Patents by Inventor Aldo Vittorio Novelli
Aldo Vittorio Novelli has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).
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Patent number: 10250145Abstract: A circuit includes a timer circuit configured to generate a first control signal defining a first time period and a second control signal defining a second time period. A controller is configured to control a high-side and a low-side transistor of a half-bridge circuit in response to the first and second control signals only during a first switching cycle of the half-bridge circuit. The half-bridge circuit includes a bootstrap capacitor coupled to a node between the high-side and low-side transistors. The controller turns on the low-side transistor for the first time period during the first switching cycle and configured turns off the low-side and the high-side transistors for the second time period during the first switching cycle.Type: GrantFiled: July 18, 2017Date of Patent: April 2, 2019Assignee: STMicroelectronics S.r.l.Inventors: Claudio Adragna, Aldo Vittorio Novelli, Christian Leone Santoro
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Publication number: 20170317597Abstract: A circuit includes a timer circuit configured to generate a first control signal defining a first time period and a second control signal defining a second time period. A controller is configured to control a high-side and a low-side transistor of a half-bridge circuit in response to the first and second control signals only during a first switching cycle of the half-bridge circuit. The half-bridge circuit includes a bootstrap capacitor coupled to a node between the high-side and low-side transistors. The controller turns on the low-side transistor for the first time period during the first switching cycle and configured turns off the low-side and the high-side transistors for the second time period during the first switching cycle.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 18, 2017Publication date: November 2, 2017Inventors: Claudio Adragna, Aldo Vittorio Novelli, Christian Leone Santoro
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Patent number: 9735686Abstract: A control device controls a switching circuit for a converter. The switching circuit comprises a half-bridge having a high-side transistor and a low-side transistor. The control device comprises a controller configured to control turning on and turning off said two transistors, so that a square-wave voltage is applied to the transformer primary. The controller is configured to start switching the half-bridge by turning on the low-side transistor. The control device comprises a first timer configure to initially turn on the low-side transistor for a duration given by a first time period useful for pre-charging a bootstrap capacitor couplable to the middle point of the half-bridge, and a second timer configured to keep the low-side transistor and the high-side transistor turned off for a second time period immediately following the first time period and having a longer duration than the first time period.Type: GrantFiled: September 21, 2015Date of Patent: August 15, 2017Assignee: STMicroelectronics S.r.l.Inventors: Claudio Adragna, Aldo Vittorio Novelli, Christian Leone Santoro
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Patent number: 9698688Abstract: An effective method enhances energy saving at low load in a resonant converter with a hysteretic control scheme for implementing burst-mode at light load. The method causes a current controlled oscillator of the converter to stop oscillating when a feedback control current of the output voltage of the converter reaches a first threshold value, and introduces a nonlinearity in the functional relation between the frequency of oscillation and said feedback control current or in a derivative of the functional relation, while the control current is between a lower, second threshold value and the first threshold value, such that the frequency of oscillation remains equal or smaller than the frequency of oscillation when the control current is equal to the second threshold value. Several circuital implementations are illustrated, all of simple realization without requiring any costly microcontroller.Type: GrantFiled: September 4, 2015Date of Patent: July 4, 2017Assignee: STMICROELECTRONICS S.R.L.Inventors: Claudio Adragna, Claudio Spini, Aldo Vittorio Novelli, Fabrizio Bognanni
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Publication number: 20160013722Abstract: A control device controls a switching circuit for a converter. The switching circuit comprises a half-bridge having a high-side transistor and a low-side transistor. The control device comprises a controller configured to control turning on and turning off said two transistors, so that a square-wave voltage is applied to the transformer primary. The controller is configured to start switching the half-bridge by turning on the low-side transistor. The control device comprises a first timer configure to initially turn on the low-side transistor for a duration given by a first time period useful for pre-charging a bootstrap capacitor couplable to the middle point of the half-bridge, and a second timer configured to keep the low-side transistor and the high-side transistor turned off for a second time period immediately following the first time period and having a longer duration than the first time period.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 21, 2015Publication date: January 14, 2016Inventors: Claudio Adragna, Aldo Vittorio Novelli, Christian Leone Santoro
