Patents by Inventor Francesco La Rosa

Francesco La Rosa 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).

  • Patent number: 9875798
    Abstract: A non-volatile memory is erasable by page and equipped with a row redundancy mechanism. In the case of the detection of a defective row of the memory plane, the storing of the address of the row in a non-volatile register is carried out and a redundant row having a new address is assigned. In the case of an attempt to write to the defective row, a write to the redundant row is carried out. When writing to the redundant row, the new content of the redundant row is loaded into a volatile memory and, following an operation for writing to any other row of the memory plane, a re-loading of the new content of the redundant row into the volatile memory.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 28, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 23, 2018
    Assignee: STMicroelectronics (Rousset) SAS
    Inventors: Francesco La Rosa, Gineuve Alieri
  • Patent number: 9876122
    Abstract: Various embodiments provide a memory cell that includes a vertical selection gate, a floating gate extending above the substrate, wherein the floating gate also extends above a portion of the vertical selection gate, over a non-zero overlap distance, the memory cell comprising a doped region implanted at the intersection of a vertical channel region extending opposite the selection gate and a horizontal channel region extending opposite the floating gate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 23, 2018
    Assignee: STMicroelectronics (Rousset) SAS
    Inventors: Marc Mantelli, Stephan Niel, Arnaud Regnier, Francesco La Rosa, Julien Delalleau
  • Publication number: 20180005684
    Abstract: A reading circuit for a charge-retention circuit stage is provided with a storage capacitor coupled between a first biasing terminal and a floating node, and a discharge element coupled between the floating node and a reference terminal. The reading circuit further has an operational amplifier having a first input terminal that is coupled to the floating node and receives a reading voltage, a second input terminal receives a reference voltage, and an output terminal on which it supplies an output voltage, the value of which is a function of the comparison between the reading voltage and the reference voltage and indicative of a residual charge in the storage capacitor. A shifting stage shifts the value of the reading voltage of the floating node, before the comparison is made between the reading voltage and the reference voltage for supplying the output voltage.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 23, 2016
    Publication date: January 4, 2018
    Inventors: Antonino Conte, Enrico Castaldo, Raul Andres Bianchi, Francesco La Rosa
  • Publication number: 20180003761
    Abstract: A method can be used for testing a charge-retention circuit for measurement of a time interval having a storage capacitor coupled between a first biasing terminal and a floating node, and a discharge element coupled between the floating node and a reference terminal. The discharge element is configured to implement discharge of a charge stored in the storage capacitor by leakage through a corresponding dielectric. The method includes biasing the floating node at a reading voltage, detecting a biasing value of the reading voltage, implementing an operation of integration of the discharge current in the discharge element with the reading voltage kept constant at the biasing value, and determining an effective resistance value of the discharge element as a function of the operation of integration.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 21, 2016
    Publication date: January 4, 2018
    Inventors: Antonino Conte, Enrico Castaldo, Raul Andres Bianchi, Francesco La Rosa
  • Publication number: 20170352703
    Abstract: The array of diodes comprises a matrix plane of diodes arranged according to columns in a first direction and according to rows in a second direction orthogonal to the first direction. The said diodes comprise a cathode region of a first type of conductivity and an anode region of a second type of conductivity, the said cathode and anode regions being superposed and disposed on an insulating layer situated on top of a semiconductor substrate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 30, 2016
    Publication date: December 7, 2017
    Inventors: Francesco La Rosa, Stephan Niel, Arnaud Regnier
  • Publication number: 20170345836
    Abstract: A method can be used to make a semiconductor device. A number of projecting regions are formed over a first semiconductor layer that has a first conductivity type. The first semiconductor layer is located on an insulating layer that overlies a semiconductor substrate. The projecting regions are spaced apart from each other. Using the projecting regions as an implantation mask, dopants having a second conductivity type are implanted into the first semiconductor layer, so as to form a sequence of PN junctions forming diodes in the first semiconductor layer. The diodes vertically extend from an upper surface of the first semiconductor layer to the insulating layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 30, 2016
    Publication date: November 30, 2017
    Inventors: Francesco La Rosa, Stephan Niel, Arnaud Regnier
