Patents by Inventor Franco Lentini

Franco Lentini 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: 7397290
    Abstract: A control voltage for a synchronous rectifying transistor is generated with the desired anticipation time. The anticipation time is continuously controlled with a closed-loop technique by comparing it with the duration of a reference pulse. The resulting error signal is processed and provides the necessary correction to the MOSFET gate signal to equalize the actual anticipation time to the duration of the reference pulse.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 12, 2006
    Date of Patent: July 8, 2008
    Assignee: STMicroelectronics S.r.l.
    Inventors: Fabrizio Librizzi, Franco Lentini
  • Publication number: 20060256597
    Abstract: A control voltage for a synchronous rectifying transistor is generated with the desired anticipation time. The anticipation time is continuously controlled with a closed-loop technique by comparing it with the duration of a reference pulse. The resulting error signal is processed and provides the necessary correction to the MOSFET gate signal to equalize the actual anticipation time to the duration of the reference pulse.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 12, 2006
    Publication date: November 16, 2006
    Applicant: STMicroelectronics S.r.l
    Inventors: Fabrizio Librizzi, Franco Lentini
  • Patent number: 6614131
    Abstract: A switched mode power supply having a first circuit provided with a primary winding of a transformer to which a pulse voltage is applied, a second circuit having a secondary winding of the transformer, a reactor provided with a magnetic core and which has a terminal connected to a terminal of the secondary winding, at least one filter provided with input and output terminals and a first diode connected in parallel to the input terminals of the filter is shown. The other terminal of the reactor is connected to a terminal of the first diode. The power supply includes a second diode that has a first terminal connected to the other terminal of the first diode and a second terminal connected to the other terminal of the secondary winding and a control circuit coupled to an output terminal of the filter and to the other terminal of the secondary winding. The control circuit generates a current able to reset the magnetic core of the reactor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 22, 2002
    Date of Patent: September 2, 2003
    Assignee: STMicroelectronics S.r.l.
    Inventors: Franco Lentini, Fabrizio Librizzi
  • Publication number: 20020114175
    Abstract: A switched mode power supply having a first circuit provided with a primary winding of a transformer to which a pulse voltage is applied, a second circuit having a secondary winding of the transformer, a reactor provided with a magnetic core and which has a terminal connected to a terminal of the secondary winding, at least one filter provided with input and output terminals and a first diode connected in parallel to the input terminals of the filter is shown. The other terminal of the reactor is connected to a terminal of the first diode. The power supply includes a second diode that has a first terminal connected to the other terminal of the first diode and a second terminal connected to the other terminal of the secondary winding and a control circuit coupled to an output terminal of the filter and to the other terminal of the secondary winding. The control circuit generates a current able to reset the magnetic core of the reactor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 22, 2002
    Publication date: August 22, 2002
    Applicant: STMicroelectronics S.r.l.
    Inventors: Franco Lentini, Fabrizio Librizzi
  • Patent number: 6418039
    Abstract: Presented is a circuit and method capable to digitally control and, in particular, to control the switching of one or two MOSFETs used as rectifiers in switched mode power supply isolated topologies. Basic circuit implementation of the presented technique is also introduced. A controller has a fixed frequency square wave signal main clock input, generically switching from a low to a high value in two different time intervals. The controller has one or two square wave outputs, swinging from low to high in phase or in opposite with respect to the clock signal. The digital control method is able to generate output signals timed to anticipate output transitions from high to low level with respect to the clock signal transitions. In the control scheme, one or two other secondary inputs set the amount of anticipation time of the respective transitions of the outputs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 9, 2001
    Date of Patent: July 9, 2002
    Assignee: STMicroelectronics, S.r.l.
    Inventors: Franco Lentini, Fabrizio Librizzi, Pietro Scalia, Ignazio Cala'
  • Publication number: 20020001204
    Abstract: Presented is a circuit and method capable to digitally control and, in particular, to control the switching of one or two MOSFETs used as rectifiers in switched mode power supply isolated topologies. Basic circuit implementation of the presented technique is also introduced. A controller has a fixed frequency square wave signal main clock input, generically switching from a low to a high value in two different time intervals. The controller has one or two square wave outputs, swinging from low to high in phase or in opposite with respect to the clock signal. The digital control method is able to generate output signals timed to anticipate output transitions from high to low level with respect to the clock signal transitions. In the control scheme, one or two other secondary inputs set the amount of anticipation time of the respective transitions of the outputs.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 9, 2001
    Publication date: January 3, 2002
    Inventors: Franco Lentini, Fabrizio Librizzi, Pietro Scalia, Ignazio Cala
  • Patent number: 5852382
    Abstract: A three-state CMOS output buffer circuit includes a final amplifier stage having a pull-up transistor and a pull-down transistor connected between a voltage supply and ground and having a common output node, and a control circuitry for driving the final amplifier stage including a first logic gate supplied with an input data signal and an enable/disable signal for activating a three-state mode in which the pull-up transistor and the pull-down transistor are both deactivated, the first logic gate driving the pull-up transistor, a second logic gate supplied with said input data signal and enable/disable signal, the second logic gate driving the pull-down transistor. The pull-up transistor has a bulk electrode connected to a switchable bulk line; an auxiliary circuit is provided which as long as a voltage of the output node is not higher than said supply voltage keeps said switchable bulk line connected to the voltage supply.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 1996
    Date of Patent: December 22, 1998
    Assignee: Consorzio per la Ricerca sulla Microelettronica nel Mezzogiorno
    Inventors: Franco Lentini, Giorgio Catanzaro