Patents Assigned to STMicroelectronics Ltd.
  • Patent number: 11553164
    Abstract: A light projection system includes a microelectromechanical (MEMS) mirror configured to operate in response to a mirror drive signal and to generate a mirror sense signal as a result of the operation. A mirror driver is configured to generate the mirror drive signal in response to a drive control signal. A zero cross detector is configured to detect zero crosses of the mirror sense signal. A controller is configured to generate the drive control signal as a function of the detected zero crosses of the mirror sense signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 4, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2023
    Assignees: STMicroelectronics Ltd, STMicroelectronics S.r.l.
    Inventors: Massimo Ratti, Eli Yaser, Naomi Petrushevsky, Yotam Nachmias
  • Patent number: 11528456
    Abstract: A control system for a laser scanning projector includes a mirror controller generating horizontal and vertical mirror synchronization signals for an oscillating mirror apparatus based upon a mirror clock signal, and laser modulation circuitry. The laser modulation circuitry generates horizontal and vertical laser synchronization signals as a function of a received laser clock signal, and generates control signals for a laser that emits a laser beam that impinges on the oscillating mirror apparatus. Synchronization circuitry generates the laser clock signal and sends the laser clock signal to the laser modulation circuitry, receives the horizontal and vertical mirror synchronization signals from the mirror controller, receives the horizontal and vertical laser synchronization signals from the laser modulation circuitry, and modifies the laser clock signal so as to achieve alignment between the horizontal and vertical mirror synchronization signals and the horizontal and vertical laser synchronization signals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 2, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 13, 2022
    Assignee: STMicroelectronics Ltd
    Inventor: Elik Haran
  • Patent number: 11515805
    Abstract: A capacitive element has its terminals coupled together by two thyristors electrically in antiparallel. The discharge of the capacitive element is controlled by the application of a gate current to one thyristor of the two thyristors which is in a reverse-biased state in response to a voltage stored across the terminals of the capacitive element. The reverse-biased thyristor responds to the applied gate current by passing a leakage current to discharge the stored voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 13, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2022
    Assignee: STMicroelectronics LTD
    Inventor: Laurent Gonthier
  • Publication number: 20220369006
    Abstract: Provided is a device comprising a frequency demodulator and an amplitude demodulator. The device is configured to use, in a first mode, both the frequency demodulator and the amplitude demodulator in parallel and to activate a radio frequency identification (RFID) card mode or a Qi charger mode based on results provided by said demodulators.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 3, 2022
    Publication date: November 17, 2022
    Applicants: STMICROELECTRONICS LTD, STMICROELECTRONICS (ROUSSET) SAS, STMicroelectronics Razvoj Polprevodnikov D.O.O.
    Inventors: Nicolas CORDIER, Chia Hao CHEN, Karel BLAHA
  • Publication number: 20220360190
    Abstract: The present description concerns a converter comprising an AC-DC conversion stage comprising a first thyristor, a first power supply circuit delivering a first reference voltage between a first node and a second node, and a second power supply circuit delivering a second reference voltage between third and fourth nodes, the cathode of the first thyristor being coupled to the first node of the first power supply circuit by a first switch and being connected to the fourth node, the second power supply circuit comprising a first rectifying element coupled to the second node of the first power supply circuit and coupled to the third node.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 4, 2022
    Publication date: November 10, 2022
    Applicant: STMICROELECTRONICS LTD
    Inventor: Laurent GONTHIER
  • Publication number: 20220342205
    Abstract: Disclosed herein is a microelectromechanical (MEMS) device, including a rotor and a first piezoelectric actuator mechanically coupled to the rotor. The first piezoelectric actuator is electrically coupled between a first signal node and a common voltage node. A second piezoelectric actuator is mechanically coupled to the rotor, and is electrically coupled between a second signal node and the common voltage node. Control circuitry includes a drive circuit configured to drive the first and second piezoelectric actuators, a sense circuit configured to process sense signals generated by the first and second pizeoelectric actuators, and a multiplexing circuit. The multiplexing circuit is configured to alternate between connecting the drive circuit to the first piezoelectric actuator while connecting the sense circuit to the second piezoelectric actuator, and connecting the drive circuit to the second piezoelectric actuator while connecting the sense circuit to the first piezoelectric actuator.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 23, 2021
    Publication date: October 27, 2022
    Applicants: STMicroelectronics S.r.l., STMicroelectronics Ltd
    Inventors: Davide TERZI, Gianluca MENDICINO, Dadi SHARON
  • Patent number: 11474425
    Abstract: A control circuit includes a first control circuit generating a first drive control signal from a pre-drive signal (that is a frequency at which an opening angle of the first and second mirrors is equal) for the first mirror. A second control circuit generates a second drive control signal from the pre-drive signal for the second mirror. First and second drivers generate first and second drive signals for the first and second mirrors from the first and second drive control signals. The first and second drive control signals are generated so that the first and second drive signals each have a same frequency as the pre-drive signal but are different in amplitude from one another to cause the first and second mirrors to move at a same frequency, with a same and substantially constant given opening angle as one another, and in phase with one another.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 14, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2022
