Patents by Inventor Mirko Bernardoni
Mirko Bernardoni 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: 11955957Abstract: In accordance with an embodiment, a circuit for driving an electronic switch includes a control circuit configured to trigger a switch-on and a switch-off of the electronic switch in accordance with an input signal, wherein the control circuit is further configured to trigger the switch-off of the electronic switch in response to an under-voltage signal signaling an under-voltage state; and an under-voltage detection circuit configured to signal the under-voltage state when a supply voltage received at a supply node is below an under-voltage threshold value, wherein the under-voltage threshold value depends on a load current passing through the electronic switch.Type: GrantFiled: November 16, 2021Date of Patent: April 9, 2024Assignee: Infineon Technologies AGInventors: Christian Djelassi-Tscheck, Michael Asam, Mirko Bernardoni, David Jacquinod, Andre Mourrier, Mario Tripolt
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Patent number: 11843238Abstract: According to an embodiment, a current monitoring circuit includes a signal shaping unit configured to receive a current sense signal and provide a modified current signal; a filter configured to receive the modified current signal and to provide a respective filtered signal; a comparator configured to receive the filtered signal and a threshold value and to indicate when the filtered signal exceeds the threshold value. The signal shaping unit is configured to calculate a level of the modified current signal from a corresponding level of the current sense signal in accordance with non-linear function.Type: GrantFiled: October 19, 2021Date of Patent: December 12, 2023Assignee: Infineon Technologies AGInventors: Michael Asam, Mirko Bernardoni, David Jacquinod, Louis Janinet, Andre Mourrier
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Patent number: 11527881Abstract: A circuit includes a monitor circuit. The monitor circuit includes a nonlinear functional unit configured to receive a current sense signal and to generate a power signal representing the power of the current sense signal. The circuit further includes a first filter configured to receive the power signal and to generate a first filtered signal and a second filter configured to receive an input signal that depends on the current sense signal and to generate a second filtered signal. A comparator circuit is configured to receive the first filtered signal and the second filtered signal and to compare the first filtered signal with a first threshold value and the second filtered signal with a second threshold value. The protection signal is indicative of whether the first filtered signal exceeds the first threshold value or the second filtered signal exceeds the second threshold value.Type: GrantFiled: July 28, 2021Date of Patent: December 13, 2022Assignee: Infineon Technologies AGInventors: Mirko Bernardoni, Michael Asam, Christian Djelassi-Tscheck, Robert Illing, Martin Ringswirth, Mario Tripolt
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Patent number: 11405032Abstract: An integrated circuit that may be employed as a smart switch is described herein. In accordance with one embodiment the integrated circuit includes a power transistor coupled between a supply pin and an output pin and a current sensing circuit coupled to the power transistor and configured to generate a current sense signal indicative of a load current passing through the power transistor. The integrated circuit further comprises a monitor circuit configured to receive the current sense signal and to provide a protection signal based on the current sense signal and a threshold value, wherein the monitor circuit includes a filter that is configured to receive a filter input signal that depends on the current sense signal. The filter has a transfer characteristic with two or more time constants.Type: GrantFiled: July 8, 2020Date of Patent: August 2, 2022Assignee: Infineon Technologies AGInventors: Mirko Bernardoni, Robert Illing
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Publication number: 20220166422Abstract: In accordance with an embodiment, a circuit for driving an electronic switch includes a control circuit configured to trigger a switch-on and a switch-off of the electronic switch in accordance with an input signal, wherein the control circuit is further configured to trigger the switch-off of the electronic switch in response to an under-voltage signal signaling an under-voltage state; and an under-voltage detection circuit configured to signal the under-voltage state when a supply voltage received at a supply node is below an under-voltage threshold value, wherein the under-voltage threshold value depends on a load current passing through the electronic switch.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 16, 2021Publication date: May 26, 2022Inventors: Christian Djelassi-Tscheck, Michael Asam, Mirko Bernardoni, David Jacquinod, Andre Mourrier, Mario Tripolt