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Publication number: 20150381052Abstract: An effective method enhances energy saving at low load in a resonant converter with a hysteretic control scheme for implementing burst-mode at light load. The method causes a current controlled oscillator of the converter to stop oscillating when a feedback control current of the output voltage of the converter reaches a first threshold value, and introduces a nonlinearity in the functional relation between the frequency of oscillation and said feedback control current or in a derivative of the functional relation, while the control current is between a lower, second threshold value and the first threshold value, such that the frequency of oscillation remains equal or smaller than the frequency of oscillation when the control current is equal to the second threshold value. Several circuital implementations are illustrated, all of simple realization without requiring any costly microcontroller.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 4, 2015Publication date: December 31, 2015Inventors: Claudio ADRAGNA, Claudio SPINI, Aldo Vittorio NOVELLI, Fabrizio BOGNANNI
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Patent number: 9160236Abstract: An effective method enhances energy saving at low load in a resonant converter with a hysteretic control scheme for implementing burst-mode at light load. The method causes a current controlled oscillator of the converter to stop oscillating when a feedback control current of the output voltage of the converter reaches a first threshold value, and introduces a nonlinearity in the functional relation between the frequency of oscillation and said feedback control current or in a derivative of the functional relation, while the control current is between a lower, second threshold value and the first threshold value, such that the frequency of oscillation remains equal or smaller than the frequency of oscillation when the control current is equal to the second threshold value. Several circuital implementations are illustrated, all of simple realization without requiring any costly microcontroller.Type: GrantFiled: June 28, 2013Date of Patent: October 13, 2015Assignee: STMICROELECTRONICS S.R.L.Inventors: Claudio Adragna, Claudio Spini, Aldo Vittorio Novelli, Fabrizio Bognanni
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Patent number: 9143046Abstract: A control device that controls a switching circuit and minimizes hard switching that occurs in the switching circuit of a half-bridge resonant converter having a high-side transistor and a low-side transistor. The control device is configured to turn the high-side and low-side transistor on and, so that a square-wave voltage is applied to a primary winding of a transformer. The controller starts the switching of the half-bridge converter by first turning on the low-side transistor for a first time period useful for pre-charging a bootstrap capacitor couplable to the middle point of the half-bridge, and then turning the low-side transistor and the high-side transistor off for a second time period that immediately follows and is longer than the first time period.Type: GrantFiled: March 9, 2012Date of Patent: September 22, 2015Assignee: STMicroelectronics S.R.L.Inventors: Claudio Adragna, Aldo Vittorio Novelli, Christian Leone Santoro
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Patent number: 9094006Abstract: A control device of a switching circuit of a resonant apparatus is described. The switching circuit comprises at least one half-bridge having a high-side transistor and a low-side transistor connected between an input voltage and a reference voltage; the resonant apparatus comprises a resonant load. The control device is configured to determine the on time period and the off time period of the transistors alternatively and a dead time of both the transistors so that a periodic square-wave voltage is applied to the resonant load. The control device comprises a detector adapted to detect the current sign flowing through the resonant load and a correction circuit configured to extend the current operating time period of said two transistors in response to at least the current sign detected from the detection means.Type: GrantFiled: May 6, 2013Date of Patent: July 28, 2015Assignee: STMicroelectronics S.r.l.Inventors: Mirko Gravati, Christian Leone Santoro, Claudio Adragna, Aldo Vittorio Novelli
