# US 2018/0323772 A1 · Apparatus and method for controlling a transition of a variable capacitor > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2018/0323772 A1 - Document ID: US20180323772A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 15/589,694 - Filed: 2017-05-08 - Published: 2018-11-08 - Earliest claimed: 2017-05-08 - Assignees: Futurewei Technologies, Inc. - Applicants: Futurewei Technologies, Inc. - Inventors: Ping Shi - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20180323772A1 ## CPC - H03J 3/20: of single resonant circuit by varying inductance only or capacitance only - H01G 4/255: Means for correcting the capacitance value - H01G 4/38: Multiple capacitors, i.e. structural combinations of fixed capacitors - H01G 4/40: Structural combinations of fixed capacitors with other electric elements, the structure mainly consisting of a capacitor, e.g. RC combinations - H01G 5/38: Multiple capacitors, e.g. ganged - H01G 7/00: Capacitors in which the capacitance is varied by non-mechanical means; Processes of their manufacture - H03J 2200/10: Tuning of a resonator by means of digitally controlled capacitor bank - H03J: TUNING RESONANT CIRCUITS; SELECTING RESONANT CIRCUITS - H01G: CAPACITORS; CAPACITORS, RECTIFIERS, DETECTORS, SWITCHING DEVICES, LIGHT-SENSITIVE OR TEMPERATURE-SENSITIVE DEVICES OF THE ELECTROLYTIC TYPE (selection of specified materials as dielectric H01B3/00; capacitors having potential barriers H10D1/62, H10K10/10) ## Abstract An apparatus and associated method are provided involving one or more registers configured to store a plurality of values including a first value corresponding with a first capacitance, and a second value corresponding with a second capacitance. Further included is a decoder configured to decode the values into corresponding capacitive settings. Also included is one or more capacitive elements in electrical communication with the decoder. Such one or more capacitive elements are configured to exhibit different capacitances, based on the capacitive settings. Also included is control circuitry in electrical communication with the decoder and the one or more registers. Such control circuitry is configured to control a transition of the capacitance of the one or more capacitive elements from the first capacitance to the second capacitance, by creating a plurality of additional values between the first value and the second value for being decoded by the decoder. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An apparatus, comprising: one or more registers configured to store a plurality of values including a first value corresponding with a first capacitance, and a second value corresponding with a second capacitance; a decoder configured to decode the values into corresponding capacitive settings; one or more capacitive elements in electrical communication with the decoder, the one or more capacitive elements configured to exhibit different capacitances, based on the capacitive settings; and control circuitry in electrical communication with the decoder and the one or more registers, the control circuitry configured to control a transition of the capacitance of the one or more capacitive elements from the first capacitance to the second capacitance, by creating a plurality of additional values between the first value and the second value for being decoded by the decoder. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the control circuitry includes a counter for creating the additional values between the first value and the second value. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein a number of the additional values is fixed. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the control circuitry is configured to calculate a difference between the additional values by dividing a difference between the first value and the second value, by the fixed number. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the control circuitry is configured to calculate the difference between the additional values by rounding a result of the division down to a nearest integer. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein a difference between the additional values is fixed. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the control circuitry is configured to calculate a number of the additional values by dividing a difference between the first value and the second value, by the fixed difference. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the control circuitry is configured to calculate the additional values based on a maximum length of time permitted for the transition of the capacitance of the one or more capacitive elements, and a maximum difference permitted between the additional values. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the one or more capacitive elements include a plurality of fixed capacitive elements, and the apparatus further comprises one or more switches for selectively using the fixed capacitive elements. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the one or more capacitive elements include one or more variable capacitive elements, and the apparatus further comprises one or more controllers for controlling the capacitance of the one or more variable capacitive elements. ### Claim 11 A method, comprising: storing, utilizing one or more registers, a plurality of values including a first value corresponding with a first capacitance, and a second value corresponding with a second capacitance; creating a plurality of additional values between the first value and the second value; decoding, utilizing a decoder, the values and the additional values into corresponding capacitive settings; and adjusting a capacitance of one or more capacitive elements, based on the capacitive settings, so that a transition of the capacitance of the one or more capacitive elements is controlled from the first capacitance to the second capacitance. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11, wherein the additional values are created utilizing a counter. ### Claim 13 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11, wherein a number of the additional values is fixed. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The method of claim 13, and further comprising: calculating a difference between the additional values by dividing a difference between the first value and the second value, by the fixed number. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The method of claim 14, wherein the difference between the additional values is calculated by rounding a result of the division down to a nearest integer. ### Claim 16 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11, wherein a difference between the additional values is fixed. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The method of claim 16, and further comprising: calculating a number of the additional values by dividing a difference between the first value and the second value, by the fixed difference. ### Claim 18 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11, wherein the additional values are created based on a maximum length of time permitted for the transition of the capacitance of the one or more capacitive elements, and a maximum difference permitted between the additional values. ### Claim 19 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11, wherein the one or more capacitive elements include a plurality of fixed capacitive elements with one or more switches for selectively using the fixed capacitive elements. ### Claim 20 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11, wherein the one or more capacitive elements include one or more variable capacitive elements, with one or more controllers for controlling the capacitance of the one or more variable capacitive elements.