Ballast for lighting means

1. A ballast ( 101 ) for lighting means, comprising an actively switched power factor correction (PCF) stage ( 102 ), which is implemented in a Totem Pole boost topology, the ballast and the PFC stage being connect to ground potential, said ballast further comprising:

a control circuit ( 103 ), which issues control signals for driving switches of the PFC stage ( 102 ),

wherein the control circuit ( 103 ) is on a floating potential and is galvanically isolated from the ground potential of the ballast ( 101 ) and is galvanically isolated from the ground potential of the PFC stage ( 102 ).

2. The ballast ( 101 ) according to claim 1 , in which the control circuit is provided with feedback signals from the PFC stage ( 102 ) indicating the zero crossings of the current through an inductor ( 105 ) of the PFC stage ( 102 ) and the current through at least one switch of switches of the PFC stage ( 102 ).

3. The ballast ( 101 ) according to claim 1 , further comprising a low-voltage supply ( 104 ) for the control circuit ( 103 ), wherein the low-voltage supply ( 104 ) for the control circuit ( 103 ) is on the same floating potential as the control circuit ( 103 ) and galvanically isolated from the ground potential of the ballast ( 101 ).

4. The ballast ( 101 ) according to claim 1 , further comprising a communication- and sensing interface which is on the same floating potential as the control circuit ( 103 ) and galvanically isolated from the ground potential of the ballast ( 101 ).

5. The ballast ( 101 ) according to claim 1 , further comprising a shunt-resistor ( 106 ) for sensing the current through at least one switch in the PFC stage, wherein the shunt-resistor ( 106 ) is on the same floating potential as the control circuit ( 103 ).

6. The ballast ( 101 ) according to claim 1 , wherein the control circuit ( 103 ) is configured to provide the PFC stage ( 102 ) with at least two types of control signals for driving the switches of the PFC stage ( 102 ).

7. The ballast ( 101 ) according to claim 1 , wherein the control circuit ( 102 ) is configured to regulate a first type of control signals for driving a first part of the switches of the PFC stage ( 102 ) by using the feedback signals received from the PFC stage ( 102 ) and the control circuit ( 102 ) is configured to provide a second type of control signals for driving a second part of the switches of the PFC stage ( 102 ) without any regulation using the feedback signals received from the PFC stage ( 102 ).

8. The ballast ( 101 ) according to claim 7 , wherein the second type of control signals have an operating frequency corresponding to the frequency of the alternating input voltage of the PFC stage ( 102 ).

9. A lighting device, comprising LED or OLED lighting means and a ballast according to claim 1 driving said lighting means.

10. The ballast ( 101 ) according to claim 1 wherein the actively switched power factor correction (PCF) stage ( 102 ) implementing a Totem Pole boost topology comprises:

an AC power supply having a first end and a second end;

a high frequency bridge arm including a first and a second switch each having a first and second terminal, the first and second switches being connected in series with each other such that the second terminal of the first switch is connected to the first terminal of the second switch, and wherein the second terminal of the first switch and the first terminal of the second switch coupled are coupled to the first end of the AC power via a first inductor;

a low frequency bridge arm includes third and fourth switches each having a first and second terminal, the third and fourth switches connected in series with each other such that the second terminal of the third switch is connected to the first terminal of the fourth switch and the second end of the AC power.

11. The ballast ( 101 ) according to claim 10 wherein the third and fourth switches operate in ON/OFF states by use of a control signal having an operation frequency consistent with that of the AC power.