Patent ID: 7852012

Claim:
A circuit apparatus for operating a luminous device with a switching element (T 1 ), whose reference electrode is connected to the positive pole (K 1 ) of a DC voltage source and whose working electrode is connected to a first contact (K 3 ) of the luminous device (D 5 to D 10 ) and which has a control electrode, and a contact device, with which a second contact (K 4 ) of the luminous device (D 5 to D 10 ) is connected to the negative pole (K 2 ) of the DC voltage source, characterized in that a first transistor (Q 1 ) is connected with its reference electrode to the positive pole (K 1 ) of the DC voltage source, with its working electrode to the control electrode of the switching element (T 1 ) and with its control electrode, via a capacitor (C 3 ), to an externally drivable signal contact (K 5 ), and a second transistor (Q 2 ) is connected with its reference electrode to the contact device, with its working electrode to the control electrode of the switching element (T 1 ) and with its control electrode to the externally drivable signal contact (K 5 ).