  • Patent number: 9825186
    Abstract: The non-volatile memory device comprises memory cells each comprising a selectable state transistor having a floating gate and a control gate. The state transistor is of the depletion-mode type and is advantageously configured so as to have a threshold voltage that is preferably negative when the memory cell is in a virgin state. When the memory cell is read, a read voltage of zero may then be applied to the control gate and also to the control gates of the state transistors of all the memory cells of the memory device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2017
    Assignee: STMICROELECTRONICS (ROUSSET) SAS
    Inventors: Francesco La Rosa, Stephan Niel, Arnaud Regnier
  • Publication number: 20170323670
    Abstract: A read-amplifier circuit includes a core with a first input and a second input that are intended to receive in a measurement phase a differential signal arising from a first bit line and from a second bit line of the memory device. The circuit also includes a memory element with two inverters coupled in a crossed manner. The first and second inputs are respectively connected to two of the power supply nodes of the inverters via two transfer capacitors. A first controllable circuit is configured to temporarily render the memory element floating during an initial phase preceding the measurement phase and during the measurement phase.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 24, 2017
    Publication date: November 9, 2017
    Inventors: Francesco La Rosa, Gineuve Alieri
  • Publication number: 20170302168
    Abstract: A charge pump circuit can be controlled by a control signal that is generated from a first signal coming from and output signal of the charge pump circuit, from a reference signal, and from a clock signal. The generation of the control signal includes a comparison of the reference signal and of the first signal in tempo with a timing signal coming from the clock signal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 29, 2016
    Publication date: October 19, 2017
    Inventors: Francesco La Rosa, Paola Cavaleri
  • Publication number: 20170301378
    Abstract: A read-amplifier circuit includes a core with a first input and a second input that are intended to receive in a measurement phase a differential signal arising from a first bit line and from a second bit line of the memory device. The circuit also includes a memory element with two inverters coupled in a crossed manner. The first and second inputs are respectively connected to two of the power supply nodes of the inverters via two transfer capacitors. A first controllable circuit is configured to temporarily render the memory element floating during an initial phase preceding the measurement phase and during the measurement phase.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 29, 2016
    Publication date: October 19, 2017
    Inventors: Francesco La Rosa, Gineuve Alieri
  • Patent number: 9792962
    Abstract: A read-amplifier circuit includes a core with a first input and a second input that are intended to receive in a measurement phase a differential signal arising from a first bit line and from a second bit line of the memory device. The circuit also includes a memory element with two inverters coupled in a crossed manner. The first and second inputs are respectively connected to two of the power supply nodes of the inverters via two transfer capacitors. A first controllable circuit is configured to temporarily render the memory element floating during an initial phase preceding the measurement phase and during the measurement phase.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2017
    Assignees: STMicroelectronics S.r.l., STMicroelectronics (Rousset) SAS
    Inventors: Francesco La Rosa, Gineuve Alieri
  • Publication number: 20170278577
    Abstract: The non-volatile memory device comprises memory cells each comprising a selectable state transistor having a floating gate and a control gate. The state transistor is of the depletion-mode type and is advantageously configured so as to have a threshold voltage that is preferably negative when the memory cell is in a virgin state. When the memory cell is read, a read voltage of zero may then be applied to the control gate and also to the control gates of the state transistors of all the memory cells of the memory device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 30, 2016
    Publication date: September 28, 2017
    Inventors: Francesco La Rosa, Stephan Niel, Arnaud Regnier
  • Publication number: 20170254848
    Abstract: A device for detecting a fault attack, including: a circuit for detecting an interruption of a power supply; a circuit for comparing the duration of the interruption with a first threshold; and a counter of the number of successive interruptions of the power supply having a duration which does not exceed the first threshold.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 24, 2017
    Publication date: September 7, 2017
    Inventor: Francesco La Rosa
  • Patent number: 9714976
    Abstract: A device for detecting a fault attack, including: a circuit for detecting an interruption of a power supply; a circuit for comparing the duration of the interruption with a first threshold; and a counter of the number of successive interruptions of the power supply having a duration which does not exceed the first threshold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 16, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 25, 2017
