Patents Assigned to STMicroelectronics (Alps) SAS
  • Publication number: 20200194397
    Abstract: An integrated circuit chip includes a front face having an electrical connection pad. An overmolded encapsulation block encapsulates the integrated circuit chip and includes a front layer at least partially covering a front face of the integrated circuit chip. A through-hole the encapsulation block is located above the electrical connection pad of the integrated circuit chip. A wall of the through-hole is covered with an inner metal layer that is joined to the front pad of the integrated circuit chip. A front metal layer covers a local zone of the front face of the front layer, with the front metal layer being joined to the inner metal layer to form an electrical connection. The inner metal layer and the front metal layer are attached or anchored to activated additive particles that are included in the material of the encapsulation block.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 5, 2019
    Publication date: June 18, 2020
    Applicants: STMicroelectronics (Grenoble 2) SAS, STMicroelectronics (Alps) SAS
    Inventors: Romain COFFY, Patrick LAURENT, Laurent SCHWARTZ
  • Patent number: 10670666
    Abstract: A circuit includes, in series between a first terminal and a second terminal of application of a power supply voltage, and first and second branches. The first branch includes a first transistor and a first current source coupled to the first transistor. The second branch includes a resistive element, a second transistor coupled to the resistive element and forming a current mirror with the first transistor and a second current source coupled to the second transistor. The resistive element conditions a threshold of detection of a variation of the power supply voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 27, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 2, 2020
    Assignee: STMICROELECTRONICS (ALPS) SAS
    Inventors: Bruno Leduc, Pascal Bernon, Stephane Clin
  • Patent number: 10673447
    Abstract: An N-bit type charge redistribution analog-to-digital conversion device includes an input terminal configured to receive an input signal and coupled via a line to an output terminal. The output terminal is configured to be coupled to a comparator. The device further includes three reference potential sources of different values and a network of capacitors, where a first terminal of each capacitor is coupled to the line, and where a second terminal of each capacitor is coupled to switching circuit configured for coupling the second terminal of each capacitor to one of the reference potentials.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 6, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 2, 2020
    Assignee: STMICROELECTRONICS (ALPS) SAS
    Inventor: Laurent Vaccariello
  • Patent number: 10634705
    Abstract: A first resistor and a second resistor are coupled in series between a voltage source and an active load. When the current drawn by the active load exceeds a current threshold corresponding to a maximum admissible voltage drop across the first resistor, a stabilization current is delivered to the node common to the series coupled first and second resistors in such a way as to stabilize the voltage on the terminals of the active load at a threshold value. In the presence of such a current in excess of the current threshold, the current consumed by the active load is measured from the voltage drop across the second resistor. Conversely, if the current is less than the current threshold, the current consumed by the active load is measured from the voltage drop across the first resistor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 28, 2020
    Assignee: STMicroelectronics (Alps) SAS
    Inventor: Patrick Almosnino
  • Publication number: 20200119430
    Abstract: An electronic device includes a support plate having a mounting face and an electrical connection network. An integrated circuit chip is mounted on the mounting face and linked to the electrical connection network. An encapsulation block embeds the integrated circuit chip. An additional element made of an electrically conductive material is at least partly embedded within the encapsulation block. The additional conductive element has a main portion extending parallel to the support plate and has a secondary portion that is linked electrically to the integrated circuit chip. An opening is formed in the encapsulation block, and the secondary portion extends into that opening to make the electrical link. The additional conductive element may be an antenna.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 10, 2019
    Publication date: April 16, 2020
    Applicants: STMicroelectronics (Alps) SAS, STMicroelectronics (Grenoble 2) SAS
    Inventors: David AUCHERE, Laurent MARECHAL, Yvon IMBS, Laurent SCHWARZ
  • Patent number: 10607949
    Abstract: Electrostatic discharge (ESD) protection is provided by a circuit including a resistor having a first terminal and a second terminal, a zener diode having a cathode terminal directly connected to said first terminal and an anode terminal directly connected to a third terminal, and a clamp diode having a cathode terminal directly connected to said second terminal and an anode terminal directly connected to said third terminal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 30, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 31, 2020
    Assignees: STMicroelectronics (Alps) SAS, STMicroelectronics SA
    Inventors: Yves Mazoyer, Philippe Galy, Philippe Sirito-Olivier
  • Patent number: 10593361
    Abstract: A method for transmitting and/or receiving a potential aggressor audio signal includes a transmission and/or a reception of successive groups of data timed by a first clock signal within respective successive frames synchronized by a second clock signal. In the presence of a risk of interference of the potential aggressor audio signal with a different, potential victim, signal, during the transmission or reception of the potential aggressor audio signal, the frequency of the first clock signal is modified while keeping the frequency of the second clock signal unchanged.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 10, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 17, 2020
