Patents Assigned to STMicroelectronics Asia Pacific Pte. Ltd.
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Publication number: 20220140176Abstract: A method of making a light sensor module includes connecting a light sensing circuit to an interconnect on a substrate, and forming a cap. The cap is formed by producing a cap substrate from material opaque to light to have an opening formed therein, placing the cap substrate top-face down, dispensing a light transmissible material into the opening, compressing the light transmissible material using a hot tool to thereby cause the light transmissible material to fully flow into the opening to form at a light transmissible aperture, and placing the cap substrate into a curing environment. A bonding material is dispensed onto the substrate. The cap is picked up and placed onto the substrate positioned such that the light transmissible aperture is aligned with the light sensing circuit, with the bonding material bonding the cap to the substrate to thereby form the light sensor module.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 29, 2020Publication date: May 5, 2022Applicant: STMicroelectronics Asia Pacific Pte LtdInventors: Jaspreet Singh SIDHU, Tat Ming TEO
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Publication number: 20220140744Abstract: A bridge rectifier and associated control circuitry collectively form a “regtifier” which rectifies an input time varying voltage and regulates the rectified output voltage produced without the use of a traditional voltage regulator. To accomplish this, the gate voltages of transistors of the bridge rectifier that are on during a given phase may be modulated via analog control (to increase the on-resistance of those transistors) or via pulse width modulation (to turn off those transistors prior to the end of the phase). The transistors of the bridge rectifier that would otherwise be off during a given phase may be turned on to help dissipate excess power and thereby regulate the output voltage. This modulation is based upon both a voltage feedback signal and a current feedback signal.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 14, 2022Publication date: May 5, 2022Applicant: STMicroelectronics Asia Pacific Pte LtdInventor: Yannick GUEDON
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Techniques for using a touch screen to perform ear detection using emulated self capacitance sensing
Patent number: 11301097Abstract: A touch-screen-controller (TSC) performs mutual sensing to acquire touch strength values from a touch matrix formed by capacitively intersecting conductive lines. For each line, the TSC generates an emulated self capacitance value from an associated touch strength value based upon a position of that line compared to a location on the touch matrix adjacent to which a first touch type is expected to occur, and determines presence of the first touch type adjacent to the touch matrix based upon the emulated values. The emulated values for each conductive line may be weighted based upon its closeness to the location where the first touch type is expected to occur. The weighting may be zero if its associated conductive line is outside of the location where the first touch type is expected to occur, and may be one if inside of the location where the first touch type is expected to occur.Type: GrantFiled: April 14, 2021Date of Patent: April 12, 2022Assignee: STMicroelectronics Asia Pacific Pte LtdInventors: Kusuma Adi Ningrat, Cam Chung La -
Patent number: 11294504Abstract: A touch screen controller includes an input stage configured to receive and condition a touch output from a touch matrix to produce a touch signal. An accumulation stage is configured to receive the touch signal and accumulate the touch signal to produce an accumulated output. The accumulated output is digitized by an analog to digital converter to produce a touch strength value. A given amount of charge is subtracted from or added to accumulated output during a next accumulation if the touch strength value is greater than an upper threshold or less than a lower threshold. This avoids saturation of components in the touch screen controller and therefore increases the signal to noise ratio.Type: GrantFiled: December 5, 2019Date of Patent: April 5, 2022Assignee: STMicroelectronics Asia Pacific Pte LtdInventors: Yannick Guedon, Leonard Liviu Dinu, Hugo Gicquel
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Publication number: 20220103019Abstract: A wireless power circuit operable in transceiver mode and in Q-factor measurement mode includes a bridge rectifier having first and second inputs coupled to first and second terminals of a coil, and an output coupled to a rectified node. An excitation circuit coupled to the first terminal, in Q-factor measurement mode, drives the coil with a pulsed signal. A protection circuit couples the first terminal to a first node when in Q-factor measurement mode and decouples the first terminal when in transceiver mode. A controller causes the bridge rectifier to short the first and second terminals to ground during Q-factor measurement mode. A sensing circuit amplifies voltage at the first node to produce an output voltage, and in response to the voltage at the first node rising to cross a rising threshold voltage, digitizes the output voltage. The digitized output voltage is used in calculating a Q-factor of the coil.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 23, 2021Publication date: March 31, 2022Applicant: STMicroelectronics Asia Pacific Pte LtdInventors: Baranidharan KARUPPUSAMY, Thet Mon SANN, Kien Beng TAN, Supriya Raveendra HEGDE, Huiqiao HE, Teerasak LEE