    Assignee: STMicroelectronics (Rousset) SAS
    Inventor: Francesco La Rosa
  • Patent number: 9698765
    Abstract: A device includes a first and second inverters each having a signal input, signal output, high voltage supply terminal, and low voltage supply terminal. The signal input of the first inverter is coupled to the signal output of the second inverter, and the signal input of the second inverter is coupled to the signal output of the first inverter. A first transistor has a first conduction terminal coupled to a power supply node, a second conduction terminal coupled to the high voltage supply terminal of the first inverter, and a control terminal coupled to a first node. A second transistor has a first conduction terminal coupled to the power supply node, a second conduction terminal coupled to the high voltage supply terminal of the second inverter, and a control terminal coupled to a second node. First and second bit lines are capacitively coupled to the first and second nodes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 22, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2017
    Assignees: STMicroelectronics S.r.l., STMicroelectronics (Rousset) SAS
    Inventors: Francesco La Rosa, Antonino Conte
  • Patent number: 9691866
    Abstract: A memory cell formed in a semiconductor substrate, includes a selection gate extending vertically in a trench made in the substrate, and isolated from the substrate by a first layer of gate oxide, a horizontal floating gate extending above the substrate and isolated from the substrate by a second layer of gate oxide, and a horizontal control gate extending above the floating gate. The selection gate covers a lateral face of the floating gate. The floating gate is separated from the selection gate only by the first layer of gate oxide, and separated from a vertical channel region, extending in the substrate along the selection gate, only by the second layer of gate oxide.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2017
    Assignee: STMicroelectronics (Rousset) SAS
    Inventors: Arnaud Regnier, Jean-Michel Mirabel, Stephan Niel, Francesco La Rosa
  • Publication number: 20170178733
    Abstract: Non-volatile memory including rows and columns of memory cells, the columns of memory cells including pairs of twin memory cells including a common selection gate. According to the disclosure, two bitlines are provided per column of memory cells. The adjacent twin memory cells of the same column are not connected to the same bitline while the adjacent non-twin memory cells of the same column are connected to the same bitline.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 8, 2017
    Publication date: June 22, 2017
    Inventors: Francesco LA ROSA, Stephan NIEL, Arnaud REGNIER
  • Publication number: 20170162264
    Abstract: A non-volatile memory is erasable by page and equipped with a row redundancy mechanism. In the case of the detection of a defective row of the memory plane, the storing of the address of the row in a non-volatile register is carried out and a redundant row having a new address is assigned. In the case of an attempt to write to the defective row, a write to the redundant row is carried out. When writing to the redundant row, the new content of the redundant row is loaded into a volatile memory and, following an operation for writing to any other row of the memory plane, a re-loading of the new content of the redundant row into the volatile memory.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 28, 2016
    Publication date: June 8, 2017
    Inventors: Francesco La Rosa, Gineuve Alieri
  • Publication number: 20170163291
    Abstract: A method can be used for managing the operation of a non-volatile memory equipped with a system for correction of a single error and for detection of a double error. In the case of the detection of a defective bit line of the memory plane, a redundant bit line is assigned and the values of the bits of the memory cells of the defective line are copied into the memory cells of the redundant line and are inverted in the case of the detection of double errors by the system, or corrected by the system in the presence of single errors.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 28, 2016
    Publication date: June 8, 2017
    Inventors: Francesco La Rosa, Gineuve Alieri
  • Patent number: 9666484
    Abstract: An integrated circuit is formed on a semiconductor substrate and includes a trench conductor and a first transistor formed on the surface of the substrate. The transistor includes: a transistor gate structure, a first doped region extending in the substrate between a first edge of the gate structure and an upper edge of the trench conductor, and a first spacer formed on the first edge of the gate structure and above the first doped region. The first spacer completely covers the first doped region and a silicide is present on the trench conductor but is not present on the surface of the first doped region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 22, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 30, 2017
    Assignee: STMicroelectronics (Rousset) SAS
    Inventors: Arnaud Regnier, Stephan Niel, Francesco La Rosa