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Patent number: 9041121Abstract: A semiconductor structure including a high-voltage transistor; voltage dropping circuitry, at least part of which is overlapping the high-voltage transistor; at least one intermediate contact point to the voltage dropping circuitry, connected to at least one intermediate position between a first and a second end of the voltage dropping circuitry; and at least one external connection connecting the at least one intermediate contact point to outside of the semiconductor structure.Type: GrantFiled: September 13, 2012Date of Patent: May 26, 2015Assignee: STMicroelectronics S.r.l.Inventors: Riccardo Depetro, Aldo Vittorio Novelli, Ignazio Salvatore Bellomo
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Patent number: 8804377Abstract: A control device for a resonant converter, the control device including a first circuit to integrate at least one signal indicating a half wave of a current circulating in a primary winding of a transformer; the first circuit is structured to generate at least a control signal of the switching circuit depending on the integrated signal. The control device includes a second circuit to impose the equality of a switching-on time period of the first and second switches.Type: GrantFiled: December 27, 2010Date of Patent: August 12, 2014Assignee: STMicroelectronics S.r.l.Inventors: Claudio Adragna, Aldo Vittorio Novelli, Christian Leone Santoro
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Patent number: 8699240Abstract: A control device for a resonant converter includes a first circuit structured to rectify a signal indicating the current circulating in the primary winding, a second circuit adapted to integrate at least the rectified signal and structured to generate at least a control signal of the switching circuit according to the integrated signal, and a third circuit adapted to send a reset command to the second circuit so as to inhibit the operation over a time period between the instant when the integrated signal reaches or exceeds a first signal and the instant of the next zero crossing of the signal, indicating the current circulating in the primary winding.Type: GrantFiled: December 28, 2010Date of Patent: April 15, 2014Assignee: STMicroelectronics S.r.l.Inventors: Claudio Adragna, Aldo Vittorio Novelli, Christian Leone Santoro
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Publication number: 20140016362Abstract: An effective method enhances energy saving at low load in a resonant converter with a hysteretic control scheme for implementing burst-mode at light load. The method causes a current controlled oscillator of the converter to stop oscillating when a feedback control current of the output voltage of the converter reaches a first threshold value, and introduces a nonlinearity in the functional relation between the frequency of oscillation and said feedback control current or in a derivative of the functional relation, while the control current is between a lower, second threshold value and the first threshold value, such that the frequency of oscillation remains equal or smaller than the frequency of oscillation when the control current is equal to the second threshold value. Several circuital implementations are illustrated, all of simple realization without requiring any costly microcontroller.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 28, 2013Publication date: January 16, 2014Inventors: Claudio Adragna, Claudio Spini, Aldo Vittorio Novelli, Fabrizio Bognanni
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Patent number: 8599590Abstract: A detecting device detects the midpoint voltage of a half bridge circuit of transistors. The circuit comprises a bootstrap capacitor having one terminal connected to the midpoint node of the half bridge circuit and another terminal connected to a supply circuit. The device comprises a further capacitor connected between a second terminal of the bootstrap capacitor and circuit means adapted to form a low impedance node for a current signal circulating in said further capacitor during the transitions from the low value to the high value and from the high value to the low value of the midpoint voltage. The device comprises a detector to detect said current signal circulating in said further capacitor and to output at least a first signal indicating the transitions from the low value to the high value or from the high value to the low value according to said current signal.Type: GrantFiled: September 28, 2010Date of Patent: December 3, 2013Assignee: STMicroelectronics S.r.l.Inventors: Christian Leone Santoro, Aldo Vittorio Novelli, Claudio Adragna
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Publication number: 20130293267Abstract: A control device of a switching circuit of a resonant apparatus is described. The switching circuit comprises at least one half-bridge having a high-side transistor and a low-side transistor connected between an input voltage and a reference voltage; the resonant apparatus comprises a resonant load. The control device is configured to determine the on time period and the off time period of the transistors alternatively and a dead time of both the transistors so that a periodic square-wave voltage is applied to the resonant load. The control device comprises a detector adapted to detect the current sign flowing through the resonant load and a correction circuit configured to extend the current operating time period of said two transistors in response to at least the current sign detected from the detection means.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 6, 2013Publication date: November 7, 2013Applicant: STMicroelectronics S.r.l.Inventors: Mirko Gravati, Christian Leone Santoro, Claudio Adragna, Aldo Vittorio Novelli
