Patents by Inventor Paolo Nora

Paolo Nora 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).

  • Publication number: 20230318438
    Abstract: One or more examples relate, generally, to providing timing signals to gate drivers of a converter. An example apparatus for providing timing signals to gate drivers of a converter includes a circuit that includes a timing input, and a plurality of outputs. The timing input may receive an incoming timing signal. The plurality of outputs may couple to a respective plurality of gate drivers to control an output voltage of a converter. The circuit may provide respective timing signals, at respective ones of the plurality of outputs at least partially responsive to the incoming timing signal, the respective timing signals synchronized such that like edges of the respective timing signals coincide.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 7, 2023
    Publication date: October 5, 2023
    Inventors: Paolo Nora, Isaac Terasuth Ko, Claudiu Patru
  • Patent number: 11575318
    Abstract: Various embodiments relate to a voltage converter including a control unit configured for operating in a hysteretic control mode. A control unit may be configured to receive a PWM signal, a duty cycle signal, at least one reference voltage, a factor of an output voltage of the voltage converter, and a factor of an input voltage of the voltage converter. The control unit may also be configured to compare the at least one reference voltage to the factor of the output voltage and the factor of the input voltage. Further, the control unit may be configured to generate a first control signal mirroring the PWM signal in response to at least one of: the factor of the input voltage being greater than the at least one reference voltage and the factor of the output voltage being greater than the at least one reference voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 17, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 7, 2023
    Assignee: Microchip Technology Incorporated
    Inventors: Alex Hsu, Paolo Nora
  • Publication number: 20210083579
    Abstract: Various embodiments relate to a voltage converter including a control unit configured for operating in a hysteretic control mode. A control unit may be configured to receive a PWM signal, a duty cycle signal, at least one reference voltage, a factor of an output voltage of the voltage converter, and a factor of an input voltage of the voltage converter. The control unit may also be configured to compare the at least one reference voltage to the factor of the output voltage and the factor of the input voltage. Further, the control unit may be configured to generate a first control signal mirroring the PWM signal in response to at least one of: the factor of the input voltage being greater than the at least one reference voltage and the factor of the output voltage being greater than the at least one reference voltage.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 17, 2020
    Publication date: March 18, 2021
    Inventors: Alex Hsu, Paolo Nora
  • Patent number: 10756627
    Abstract: A switch mode power supply (voltage converter) is adapted as a current-mode control buck regulator for different loading conditions. The voltage converter operates in a continuous conduction mode (CCM) during heavy load conditions using pulse width modulation (PWM). When a zero-current detector determines no inductor current during light load conditions (discontinuous conduction mode (DCM) region), the controller initiates adaptive duty control using pulse frequency modulation (PFM). Adaptive duty estimation circuitry provides controllable energy to charge the power inductor to maintain voltage accuracy and maximize efficiency when in the PFM mode. Using clock synchronization and a single control-loop, smooth transition between PFM, PWM, and bypass modes is automatically performed. Clock synchronization from a master oscillator provides a base for frequency division in different operation modes which gives controllable evenly distributed switching harmonics.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 11, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 25, 2020
    Assignee: MICROCHIP TECHNOLOGY INCORPORATED
    Inventors: Alex Hsu, Sam Tsui, Paolo Nora, Tsz Yin Man
  • Publication number: 20190081546
    Abstract: A switch mode power supply (voltage converter) is adapted as a current-mode control buck regulator for different loading conditions. The voltage converter operates in a continuous conduction mode (CCM) during heavy load conditions using pulse width modulation (PWM). When a zero-current detector determines no inductor current during light load conditions (discontinuous conduction mode (DCM) region), the controller initiates adaptive duty control using pulse frequency modulation (PFM). Adaptive duty estimation circuitry provides controllable energy to charge the power inductor to maintain voltage accuracy and maximize efficiency when in the PFM mode. Using clock synchronization and a single control-loop, smooth transition between PFM, PWM, and bypass modes is automatically performed. Clock synchronization from a master oscillator provides a base for frequency division in different operation modes which gives controllable evenly distributed switching harmonics.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 11, 2018
    Publication date: March 14, 2019
    Applicant: Microchip Technology Incorporated
    Inventors: Alex Hsu, Sam Tsui, Paolo Nora, Tsz Yin Man
  • Patent number: 9467051
    Abstract: A switching regulator using current mode control and adaptive slope compensation includes a DC correction circuit to introduce a DC correction signal to cancel the DC offset error generated by the slope compensation signal. In some embodiments, the DC correction signal is a function of the input voltage and the output voltage and is applied in response to the slope compensation signal being applied. In one embodiment, the DC correction signal is a linear function of the input voltage and the output voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 1, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 11, 2016
    Assignee: Micrel, Inc.
