Patent ID: 8749155

Claim:
A circuit assembly for operating at least one discharge lamp, the circuit assembly comprising: an input having a first and a second input terminal for coupling to a DC supply voltage; a bridge circuit having at least one first and one second electronic switch, wherein the series circuit comprising the first and the second electronic switch is connected between the first and the second input terminal to implement a first bridge midpoint; an output to couple to at least one discharge lamp, wherein the output is connected to the first bridge midpoint; a shunt resistor which is connected in series with the second electronic switch, and a tapping point assigned to the shunt resistor for tapping off the voltage dropped across the shunt resistor during operation; a device configured to detect overload operation of the at least one discharge lamp, having an input for supplying a measurement signal; a device configured to ignition control of the at least one discharge lamp, having an input for supplying a measurement signal; and a switch control device configured to control at least the first and the second electronic switch, wherein the switch control device is connected to the device configured to detect overload operation and the ignition control device, said switch control device being designed to modify the control signals for at least the first and the second electronic switch as a function of the output signals of the device configured to detect overload operation and the ignition control device; wherein the input of the device configured to detect overload operation and the input of the ignition control device are interconnected to form a common coupling point; wherein the circuit assembly additionally comprises: at least one ohmic resistor which is connected in series between the tapping point assigned to the shunt resistor and the common coupling point; and a power source which is connected to the common coupling point.