    Assignees: STMICROELECTRONICS (ROUSSET) SAS, STMICROELECTRONICS (ALPS) SAS
    Inventors: Jonathan Cottinet, Jean Claude Bini
  • Publication number: 20200081776
    Abstract: An error-correction code memory includes memory locations for storing data. The memory is programmed to store one or more intentionally invalid words. Testing of an error correction circuit for the memory is performed by accessing the one or more intentionally invalid words and performing an error detection and error correction operation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 5, 2019
    Publication date: March 12, 2020
    Applicants: STMicroelectronics (Grenoble 2) SAS, STMicroelectronics (Alps) SAS, STMicroelectronics (Rousset) SAS
    Inventors: Gerald BRIAT, Antoine DE-MUYNCK, Alessandro BASTONI, Stephane MARMEY
  • Patent number: 10580807
    Abstract: The present disclosure is directed to an image sensor including a pixel array of both range pixels and color pixels. Each range pixel (or range pixel area) may be associated with multiple adjacent color pixels, with each side of the range pixel immediately adjacent to at least two color pixels. The association between the range pixels and the color pixels may be dynamically configurable. The readings of a range pixel(s) and the associated color pixels may be integrated together in the generation of a 3D image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 24, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2020
    Assignees: STMicroelectronics, Inc., STMICROELECTRONICS (ALPS) SAS
    Inventors: Frederic Morestin, Alexandre Balmefrezol, Rui Xiao
  • Patent number: 10560092
    Abstract: A circuit for controlling a first plurality of transistors connected in parallel and a second plurality of transistors connected in parallel, includes: a first plurality of stages, a respective one of the first plurality of stages being configured to supply a first control signal to a respective one of the first plurality of transistors; and a second plurality of stages, a respective one of the second plurality of stages being configured to supply a second control signal to a respective one of the second plurality of transistors. An output current of the respective one of the first plurality of stages is regulated based on a difference between a first value representative of a sum of output currents of each stage of the first plurality of stages and a second value representative of a sum of set points assigned to the first plurality of stages.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 13, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 11, 2020
    Assignees: STMICROELECTRONICS, INC., STMICROELECTRONICS (ALPS) SAS, STMICROELECTRONICS S.R.L.
    Inventors: Vanni Poletto, David F. Swanson, Giovanni Luca Torrisi, Laurent Chevalier
  • Patent number: 10560020
    Abstract: A method can be used for compensating a voltage drop on a cable connected between a source device and a receiver device. The source device delivers an offset current on a channel configuration pin of the source device, the offset current causing an increase in a voltage on the channel configuration pin of the source device to a chosen reference voltage. The offset current is stored in the source device. The source device absorbs an absorption current originating from the channel configuration pin of the source device, the absorption current depending on the stored offset current and on the voltage drop. The source device generates a compensated supply voltage on a power supply pin of the source device, the compensated supply voltage equal to a reference supply voltage increased by the voltage drop to within a tolerance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 14, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 11, 2020
    Assignee: STMICROELECTRONICS (ALPS) SAS
    Inventor: Alexandre Pons
  • Patent number: 10534389
    Abstract: In some embodiments, a Miller compensation and stabilization device for a feedback control loop includes a capacitor and a control circuit. The capacitor has a first terminal configured to be coupled to an output of a comparator of the feedback control loop and a second terminal. The control circuit is coupled to the second terminal of the capacitor and is configured to control, in response to a voltage applied to a setpoint input of the feedback control loop, a first voltage across the first and second terminals of the capacitor by controlling a value of a potential of the second terminal of the capacitor such that the first voltage is lower than a threshold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 13, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 14, 2020
    Assignee: STMicroelectronics (Alps) SAS
    Inventor: Kuno Lenz
  • Patent number: 10522899
    Abstract: An electronic device includes a support plate having a mounting face and an electrical connection network. An integrated circuit chip is mounted on the mounting face and linked to the electrical connection network. An encapsulation block embeds the integrated circuit chip. An additional element made of an electrically conductive material is at least partly embedded within the encapsulation block. The additional conductive element has a main portion extending parallel to the support plate and has a secondary portion that is linked electrically to the integrated circuit chip. An opening is formed in the encapsulation block, and the secondary portion extends into that opening to make the electrical link. The additional conductive element may be an antenna.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 31, 2019
    Assignees: STMicroelectronics (Grenoble 2) SAS, STMicroelectronics (Alps) SAS
    Inventors: David Auchere, Laurent Marechal, Yvon Imbs, Laurent Schwarz
  • Patent number: 10520554