    Assignee: STMicroelectronics LTD
    Inventors: Eli Yaser, Guy Amor, Yotam Nachmias, Dadi Sharon, Sivan Nagola
  • Publication number: 20220239335
    Abstract: A method is provided that is implemented by a first NFC device configured in reader mode. The method includes evaluating an information about the coupling between the first NFC device and a second NFC device configured in card mode, as a function of the position of an antenna of the first NFC device with respect to an antenna of the second NFC device. The method further includes indicating the information by a user interface of the first device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 13, 2022
    Publication date: July 28, 2022
    Applicants: STMicroelectronics Ltd, STMicroelectronics (Rousset) SAS
    Inventors: Nicolas CORDIER, Chia-Hao CHEN
  • Publication number: 20220208819
    Abstract: The present disclosure is directed to a package that includes a transparent layer that is on and covers a sensor of a die as well as a plurality of electrical connections that extend from a first surface of the package to the second surface of the package opposite to the first surface. In at least one embodiment of a package, the electrical connections each include a conductive structure that extends through the transparent layer to a first side of a corresponding contact pad of the die, and at least one electrical that extends into the second surface of the die to a second side of the corresponding contact pad that is opposite to the first side. In at least another embodiment of a package, the electrical connections include a conductive structure that extends through a molding compound to a first side of a corresponding contact pad of the die, and at least one electrical via that extends into the second surface of the die to a second side of the corresponding contact pad opposite to the first side.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 20, 2021
    Publication date: June 30, 2022
    Applicants: STMICROELECTRONICS LTD, STMICROELECTRONICS PTE LTD
    Inventors: David GANI, Yiying KUO
  • Publication number: 20220140571
    Abstract: A compact optical package includes an RGB laser unit containing red, green, and blue laser diodes within a single package, with three lenses adjacent the RGB laser unit to collimate red, green, and blue laser light emitted by the red, green, and blue laser diodes. A beam combiner combines the red, green, and blue laser light into a single RGB laser beam and also outputs a lower power feedback beam. The compact optical package also includes a movable mirror apparatus, and a fixed folding mirror upon which the single RGB laser beam output by the beam splitter impinges and reflects the single RGB laser beam toward the movable mirror apparatus. The movable mirror apparatus directs the single RGB laser beam through an exit window and to scan the single RGB laser beam in a scan pattern to form at least one desired image on a target.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 29, 2020
    Publication date: May 5, 2022
    Applicant: STMicroelectronics Ltd
    Inventor: Alex DOMNITS
  • Publication number: 20220137400
    Abstract: An optical package includes a beam combiner that combines laser light from a laser unit into a single laser beam, a movable mirror apparatus, and a fixed folding mirror which reflects the single laser beam toward the movable mirror apparatus. Beam equalizer optics cause increase of a slow axis divergence rate of the single laser beam such that its slow axis divergence rate is equal to its fast axis divergence rate. The movable mirror apparatus directs the single laser beam through an exit window. The beam equalizer optics include at least one negative spherical lens shaped such that a slow axis divergence rate of incident light is increased but a fast axis divergence rate of incident light is unaltered.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 25, 2021
    Publication date: May 5, 2022
    Applicant: STMicroelectronics LTD
    Inventors: Alex DOMNITS, Shlomy ERLICH
  • Publication number: 20220123650
    Abstract: A circuit includes two thyristors coupled in anti-series. An AC capacitor has first and second electrodes respectively coupled to two different electrodes of the two thyristors. The first and second electrodes are coupled to receive an AC voltage. A control circuit detects discontinuance of application of the AC voltage to the AC capacitor and in response thereto simultaneously applies same gate currents to the two thyristors. A current path through the two thyristors (one passing current in forward mode and the other in reverse mode) discharges a residual voltage stored on the AC capacitor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 4, 2022
    Publication date: April 21, 2022
    Applicant: STMicroelectronics LTD
    Inventor: Laurent GONTHIER
  • Publication number: 20220103062
    Abstract: An AC capacitor is coupled to a totem-pole type PFC circuit. In response to detection of a power input disconnection, the PFC circuit is controlled to discharge the AC capacitor. The PFC circuit includes a resistor and a first MOSFET and a second MOSFET coupled in series between DC output nodes with a common node coupled to the AC capacitor. When the disconnection event is detected, one of the first and second MOSFETs is turned on to discharge the AC capacitor with a current flowing through the resistor and the turned on MOSFET. Furthermore, a thyristor may be simultaneously turned on, with the discharge current flowing through a series coupling of the MOSFET, resistor and thyristor. Disconnection is detected by detecting a zero-crossing failure of an AC power input voltage or lack of input voltage decrease or input current increase in response to MOSFET turn on for a DC input.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 13, 2021
    Publication date: March 31, 2022
    Applicants: STMicroelectronics (Tours) SAS, STMicroelectronics LTD
    Inventors: Ghafour BENABDELAZIZ, Laurent GONTHIER
  • Publication number: 20220094393
