A method for electrically controlling a functional element with electrically controllable optical properties enclosed in a
glazing unit includes controlling the optical properties by a
control unit connected to two transparent flat electrodes of the functional element, and applying a
voltage by the
control unit between the flat electrodes and the polarity of the
voltage is periodically changed. The
voltage has a trapezoidal profile and by the
control unit an increasing electrical voltage is applied for charging the functional element, the electrical voltage increasing to a first
peak value, the electrical voltage is reduced from the first
peak value to a final voltage for discharging the functional element, the functional element is charged with the increasing electrical voltage with
reversed polarity, wherein the electrical voltage increases to a second
peak value, the electrical voltage is reduced from the second peak value to the final voltage for discharging the functional element.