An LED based lighting application comprising: - an LED driver for powering a lighting device (110, 120), the LED driver comprising: - a power converter for converting an input power such as a rectified mains supply to an output power for powering the lighting device (110, 120); - a control unit arranged to control an output characteristic of the power converter; - an application terminal connected to the control unit for connecting the control unit to the lighting device (110, 120); the control unit being arranged to: - receive a first control signal for controlling the output characteristic. and - the lighting device (110, 120) comprising: - an i/o terminal connectable to the application terminal of the LED driver; - a control unit connected to the i/o terminal to provide the first control signal to the application terminal of the LED driver; wherein the control unit of the LED driver is further arranged to receive the first control signal via the application terminal and control the output characteristic of the LED driver, based on the control signal, whereby the first control signal is an uni/o signal, and characterized in that - the control unit of the LED driver is further arranged to: - provide a polling signal to the lighting device; - receive the first control signal in response to the polling signal; - the control unit of the lighting device is further connected to the i/o terminal for receiving the polling signal from the LED driver and wherein the control unit of the lighting device is arranged to provide a delay substantially equal to a duration of % bit to the first control signal relative to a clock signal of the control unit of the LED driver. - an LED driver for powering a lighting device (110, 120), the LED driver comprising: - a power converter for converting an input power such as a rectified mains supply to an output power for powering the lighting device (110, 120); - a control unit arranged to control an output characteristic of the power converter; - an application terminal connected to the control unit for connecting the control unit to the lighting device (110, 120); the control unit being arranged to: - receive a first control signal for controlling the output characteristic. and - a power converter for converting an input power such as a rectified mains supply to an output power for powering the lighting device (110, 120); - a control unit arranged to control an output characteristic of the power converter; - an application terminal connected to the control unit for connecting the control unit to the lighting device (110, 120); the control unit being arranged to: - receive a first control signal for controlling the output characteristic. - receive a first control signal for controlling the output characteristic. - the lighting device (110, 120) comprising: - an i/o terminal connectable to the application terminal of the LED driver; - a control unit connected to the i/o terminal to provide the first control signal to the application terminal of the LED driver; wherein the control unit of the LED driver is further arranged to receive the first control signal via the application terminal and control the output characteristic of the LED driver, based on the control signal, whereby the first control signal is an uni/o signal, and - an i/o terminal connectable to the application terminal of the LED driver; - a control unit connected to the i/o terminal to provide the first control signal to the application terminal of the LED driver; - the control unit of the LED driver is further arranged to: - provide a polling signal to the lighting device; - receive the first control signal in response to the polling signal; - the control unit of the lighting device is further connected to the i/o terminal for receiving the polling signal from the LED driver and wherein the control unit of the lighting device is arranged to provide a delay substantially equal to a duration of % bit to the first control signal relative to a clock signal of the control unit of the LED driver. - provide a polling signal to the lighting device; - receive the first control signal in response to the polling signal; - the control unit of the lighting device is further connected to the i/o terminal for receiving the polling signal from the LED driver