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a method for aligning a smartphone providing NFC wireless power for charging a battery of a device, the method comprising: emitting, with a first NFC antenna of the smartphone, an NFC field for wirelessly charging the battery of the device comprising a second NFC antenna; obtaining, with the smartphone, a measured value of a signal representative of the NFC field strength between the smartphone and the device; determining, by the smartphone, a range of values of a plurality of ranges of values the measured value belongs; and emitting, by the smartphone, at least one notification signal to a user with a frequency determined by the determined range of values.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 14, 2021
    Publication date: March 24, 2022
    Applicants: STMICROELECTRONICS LTD, STMICROELECTRONICS (ROUSSET) SAS
    Inventors: Chia Hao CHEN, Nicolas CORDIER
  • Patent number: 11271493
    Abstract: A rectifying bridge has a thyristor coupled in series with a rectifying element between a first rectified output terminal of a rectifying bridge circuit and a second rectified output terminal of the rectifying bridge circuit. A diode is coupled in series with a DC voltage source between a gate of the thyristor and the second rectified output terminal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 10, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 8, 2022
    Assignee: STMicroelectronics LTD
    Inventors: Laurent Gonthier, Yu Tsao Lin
  • Publication number: 20220059486
    Abstract: The present disclosure is directed to a die including a first contact with a first shape (e.g., a ring-shape contact) and second contact with a second shape different from the first shape (e.g., a cylindrical-shape contact). The first contact has an opening that extends through a central region of a surface of the first contact. A first solder portion is coupled to the surface of the first contact and the first solder portion has the first shape. A second solder portion is coupled to a surface of the second contact and the second solder portion has the second shape. The first solder portion and the second solder portion both have respective points furthest away from a substrate of the die. These respective points of the first solder portion and the second solder portion are co-planar with each other such that a standoff height of the die remains consistent when coupled to a PCB or an electronic component.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 16, 2021
    Publication date: February 24, 2022
    Applicant: STMICROELECTRONICS LTD
    Inventor: Cheng-Yang SU
  • Publication number: 20220051998
    Abstract: A fan-out wafer level package includes a semiconductor die with a redistribution layer on a sidewall of the semiconductor die. A redistribution layer positioned over the die includes an extended portion that extends along the sidewall. The semiconductor die is encapsulated in a molding compound layer. The molding compound layer is positioned between the extended portion of the redistribution layer and the sidewall of the semiconductor die. Solder contacts, for electrically connecting the semiconductor device to an electronic circuit board, are positioned on the redistribution layer. The solder contacts and the sidewall of the redistribution layer can provide electrical contact on two different locations. Accordingly, the package can be used to improve interconnectivity by providing vertical and horizontal connections.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 28, 2021
    Publication date: February 17, 2022
    Applicant: STMICROELECTRONICS LTD
    Inventors: Endruw JAHJA, Cheng-Yang SU
  • Patent number: 11251211
    Abstract: Disclosed herein is an ambient light sensor formed by a substrate, and an inner central area defined on the substrate, and a concentric polygonal shape defined on the substrate about the inner central area. The concentric polygonal shape is defined by concentric polygonal isolation regions and spoke shaped isolation regions extending through respective corners of the concentric polygonal isolation regions to the inner central area to thereby divide the concentric polygonal shape into a plurality of concentric polygonal regions, with each of the plurality of concentric polygonal regions divided into a plurality of trapezoidal sections. A plurality of photodiodes ae formed on the substrate such that each of the plurality of trapezoidal sections contains at least one photodiode. A color filter is applied to the plurality of trapezoidal sections and their respective photodiodes to thereby form a plurality of color channels.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 15, 2022
    Assignee: STMicroelectronics Ltd
    Inventor: Yu-Tsung Lin
  • Patent number: 11251696
    Abstract: A circuit includes two thyristors coupled in anti-series. An AC capacitor has first and second electrodes respectively coupled to two different electrodes of the two thyristors. The first and second electrodes are coupled to receive an AC voltage. A control circuit detects discontinuance of application of the AC voltage to the AC capacitor and in response thereto simultaneously applies same gate currents to the two thyristors. A current path through the two thyristors (one passing current in forward mode and the other in reverse mode) discharges a residual voltage stored on the AC capacitor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 28, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 15, 2022
    Assignee: STMicroelectronics LTD
    Inventor: Laurent Gonthier
  • Patent number: 11228239
    Abstract: An AC capacitor is coupled to a totem-pole type PFC circuit. In response to detection of a power input disconnection, the PFC circuit is controlled to discharge the AC capacitor. The PFC circuit includes a resistor and a first MOSFET and a second MOSFET coupled in series between DC output nodes with a common node coupled to the AC capacitor. When the disconnection event is detected, one of the first and second MOSFETs is turned on to discharge the AC capacitor with a current flowing through the resistor and the turned on MOSFET. Furthermore, a thyristor may be simultaneously turned on, with the discharge current flowing through a series coupling of the MOSFET, resistor and thyristor. Disconnection is detected by detecting a zero-crossing failure of an AC power input voltage or lack of input voltage decrease or input current increase in response to MOSFET turn on for a DC input.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 27, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 18, 2022
    Assignees: STMicroelectronics (Tours) SAS, STMicroelectronics LTD
    Inventors: Ghafour Benabdelaziz, Laurent Gonthier