    Inventors: Ioan Stoichita, Paolo Nora, Charles Vinn, Bruce Larson
  • Patent number: 9214866
    Abstract: A power system for providing an output current at a regulated system output voltage includes a first power stage and a second power stage, each being a constant on-time (COT) controlled power converter. The first and second power stages generate respective first and second regulated output voltage having reduced or very small output ripple at a common output voltage node. The first and second power stages each includes a ripple injection circuit to inject a ripple signal to the feedback control circuit in each power stage. The power system further includes a current sharing control circuit configured to measure a first output current of the first power stage and a second output current of the second power stage, and to generate a control signal to modulate the feedback control circuit of the second power stage to force the second output current to equal to the first output current.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 21, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 15, 2015
    Assignee: Micrel, Inc.
    Inventor: Paolo Nora
  • Publication number: 20150200593
    Abstract: A switching regulator using current mode control and adaptive slope compensation includes a DC correction circuit to introduce a DC correction signal to cancel the DC offset error generated by the slope compensation signal. In some embodiments, the DC correction signal is a function of the input voltage and the output voltage and is applied in response to the slope compensation signal being applied. In one embodiment, the DC correction signal is a linear function of the input voltage and the output voltage.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 1, 2014
    Publication date: July 16, 2015
    Inventors: Ioan Stoichita, Paolo Nora, Charles Vinn, Bruce Larson
  • Publication number: 20140375288
    Abstract: A power system for providing an output current at a regulated system output voltage includes a first power stage and a second power stage, each being a constant on-time (COT) controlled power converter. The first and second power stages generate respective first and second regulated output voltage having reduced or very small output ripple at a common output voltage node. The first and second power stages each includes a ripple injection circuit to inject a ripple signal to the feedback control circuit in each power stage. The power system further includes a current sharing control circuit configured to measure a first output current of the first power stage and a second output current of the second power stage, and to generate a control signal to modulate the feedback control circuit of the second power stage to force the second output current to equal to the first output current.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 21, 2013
    Publication date: December 25, 2014
    Inventor: Paolo Nora
  • Patent number: 7898830
    Abstract: An apparatus, such as a Buck converter system, for generating an output voltage while at the same time monitoring whether an overload or over current condition occurs at the output, and protecting the system if the overload or over current condition occurs. The apparatus includes a first circuit adapted to monotonically change a control voltage from a first voltage (e.g., approximately ground potential) towards a second voltage (e.g., a reference voltage VREF); a second circuit adapted to generate the output voltage based on the control voltage; a third circuit adapted to detect whether a magnitude of an output current exceeds a current threshold; and a fourth circuit adapted to change the control voltage from the second voltage towards the first voltage in response to the third circuit detecting that the magnitude of the output current exceeds the current threshold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 24, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2011
    Assignee: Maxim Integrated Products, Inc.
    Inventors: Charles A. Casey, Federico Piccitto, Paolo Nora, Marcello Criscione
  • Patent number: 6346798
    Abstract: A modular power supply system includes DC—DC converters connected n parallel and functioning in a PWM mode. The modular power supply system controls current sharing among the DC—DC converters using a single wire current sharing control bus that drives in parallel the inputs of all the DC—DC converters. The output of each DC—DC converter is applied to a logic OR circuit. Each converter has an identical logic circuit between its output and the single wire current sharing control bus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 2000
    Date of Patent: February 12, 2002
    Assignee: STMicroelectronics S.r.l.
    Inventors: Marco Passoni, Paolo Nora, Enrico Dallago, Gabriele Sassone
  • Patent number: 5920471
    Abstract: A method for preparing power factor control integrated circuits which generate linear pulse width modulation (PWM) waveforms is presented. The method of pulse width modulation waveform generation involves providing a capacitor; fast charging the capacitor; and controlling a discharge rate of the capacitor to ensure a constant switching period and a linear PWM waveform. The method is applicable for any single-phase ac/dc converter topology that performs power factor correction. Unlike conventional techniques which utilize three feedback loops, the method of the present invention reduces the total number of feedback loops to two, eliminates input voltage sensing and achieves the same objective. This method results in significant integrated circuit simplification, such as elimination of multiplier, squarer and divider circuits in the control integrated circuit and reduces the cost of the integrated circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 1997
    Date of Patent: July 6, 1999
    Assignees: SGS-Thomson Microelectronics, SRL, Virginia Tech Intellectual Properties, Inc.
    Inventors: Jayendar Rajagopalan, Paolo Nora, Fred C. Lee