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Publication number: 20220091164Abstract: A circuit includes a tank capacitor coupled between first and second nodes, and a sense resistor having a first terminal coupled to the first node and a second terminal coupled to a regulator input. A switching circuit has first and second inputs coupled to the first and second terminals of the sense resistor. A gain stage has first and second inputs capacitively coupled to first and second outputs of the switching circuit. An analog-to-digital converter receives the output of the gain stage, and receives first and second differential voltages. A reference voltage generator has a temperature independent current source coupled to source current to a reference resistor, the first differential reference voltage being formed across the reference resistor. The reference resistor and sense resistor are located sufficiently close to one another on a single common substrate such that they remain at substantially a same temperature.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 1, 2021Publication date: March 24, 2022Applicant: STMicroelectronics Asia Pacific Pte LtdInventors: Yannick GUEDON, Baris Volkan YILDIRIM, Teerasak LEE
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Patent number: 11271393Abstract: A wireless-power-system includes a bridge-rectifier having first and second inputs coupled to first and second terminals of a coil, and an output coupled to a rectified voltage node. An excitation circuit is coupled to the first input. A protection circuit has a first connection node capacitively coupled to the first terminal. The protection circuit, in Q-factor measurement mode, clamps the first connection node when the first input is coupled to ground, and connects the first connection node to the rectified voltage node when the first input is coupled to a supply voltage. The protection circuit, in wireless power mode, is acting as one leg of the rectifier. A pass gate circuit is coupled between the first connection node and a sense node, and a sensing circuit is coupled to the sense node and measures a Q-factor of the wireless power system when the protection circuit is in Q-factor measurement mode.Type: GrantFiled: August 31, 2020Date of Patent: March 8, 2022Assignee: STMicroelectronics Asia Pacific Pte LtdInventors: Supriya Raveendra Hegde, Yannick Guedon, Huiqiao He
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Publication number: 20220069570Abstract: A wireless-power-system includes a bridge-rectifier having first and second inputs coupled to first and second terminals of a coil, and an output coupled to a rectified voltage node. An excitation circuit is coupled to the first input. A protection circuit has a first connection node capacitively coupled to the first terminal. The protection circuit, in Q-factor measurement mode, clamps the first connection node when the first input is coupled to ground, and connects the first connection node to the rectified voltage node when the first input is coupled to a supply voltage. The protection circuit, in wireless power mode, is acting as one leg of the rectifier. A pass gate circuit is coupled between the first connection node and a sense node, and a sensing circuit is coupled to the sense node and measures a Q-factor of the wireless power system when the protection circuit is in Q-factor measurement mode.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 31, 2020Publication date: March 3, 2022Applicant: STMicroelectronics Asia Pacific Pte LtdInventors: Supriya Raveendra HEGDE, Yannick GUEDON, Huiqiao HE
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Patent number: 11255875Abstract: A sensor includes a MEMS element responsive to acceleration, an analog-to-digital converter coupled to an output of the MEMS element, and a free fall detector coupled to an output of the analog-to-digital converter. The free fall detector is configured to determine whether the sensor is in free fall based on acceleration information received from the analog-to-digital converter. A digital interface is coupled to the analog-to-digital converter and to an output of the free fall detector and is configured to issue an output related to free fall information determined by the free fall detector.Type: GrantFiled: February 18, 2020Date of Patent: February 22, 2022Assignee: STMICROELECTRONICS ASIA PACIFIC PTE LTD.Inventor: Heejun Kwak
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Patent number: 11251691Abstract: A high-side switching transistor of a rectifier circuit is driven by a high-side driver circuit to supply current to an output node. The high-side driver circuit is powered between a capacitive bootstrap node and the output node. A boot charge circuit charges the bootstrap capacitor by supplying current to the bootstrap node. The boot charge circuit includes: a first current path that selectively supplies a first charging current to the bootstrap node when the rectifier circuit is operating in a switching mode; and a second current path that selectively supplies a second charging current to the bootstrap node when the rectifier circuit is operating in a reset mode.Type: GrantFiled: September 3, 2020Date of Patent: February 15, 2022Assignee: STMicroelectronics Asia Pacific Pte LtdInventors: Supriya Raveendra Hegde, Yannick Guedon
