect detection, the LED converter is designed to detect a change in the power consumption of the LED module during the starting phase by detecting a change in a duty cycle, the duty cycle corresponding to a timing of the LED converter. • the LED module comprising: ∘ ports for an LED series; ∘ ports for the LED converter; ∘ a circuit designed to constitute a load, preferably an active power load, when a first supply voltage is applied to the LED module in a starting phase and is designed not to constitute a load when the starting phase has elapsed, the circuit being designed during the starting phase to encode at least one operating and/or maintenance parameter of the LED module by a change in a power consumption according to a predetermined protocol, the circuit being in addition designed to constitute a variable-current load which causes the change in the power consumption of the LED module according to the predetermined protocol, ∘ ports for an LED series; ∘ ports for the LED converter; ∘ a circuit designed to constitute a load, preferably an active power load, when a first supply voltage is applied to the LED module in a starting phase and is designed not to constitute a load when the starting phase has elapsed, the circuit being designed during the starting phase to encode at least one operating and/or maintenance parameter of the LED module by a change in a power consumption according to a predetermined protocol, the circuit being in addition designed to constitute a variable-current load which causes the change in the power consumption of the LED module according to the predetermined protocol, • wherein the LED converter has ports for the LED module and in addition has a high-frequency clocked converter, preferably an isolated flyback converter, and the high-frequency clocked converter has a transformer, wherein, by setting the first supply voltage or a second supply voltage for the LED module, the high-frequency clocked converter is designed to switch selectively between a mode for detecting the power consumption of the LED module when the first supply voltage is applied and a mode for lighting operation of the LED series when the second supply voltage is applied; to indirectly detect the power consumption of the LED module on a primary side of the transformer of the high-frequency clocked converter during the starting phase; and to decode the at least one operating and/or maintenance parameter of the LED module on the basis of the indirectly detected power consumption and by means of the predetermined protocol, • characterized in that for indirect detection, the LED converter is designed to detect a change in the power consumption of the LED module during the starting phase by detecting a change in a duty cycle, the duty cycle corresponding to a timing of the LED converter.