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Publication number: 20220140594Abstract: According to an embodiment, a current monitoring circuit includes a signal shaping unit configured to receive a current sense signal and provide a modified current signal; a filter configured to receive the modified current signal and to provide a respective filtered signal; a comparator configured to receive the filtered signal and a threshold value and to indicate when the filtered signal exceeds the threshold value. The signal shaping unit is configured to calculate a level of the modified current signal from a corresponding level of the current sense signal in accordance with non-linear function.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 19, 2021Publication date: May 5, 2022Inventors: Michael Asam, Mirko Bernardoni, David Jacquinod, Louis Janinet, Andre Mourrier
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Publication number: 20220069560Abstract: A circuit includes a monitor circuit. The monitor circuit includes a nonlinear functional unit configured to receive a current sense signal and to generate a power signal representing the power of the current sense signal. The circuit further includes a first filter configured to receive the power signal and to generate a first filtered signal and a second filter configured to receive an input signal that depends on the current sense signal and to generate a second filtered signal. A comparator circuit is configured to receive the first filtered signal and the second filtered signal and to compare the first filtered signal with a first threshold value and the second filtered signal with a second threshold value. The protection signal is indicative of whether the first filtered signal exceeds the first threshold value or the second filtered signal exceeds the second threshold value.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 28, 2021Publication date: March 3, 2022Inventors: Mirko Bernardoni, Michael Asam, Christian Djelassi-Tscheck, Robert Illing, Martin Ringswirth, Mario Tripolt
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Patent number: 11018664Abstract: An integrated circuit that may be employed as a smart switch. The integrated circuit includes a first part of a semiconductor switch coupled between a supply node and an output node and configured to provide a first current path in accordance with a first drive signal. The integrated circuit further includes a second part of the semiconductor switch coupled between the supply node and the output node and configured to provide a second current path in accordance with a second drive signal. The integrated circuit includes a drive circuit configured to generate, in response to a switch-on command, the first drive signal and the second drive signal such that the first part of the semiconductor switch and the second part of the semiconductor switch are alternatingly switched on and off. During an overlap period, both the first and the second part of the semiconductor switch are in an on-state.Type: GrantFiled: July 8, 2020Date of Patent: May 25, 2021Assignee: Infineon Technologies AGInventors: Mirko Bernardoni, Christian Djelassi-Tscheck
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Publication number: 20210050848Abstract: An integrated circuit that may be employed as a smart switch is described herein. In accordance with one embodiment the integrated circuit includes a power transistor coupled between a supply pin and an output pin and a current sensing circuit coupled to the power transistor and configured to generate a current sense signal indicative of a load current passing through the power transistor. The integrated circuit further comprises a monitor circuit configured to receive the current sense signal and to provide a protection signal based on the current sense signal and a threshold value, wherein the monitor circuit includes a filter that is configured to receive a filter input signal that depends on the current sense signal. The filter has a transfer characteristic with two or more time constants.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 8, 2020Publication date: February 18, 2021Inventors: Mirko Bernardoni, Robert Illing
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Publication number: 20210050851Abstract: An integrated circuit that may be employed as a smart switch. The integrated circuit includes a first part of a semiconductor switch coupled between a supply node and an output node and configured to provide a first current path in accordance with a first drive signal. The integrated circuit further includes a second part of the semiconductor switch coupled between the supply node and the output node and configured to provide a second current path in accordance with a second drive signal. The integrated circuit includes a drive circuit configured to generate, in response to a switch-on command, the first drive signal and the second drive signal such that the first part of the semiconductor switch and the second part of the semiconductor switch are alternatingly switched on and off. During an overlap period, both the first and the second part of the semiconductor switch are in an on-state.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 8, 2020Publication date: February 18, 2021Inventors: Mirko Bernardoni, Christian Djelassi-Tscheck