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Patent number: 11243636Abstract: A method for operating an electronic device includes: having a touch sensitive display configured to be rolled into or unrolled out of a first retainment structure along a first direction. The first retainment structure includes a conductive material disposed within the first retainment structure.Type: GrantFiled: November 30, 2020Date of Patent: February 8, 2022Assignee: STMICROELECTRONICS ASIA PACIFIC PTE LTD.Inventors: Ju Hyun Son, Min Sang Kim, Yun Sang On, Sa Hyang Hong, Yong Hun Lee
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Publication number: 20220030667Abstract: An integrated circuit is provided having an active circuit. A heating element is adjacent to the active circuit and configured to heat the active circuit. A temperature sensor is also adjacent to the active circuit and configured to measure a temperature of the active circuit. A temperature controller is coupled to the active circuit and configured to receive a temperature signal from the temperature sensor. The temperature controller operates the heating element to heat the active circuit to maintain the temperature of the active circuit in a selected temperature range.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 10, 2021Publication date: January 27, 2022Applicants: STMICROELECTRONICS ASIA PACIFIC PTE LTD, STMICROELECTRONICS, INC.Inventors: Fuchao WANG, Olivier LENEEL, Ravi SHANKAR
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Publication number: 20220021241Abstract: Disclosed herein is a bridge rectifier and associated control circuitry collectively forming a “regtifier”, capable of both rectifying an input time varying voltage as well as regulating the rectified output voltage produced. To accomplish this, the gate voltages of transistors of the bridge rectifier that are on during a given phase may be modulated via analog control (to increase the on-resistance of those transistors) or via pulse width modulation (to turn off those transistors prior to the end of the phase). Alternatively or additionally, the transistors of the bridge rectifier that would otherwise be off during a given phase may be turned on to help dissipate excess power and thereby regulate the output voltage. A traditional voltage regulator, such as a low-dropout amplifier, is not used in this design.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 16, 2020Publication date: January 20, 2022Applicant: STMicroelectronics Asia Pacific Pte LtdInventor: Yannick GUEDON
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Publication number: 20210391752Abstract: A method of wirelessly transmitting power includes: causing a power transmission circuit to transmit, to a master power reception circuit, a portion of power it is capable of transmitting; adjusting operation of a slave power reception unit until a first rectified voltage produced by the master power reception circuit and a second rectified voltage produced by the slave power reception unit are equal; causing the power transmission circuit to transmit additional power to the slave power reception unit, resulting in the first and second rectified voltages being unequal; and adjusting operation of the slave power reception unit until the first and second rectified voltages are again equal. A dummy load is connected to the slave power reception unit prior to causing the power transmission circuit to transmit the additional power, and is disconnected once the first and second rectified voltages are equal.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 16, 2021Publication date: December 16, 2021Applicant: STMicroelectronics Asia Pacific Pte LtdInventor: Yannick GUEDON
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TECHNIQUES FOR USING A TOUCH SCREEN TO PERFORM EAR DETECTION USING EMULATED SELF CAPACITANCE SENSING
Publication number: 20210382576Abstract: A touch-screen-controller (TSC) performs mutual sensing to acquire touch strength values from a touch matrix formed by capacitively intersecting conductive lines. For each line, the TSC generates an emulated self capacitance value from an associated touch strength value based upon a position of that line compared to a location on the touch matrix adjacent to which a first touch type is expected to occur, and determines presence of the first touch type adjacent to the touch matrix based upon the emulated values. The emulated values for each conductive line may be weighted based upon its closeness to the location where the first touch type is expected to occur. The weighting may be zero if its associated conductive line is outside of the location where the first touch type is expected to occur, and may be one if inside of the location where the first touch type is expected to occur.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 14, 2021Publication date: December 9, 2021Applicant: STMicroelectronics Asia Pacific Pte LtdInventors: Kusuma Adi NINGRAT, Cam Chung LA -