    Abstract: A circuit includes an amplifier having a first power terminal configured to be coupled to a supply voltage and a second power terminal configured to be coupled to a reference potential. The circuit further includes a first impedance element coupled between a first input terminal of the amplifier and a first output terminal of the amplifier. The circuit additionally includes a second impedance element coupled between the first input terminal and the reference potential. The amplifier is configured to output a first voltage at a second output terminal of the amplifier in response to the supply voltage being greater than an output voltage at the first output terminal of the amplifier. The amplifier is further configured to output a second voltage at the second output terminal of the amplifier in response to the supply voltage being less than the output voltage at the first output terminal of the amplifier.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 6, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 31, 2019
    Assignees: STMICROELECTRONICS (ALPS) SAS, STMICROELECTRONICS (GRENOBLE 2) SAS
    Inventors: Vratislav Michal, Michel Ayraud
  • Patent number: 10524209
    Abstract: A local oscillator device includes an oscillator module including a first inductive element and a capacitive element coupled in parallel with the inductive element. A frequency divider is coupled to the oscillator module for delivering a local oscillator signal. The local oscillator device includes an autotransformer including the first inductive element and two second inductive elements respectively coupled to the terminals of the first inductive element and to two output terminals of the autotransformer, the output terminals being further coupled to input terminals of the frequency divider.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 31, 2019
    Assignees: STMicroelectronics (Grenoble 2) SAS, STMicroelectronics (Alps) SAS
    Inventors: Michel Ayraud, Serge Ramet, Philippe Level
  • Patent number: 10514749
    Abstract: A system on a chip includes at least one integrated circuit that is configured to operate at least at one operating point. A monitoring circuit acquires at least the cumulative duration of activity of the at least one integrated circuit. An evaluation circuit establish at least one instantaneous state of aging of the at least one integrated circuit based on the at least one cumulative duration of activity. An adjustment circuit operates to change the at least one operating point on the basis of the at least one state of aging of the at least one integrated circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 24, 2019
    Assignees: STMicroelectonics (Crolles 2) SAS, STMicroelectronics (Alps) SAS, STMicroelectronics SA
    Inventors: Vincent Huard, Silvia Brini, Chittoor Parthasarathy
  • Patent number: 10492281
    Abstract: The power supply device comprises a supply transistor commanded by a command signal and providing electric power to a lighting module, and a driving means configured to selectively generate, depending on an instruction signal representative of the structure of said at least one lighting module, a first command signal able to command the supply transistor into an ohmic regime, a second command signal able to command the supply transistor into a pulse width modulation regime involving an alternation of ohmic regimes and blocked regimes, and a third command signal able to command the supply transistor into a saturated regime.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 26, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 26, 2019
    Assignees: STMicroelectronics (Alps) SAS, STMicroelectronics Application GmbH, STMicroelectronics S.r.l.
    Inventors: Philippe Sirito-Olivier, Giovanni Luca Torrisi, Manuel Gaertner, Fritz Burkhardt
  • Patent number: 10423179
    Abstract: A low dropout voltage regulator unit includes an error amplifier and a power stage having an output terminal that is looped back onto the error amplifier and is capable of delivering an output current to a load. The unit includes multiple main supply inputs that are intended to potentially receive, respectively, multiple different supply voltages. The power stage includes multiple power paths that are connected, respectively, between the main supply inputs and the output terminal, are individually selectable and each comprise an output transistor. The unit also includes a selector circuit connected to the main supply inputs and configured to select one of the power paths according to a selection criterion. The error amplifier includes an output stage configured to selectively control the output transistor of the selected power path.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 11, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 24, 2019
    Assignee: STMicroelectronics (Alps) SAS
    Inventor: Alexandre Pons
  • Patent number: 10368028
    Abstract: A video and/or audio decoder provided with a first terminal for supplying an analog audio and/or video signal, including: a first circuit capable of supplying a digital signal which is an image of said analog signal; a digital-to-analog converter capable of receiving as an input said digital signal; an amplifier coupling a second output terminal of the digital-to-analog converter to the first terminal; and a second circuit capable of comparing a signal representative of the voltage or current level on the first terminal with a reference signal, and of deducing therefrom whether the first terminal is connected or not to an analog input terminal of a video signal display and/or audio signal playing device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 5, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 30, 2019
    Assignee: STMicroelectronics (Alps) SAS
    Inventor: Serge Hembert
  • Patent number: 10359800
    Abstract: An integrated circuit includes a first stage configured to receive a bias current. A current regulation loop includes a transimpedance amplifier having a first transistor, and a second transistor having a gate coupled to a gate of the first transistor. The first transistor and the second transistor are configured to compare the bias current with a reference current, and to generate a regulation voltage on an output node of the transimpedance amplifier. A capacitor is coupled between the output node of the transimpedance amplifier and the gates of the first and second transistors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 23, 2019
    Assignees: STMicroelectronics (Grenoble 2) SAS, STMicroelectronics (Alps) SAS
    Inventors: Serge Ramet, Sandrine Nicolas, Danika Perrin, Cedric Rechatin