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Publication number: 20130070429Abstract: A semiconductor structure including a high-voltage transistor; voltage dropping circuitry, at least part of which is overlapping the high-voltage transistor; at least one intermediate contact point to the voltage dropping circuitry, connected to at least one intermediate position between a first and a second end of the voltage dropping circuitry; and at least one external connection connecting the at least one intermediate contact point to outside of the semiconductor structure.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 13, 2012Publication date: March 21, 2013Applicant: STMicroelectronics S.r.I.Inventors: Riccardo Depetro, Aldo Vittorio Novelli, Ignazio Salvatore Bellomo
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Patent number: 8391026Abstract: A resonant dc-dc converter converts dc input voltage to a dc output voltage. The converter includes switching, switching driving, conversion, and disabling circuits. The switching circuit receives the input voltage and generates a square wave voltage oscillating between the input voltage and a low value, at a frequency with a duty cycle. The switching driving circuit drives the switching circuit and includes a timing circuit for setting the frequency and the duty cycle. The timing circuit sets the value of the duty cycle to about 50% when the converter operates in steady state. The conversion circuit generates the output voltage from the square wave voltage based on the frequency and the duty cycle. The disabling circuit temporarily halts the timing circuit after a power on in such a way to temporarily vary the duty cycle of the square wave voltage during a period of the square wave voltage.Type: GrantFiled: May 27, 2010Date of Patent: March 5, 2013Assignee: STMicroelectronics S.r.l.Inventors: Christian Leone Santoro, Claudio Adragna, Aldo Vittorio Novelli
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Publication number: 20120230059Abstract: A control device controls a switching circuit for a converter. The switching circuit comprises a half-bridge having a high-side transistor and a low-side transistor. The control device comprises a controller configured to control turning on and turning off said two transistors, so that a square-wave voltage is applied to the transformer primary. The controller is configured to start switching the half-bridge by turning on the low-side transistor. The control device comprises a first timer configure to initially turn on the low-side transistor for a duration given by a first time period useful for pre-charging a bootstrap capacitor couplable to the middle point of the half-bridge, and a second timer configured to keep the low-side transistor and the high-side transistor turned off for a second time period immediately following the first time period and having a longer duration than the first time period.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 9, 2012Publication date: September 13, 2012Applicant: STMICROELECTRONICS S.R.L.Inventors: Claudio Adragna, Aldo Vittorio Novelli, Christian Leone Santoro
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Publication number: 20110157927Abstract: A control device for a resonant converter, the control device including a first circuit to integrate at least one signal indicating a half wave of a current circulating in a primary winding of a transformer; the first circuit is structured to generate at least a control signal of the switching circuit depending on the integrated signal. The control device includes a second circuit to impose the equality of a switching-on time period of the first and second switches.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 27, 2010Publication date: June 30, 2011Applicant: STMicroelectronics S.r.I.Inventors: Claudio Adragna, Aldo Vittorio Novelli, Christian Leone Santoro
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Publication number: 20110157920Abstract: A control device for a resonant converter includes a first circuit structured to rectify a signal indicating the current circulating in the primary winding, a second circuit adapted to integrate at least the rectified signal and structured to generate at least a control signal of the switching circuit according to the integrated signal, and a third circuit adapted to send a reset command to the second circuit so as to inhibit the operation over a time period between the instant when the integrated signal reaches or exceeds a first signal and the instant of the next zero crossing of the signal, indicating the current circulating in the primary winding.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 28, 2010Publication date: June 30, 2011Applicant: STMICROELECTRONICS S.R.L.Inventors: Claudio Adragna, Aldo Vittorio Novelli, Christian Leone Santoro