Patents Assigned to STMicroelectronics A.A.
  • Publication number: 20110291286
    Abstract: An electronic device including a die-pad area, a die fixed to the die-pad area, a connection terminal, and a ribbon of conductive material. The ribbon is electrically connected to the die and to the connection terminal, and has a prevalent dimension along a first axis, a width, measured along a second axis, which is transverse to the first axis, and a thickness, which is negligible with respect to the width; the ribbon moreover has a cross section that defines a concave geometrical shape.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 27, 2011
    Publication date: December 1, 2011
    Applicant: STMicroelectronics S.r.I.
    Inventors: Agatino Minotti, Giuseppe Cristaldi
  • Publication number: 20110291752
    Abstract: A circuit includes a high impedance direct current (DC) gate having a DC impedance higher than a maximum impedance DC above which dendrite growth occurs in the circuit, and a low impedance radio frequency (RF) gate having an RF impedance lower than a minimum impedance RF needed to ensure RF stability for the circuit for an application.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 15, 2010
    Publication date: December 1, 2011
    Applicant: STMicroelectronics, Inc.
    Inventor: John C. Pritiskutch
  • Publication number: 20110291199
    Abstract: The memory cell is of SRAM type with four transistors provided with a counter-electrode. It comprises a first area made from semiconductor material with a first transfer transistor and a first driver transistor connected in series, their common terminal defining a first electric node. A second transfer transistor and a second driver transistor are connected in series on a second area made from semiconductor material and their common terminal defines a second electric node. The support substrate comprises first and second counter-electrodes. The first and second counter-electrodes are located respectively facing the first and second semiconductor material areas. The first transfer transistor and second driver transistor are on a first side of a plane passing through the first and second electric nodes whereas the first driver transistor and second transfer transistor are on the other side of the plane.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 28, 2011
    Publication date: December 1, 2011
    Applicants: STMICROELECTRONICS (CROLLES 2) SAS, COMMISSARIAT A L'ENERGIE ATOMIQUE ET AUX ENERGIES ALTERNATIVES
    Inventors: Olivier THOMAS, Claire FENOUILLET-BÉRANGER, Philippe CORONEL, Stéphane DENORME
  • Publication number: 20110292059
    Abstract: A sink device having a display panel capable of performing a video frame self-refresh as directed by a source device is described. A source determines that a video frame will persist (i.e., remain the same). In this situation, the frame data does not need to be repeatedly transmitted over a main link between the source and sink devices. The main link can be turned off and transmission can cease for a certain time thereby reducing power usage by the devices or system as a whole. The source ensures that the last frame transmitted to the sink is correct by performing CRC checks and then instructs the sink, via certain bit settings in a video status indication symbol, to store the last transmitted frame in the sink's local buffer and use that frame to refresh the panel. The source can then disable the self-refresh when the frame changes.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 24, 2011
    Publication date: December 1, 2011
    Applicant: STMICROELECTRONICS, INC.
    Inventor: Osamu Kobayashi
  • Publication number: 20110291642
    Abstract: A system for power measurement in an electronic device includes a sensing unit, an analog-to-digital converter (ADC) and a controller. The sensing unit senses voltage across a power source and modulates a carrier signal based on the sensed voltage. The ADC converts a combination of the modulated carrier signal and audio signals received by the electronic device to generate a digitized combined signal and provides the digitized combined signal to the controller. The controller separates digitized modulated carrier signal and digitized audio signals. The digitized modulated carrier signal is demodulated to generate an output signal that provides a measure of the power consumed by the electronic device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 23, 2010
    Publication date: December 1, 2011
    Applicant: STMICROELECTRONICS PVT. LTD.
    Inventors: Surinder Pal SINGH, Kaushik SAHA
  • Patent number: 8069399
    Abstract: A method and system for decoding signals includes a transmitter configured for transmitting signals encoded with a mapping, with different and separable configurations in a real part and an imaginary part of the signal. The signals may be encoded according to a Gray or QAM mapping, and may be transmitted on a selective MIMO channel and/or multiplexed with an OFDM technique. The corresponding receiver is configured for decoding the real part and the imaginary part of the signals separately, and may include a filter for subjecting the encoded signals to a Wiener filtering and a MMSE detector for minimizing the mean-square error between the encoded signals and the result of the Wiener filtering. The receiver may also include a soft decoder for performing a soft estimation of the signals and cancelling, using the results of the soft estimation, an interference produced on the signals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 9, 2006
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2011
    Assignee: STMicroelectronics, S.r.l.
