The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Oct. 31, 1995
Filed:
Mar. 14, 1994
Sayed-Amr El-Hamamsy, Schenectady, NY (US);
General Electric Company, Schenectady, NY (US);
Abstract
The resolution .DELTA.C of a binary capacitance ladder having a plurality of N branches is precisely determined by appropriately selecting the value of a fixed capacitor in each branch relative to the parasitic capacitance of a corresponding series-connected switch. The capacitance of each respective branch varies by 2.sup.n-1 .DELTA.C, where n is the number of the branch, adjacent branches being numbered sequentially. The total capacitance is variable between C.sub.Total and C.sub.Total -(2.sup.N -1).DELTA.C in steps of .DELTA.C, where C.sub.Total is the sum of the capacitances in the ladder with all switches closed, and C.sub.Total -(2.sup.N -1).DELTA.C is the capacitance of the ladder with all switches open. For any particular branch of the ladder, the switch capacitance may be further controlled by adding a fixed capacitance in parallel with the respective switch. Such a variable capacitance is useful as a tuning capacitor in an electrodeless HID lamp ballast.