Patents by Inventor John Brunel

John Brunel 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: 9190552
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a method for adjusting a bias voltage of a SPAD photodiode, comprising successive steps of: applying to the photodiode a first test bias voltage lower than a normal bias voltage applied to the photodiode in a normal operating mode, subjecting the photodiode to photons, reading a first avalanche triggering signal of the photodiode, applying to the photodiode a second test bias voltage, different from the first test bias voltage, subjecting the photodiode to photons, reading a second avalanche triggering signal of the photodiode, increasing the normal bias voltage if the first and second signals indicate that the photodiode did not avalanche trigger, and reducing the normal bias voltage if the first and second signals indicate that the photodiode did avalanche trigger.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 16, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 17, 2015
    Assignee: STMicroelectronics (Grenoble 2) SAS
    Inventors: John Brunel, Cedric Tubert
  • Patent number: 8841740
    Abstract: A single-photon avalanche diode assembly, the diode including a central terminal and a peripheral terminal, the peripheral terminal being connected to an input of a comparator and to a first power supply terminal by a first resistor, the central terminal being connected by a conductive track to a second power supply terminal, a second resistor being arranged in series on said conductive track.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 6, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 23, 2014
    Assignee: STMicroelectronics (Grenoble 2) SAS
    Inventors: John Brunel, Andrew Holmes
  • Publication number: 20130334411
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a method for adjusting a bias voltage of a SPAD photodiode, comprising successive steps of: applying to the photodiode a first test bias voltage lower than a normal bias voltage applied to the photodiode in a normal operating mode, subjecting the photodiode to photons, reading a first avalanche triggering signal of the photodiode, applying to the photodiode a second test bias voltage, different from the first test bias voltage, subjecting the photodiode to photons, reading a second avalanche triggering signal of the photodiode, increasing the normal bias voltage if the first and second signals indicate that the photodiode did not avalanche trigger, and reducing the normal bias voltage if the first and second signals indicate that the photodiode did avalanche trigger.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 16, 2013
    Publication date: December 19, 2013
    Inventors: John Brunel, Cedric Tubert
  • Patent number: 7843009
    Abstract: An integrated circuit is made of a semiconductor material and comprises an input and/or terminal connected to an output transistor forming a parasitic element capable of triggering itself under the effect of an electrostatic discharge applied to the terminal. The integrated circuit comprises a protection device formed so as to be biased at the same time as the parasitic element under the effect of an electrostatic discharge, and more than the parasitic element to evacuate a discharge current as a priority.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 26, 2007
    Date of Patent: November 30, 2010
    Assignee: STMicroelectronics SA
    Inventors: John Brunel, Nicolas Froidevaux
  • Publication number: 20080048208
    Abstract: An integrated circuit is made of a semiconductor material and comprises an input and/or output terminal connected to an output transistor forming a parasitic element capable of triggering itself under the effect of an electrostatic discharge applied to the terminal. The integrated circuit comprises a protection device formed so as to be biased at the same time as the parasitic element under the effect of an electrostatic discharge, and more than the parasitic element to evacuate a discharge current as a priority.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 26, 2007
    Publication date: February 28, 2008
    Applicant: STMICROELECTRONICS SA
    Inventors: John Brunel, Nicolas Froidevaux