    Inventors: Fabio Osnato, Devis Gatti, Alessandro Tomasoni
  • Publication number: 20110289253
    Abstract: Transactions of the request/response type between a first circuit module and a second circuit module operating with incompatible protocols or interfaces envisage organizing a queue of memory locations for storing transaction information items and transaction identifiers associated to said transactions and implementing the transactions via operations of reading/writing of the locations in the queue, mapping on the transaction identifiers information for management of the queue.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 20, 2011
    Publication date: November 24, 2011
    Applicants: STMICROELECTRONICS S.r.l., STMICROELECTRONICS (GRENOBLE 2) SAS
    Inventors: Daniele Mangano, Ignazio Antonio Urzi
  • Publication number: 20110287363
    Abstract: A photolithographic process, wherein a photosensitive layer is formed on a surface of a body to be defined; the photosensitive layer is exposed through a photolithographic mask having zones with lower transparency and zones with higher transparency so as to obtain exposed portions and shielded portions of the photosensitive layer; selective portions of the photosensitive layer chosen between the exposed portions and the shielded portions of the photosensitive layer are removed; and portions of the body under the selective portions of the photosensitive layer are selectively removed. The composite layer includes photoresist and carbon nanotubes, which are embedded in the photoresist and extend in a direction generally transverse to, and in electrical contact with, the body.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 14, 2011
    Publication date: November 24, 2011
    Applicant: STMicroelectronics S.r.l.
    Inventors: Davide Giuseppe Patti, Daria Puccia
  • Publication number: 20110286375
    Abstract: This invention relates to switching power saving modes and rescheduling communication frames for various periods of a beacon interval (BI) defined under WGA Draft Specification 0.8 for the personal basic service set (PBSS) and infrastructure BSS to achieve further power savings and other advantages. Stations can be awake during a contention-based period (CBP) if it is in active state and can schedule frames during a service period (SP) to allow the assigned receiver to transmit to the assigned initiator. Stations in a group can schedule a group address frame to be sent during the CBP and group SP of a specific periodic BI. Stations in peer-to-peer connection may directly notify its peer stations of its power saving mode and wakeup schedule. Stations of an infrastructure basic service set (BSS) can also use the same power saving mechanism as stations of a PBSS noting a difference where each BI will be an access point's (AP's) awake BI.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 23, 2011
    Publication date: November 24, 2011
    Applicant: STMicroelectronics, Inc.
    Inventors: Liwen Chu, George A. Vlantis
  • Publication number: 20110286383
    Abstract: Processing method for modulated data transmitted in the form of multiplexed frames (Frame 1, . . . Frame 10) containing symbols that have a symbol frequency. The method comprises a frame selection processing operation performed at least partly at a working frequency below the symbol frequency, and a demodulation processing operation comprising at least a part performed at the working frequency on the selected frames.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 16, 2011
    Publication date: November 24, 2011
    Applicant: STMicroelectronics (Grenoble 2) SAS
    Inventor: Jacques Meyer
  • Publication number: 20110286421
    Abstract: A method for communications between neighboring wireless cells such as wireless regional area networks operating according to IEEE 802.22 specifications. The method involves scheduling inter-base station communications for over-the-air connections to allow neighboring base stations to communicate in environments where a single available channel is shared between the neighboring cells or where two or more channels used by two or more neighboring cells. In some embodiments, a bridge system, such as a bridge consumer premise equipment (CPE), positioned in an area of coverage overlap between two cells is used for inter-base station communications, and allocation and scheduling of bandwidth on the utilized channels is performed to provide interference free communications between the base stations. Existence announcements are provided in coexistence time slots and requests for bandwidth such as reserved and additional time slots are transmitted between the base stations using the coexistence time slots.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 29, 2011
    Publication date: November 24, 2011
    Applicant: STMicroelectronics, Inc.
    Inventor: Wendong Hu
  • Publication number: 20110289266
    Abstract: A solution for managing a storage device based on a flash memory is proposed. A corresponding method starts with the step for mapping a logical memory space of the storage device (including a plurality of logical blocks) on a physical memory space of the flash memory (including a plurality of physical blocks, which are adapted to be erased individually). The physical blocks include a set of first physical blocks (corresponding to the logical blocks) and a set of second—or spare—physical blocks (for replacing each bad physical block that is unusable). The method continues by detecting each bad physical block. Each bad physical block is then discarded, so to prevent using the bad physical block for mapping the logical memory space.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 2, 2011
    Publication date: November 24, 2011
    Applicants: STMICROELECTRONICS PVT. LTD., STMICROELECTRONICS S.R.L.
    Inventors: SUDEEP BISWAS, ANGELO DI SENA, DOMENICO MANNA
  • Publication number: 20110285370
    Abstract: An embodiment of a voltage conversion unit is proposed. The voltage conversion unit comprises a switching DC-DC converter including an input terminal for receiving an input voltage from a source, a control terminal adapted to receive a pulse width modulated driving signal oscillating at a first frequency, and an output terminal for providing to a load an output voltage generated from the input voltage according to the driving signal. The voltage conversion unit further comprises a switching control unit configured to receive the output voltage and a reference voltage and to set a duty cycle of the driving signal based on a comparison between the output voltage and the reference voltage. The switching DC-DC converter and the switching control unit form a feedback loop having a loop gain defining a corresponding operating bandwidth of the voltage conversion unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 9, 2011
    Publication date: November 24, 2011
    Applicant: STMICROELECTRONICS S.R.L.