Patent number: 11196301Abstract: A bridge rectifier is formed by a first transistor coupled between a regulator output and a first tap, a second transistor coupled between the regulator output and a second tap, a third transistor coupled between the first tap and ground, and a fourth transistor coupled between the second tap and ground. A first comparator circuit, when enabled, compares ground to a voltage at the first tap and asserts a first low-side control signal to turn on the third transistor when the voltage at the first tap is below ground, and, when reset, samples an offset of the first comparator circuit. A second comparator circuit, when enabled, compares ground to a voltage at second first tap and asserts a second low-side control signal to turn on the fourth transistor when the voltage at the second tap is below ground, and, when reset, samples an offset of the second comparator circuit.Type: GrantFiled: December 16, 2020Date of Patent: December 7, 2021Assignee: STMicroelectronics Asia Pacific Pte LtdInventor: Teerasak Lee
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Publication number: 20210372867Abstract: A strain gauge includes first and second substrates spaced apart from one another. A first flexible printed circuit board portion is in contact with a top side of the first and second substrates, and has a first Wheatstone bridge formed therein. The first flexible printed circuit board portion positions the first Wheatstone bridge such that two resistors of the first Wheatstone bridge are positioned to span from the top side of the first substrate to the top side of the second substrate. A second flexible printed circuit board portion is in contact with a bottom side of the first and second substrates, and has a second Wheatstone bridge formed therein. The second flexible printed circuit board positions the second Wheatstone bridge such that two resistors of the second Wheatstone bridge are positioned to span from the bottom side of the first substrate to the bottom side of the second substrate.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 29, 2020Publication date: December 2, 2021Applicant: STMicroelectronics Asia Pacific Pte LtdInventors: Min Sang KIM, Chan Hyuck YUN, Sa Hyang HONG, Ju Hyun SON
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Patent number: 11175319Abstract: A wireless-power-transmission-system includes a bridge with a tank-capacitor coupled thereto, a sense-resistor coupled between the bridge and an input of a regulator, a switching-circuit having first and second inputs coupled across the sense-resistor, and a gain-stage having first and second inputs capacitively coupled to first and second outputs of the switching-circuit. An ADC digitizes output of the gain-stage by comparing the output to a reference voltage, and a temperature-independent current source is coupled to a reference-resistor to generate the reference voltage. In a reset-phase, the switching-circuit shorts the inputs of the gain-stage to one another, and the gain-stage shorts its inputs to its output. The switching-circuit, in a first-chopping-phase, couples the sense-resistor between the first and second inputs of the gain-stage, and in a second-chopping-phase, couples the sense-resistor in reverse between the second and first inputs of the gain-stage.Type: GrantFiled: September 18, 2020Date of Patent: November 16, 2021Assignee: STMicroelectronics Asia Pacific Pte LtdInventors: Yannick Guedon, Baris Volkan Yildirim, Teerasak Lee
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Patent number: 11165286Abstract: A data demodulating circuit includes a sensing circuit sensing a power signal applied to a coil at first and second times, and outputting an analog value representing a difference in voltage of the power signal at the first and second times. An analog-to-digital converter digitizes the analog value output by the analog voltage differential sensing circuit to produce a digital code. A compensation circuit, over a period of time, compares a present value of the digital code to a first value of the digital code during the period, and subtracts a given value from the present value of the digital code if the present value is greater than the first value but add the given value to the present value of the digital code if the present value is less than the first value. An accumulator accumulates output of the compensation circuit, and a filter filters output of the accumulator.Type: GrantFiled: June 12, 2020Date of Patent: November 2, 2021Assignee: STMicroelectronics Asia Pacific Pte LtdInventors: Teerasak Lee, Chee Weng Cheong, Yannick Guedon, Eng Jye Ng
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Patent number: 11152822Abstract: A wireless-power-circuit is operable in transceiver-mode and Q-factor-measurement-mode, and includes a bridge coupled to a coil, and having an output coupled to a rectified-voltage node. An excitation circuit, when in Q-factor-measurement-mode, drives the coil with a pulsed signal. A protection circuit couples the coil to a first node when in Q-factor-measurement-mode and decouples the coil from the first node when in transceiver-mode. A Q-factor sensing circuit includes an amplifier having inputs coupled to the first node and a common mode voltage (Vcm), and generating an output signal having an output voltage. A comparator generates a comparison output indicating Vcm crossing of a voltage at the first terminal of the coil, a processing circuit generating an enable signal based upon the comparison output, and an analog-to-digital-converter, when enabled, digitizing the output voltage for use in calculating a Q-factor of the coil.Type: GrantFiled: September 30, 2020Date of Patent: October 19, 2021Assignee: STMicroelectronics Asia Pacific Pte LtdInventors: Baranidharan Karuppusamy, Thet Mon Sann, Kien Beng Tan, Supriya Raveendra Hegde, Huiqiao He, Teerasak Lee