    Inventor: Giovanni GRITTI
  • Patent number: 8064278
    Abstract: A non-volatile memory including a plurality of memory cells configured to store data and a plurality of redundant memory cells configured to be used for functionally replacing defective memory cells. The memory further includes a protection register comprising storage elements configured to store configuration data of the memory device. The storage elements of the protection register are redundant memory cells not being used to replace defective memory cells.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2011
    Assignee: STMicroelectronics S.r.l.
    Inventors: Chin-Tin Tina Yu, Rich E. Fackenthal, Duane Mills
  • Patent number: 8063729
    Abstract: A mode-switching transformer comprising a first line in common mode and a second line in differential mode, each line comprising two sections in series respectively coupled with one of the two sections of the other line and all sections having the same lengths, the common mode line being connected in series with a capacitor, to lower the central frequency of the transformer passband, the ?/4 lengths of the sections being chosen to correspond to a central frequency greater than the central frequency desired for the transformer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 2, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2011
    Assignee: STMicroelectronics, S.A.
    Inventor: Hilal Ezzeddine
  • Patent number: 8062976
    Abstract: A method is for forming a vertical interconnection through a dielectric layer between upper and lower electrically conductive layers of an integrated circuit. The method includes forming an opening through the dielectric layer and placing a solidifiable electrically conductive filler into the opening via a printing technique. The solidifiable electrically conductive filler is solidified to thereby form a solidified electrically conducting filler in the opening. A metallization layer is formed over the dielectric layer and the solidified electrically conducting filler to thereby form the vertical interconnection through the dielectric layer between the upper and lower electrically conductive layers of the integrated circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 27, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2011
    Assignee: STMicroelectronics S.R.L.
    Inventors: Raffaele Vecchione, Luigi Giuseppe Occhipinti, Nunzia Malagnino, Rossana Scaldaferri, Maria Viviana Volpe
  • Patent number: 8063693
    Abstract: A charge pump latch circuit is provided that includes at least one first and at least one second charge pump stage interconnected by an intermediate circuit node, and a stabilization stage connected to the intermediate circuit node and to control terminals of transistors of the first and second charge pump stages. The stabilization stage includes at least one first pair and at least one second pair of first and second enable terminals receiving suitable and distinct phase signals that ensure the turn-off of the stabilization stage during overlapping periods of the phase signals. Also provided is a method for using a stabilization stage to drive transistors in first and second charge pump stages that are interconnected by an intermediate circuit node.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 15, 2009
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2011
    Assignee: STMicroelectronics S.r.l.
    Inventors: Antonino Conte, Carmelo Ucciardello, Giovanni Matranga
  • Patent number: 8062595
    Abstract: A chip for nucleic acid analysis includes a body (2, 9), in which a detection chamber (7) is formed for accommodating nucleic acid probes (12, 12?). A waveguide (8) is integrated in the body (2, 9) is and is arranged at the bottom of the detection chamber (7) so that an evanescent wave (EW), produced at an interface (8a) of the waveguide (8) when a light radiation is conveyed within the waveguide (8), is irradiated towards the inside of the detection chamber (7). An apparatus for inspection of nucleic acid probes includes: a holder (22), on which a chip (1) for nucleic acid analysis is loaded, the chip containing nucleic acid probes (12, 12?); a light source (24) for supplying an excitation radiation to the nucleic acid probes (12, 12?); and an optical sensor (25) arranged so as to receive radiation coming from the nucleic acid probes (12, 12?).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 6, 2006
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2011
    Assignee: STMicroelectronics S.r.l.
    Inventors: Pier Paolo Pompa, Francesco Ferrara, Ross Rinaldi
  • Publication number: 20110278568
    Abstract: An embodiment of a manufacturing process of an integrated electronic circuit is proposed; the process comprises forming a substrate comprising a plurality of functional components of the electronic circuit, creating a plurality of conductive layers on such substrate to form an electric contact region with high hardness equal to or greater than a first hardness value of about 300 HV, contacting the electric contact region with a probe and running an electric test of the electronic circuit. In an embodiment, the process further comprises, after the test run, creating a covering conductive layer on at least one part of the electric contact region contacted by the probe.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 12, 2011
    Publication date: November 17, 2011
    Applicant: STMicroelectronics S.r.l.
    Inventor: Alberto PAGANI
  • Publication number: 20110278955
    Abstract: A MOSFET implemented self-powered current by-pass or circuit breaker device is based on the use of a high multiplication factor (HMF) inductive voltage booster, adapted to boost a voltage as low as few tens of mV up to several Volts, assisted by a start-up low multiplication factor (LMF) charge pump made with low threshold transistors for providing a supply voltage to a polarity inversion detecting comparator of the drain-to-source voltage difference of a power MOSFET connected in parallel to a DC source or string of series connected DC sources or battery, in series to other DC sources during normal operation of the parallel connected DC source or string of series connected DC sources or battery. The inductance for the high multiplication factor, inductive voltage booster for most of the considered power applications is on the order of a few pH and such a relatively send inductor may be included as a discrete component in a compact package or “system-in-package” of monolithically integrated circuits.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 28, 2011
    Publication date: November 17, 2011
    Applicant: STMicroelectronics S.r.l.
    Inventors: Tiziana Teresa Signorelli, Francesco Pulvirenti