Patents Assigned to STMicroelectronics S.A.
  • Patent number: 10401465
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for compensating and calibrating a bio-impedance measurement device are provided. In the method and apparatus, a memory stores a plurality of compensation parameters and a first detection channel receives a first detection signal, compensates the first detection signal using a first compensation parameter of the plurality of compensation parameters. In the method and apparatus, a second detection channel receives a second detection signal and a third detection signal and compensates the second and third detection signals using second and third compensation parameters of the plurality of compensation parameters and the compensated first detection signal. The impedance measurement device generates a first output signal representative of a first impedance measurement and a second output signal representative of a second impedance measurement based on the compensated first, second and third detection signals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 3, 2019
    Assignee: STMicroelectronics S.r.l.
    Inventors: Marco Passoni, Alessia Cagidiaco, Stefano Rossi
  • Publication number: 20190265742
    Abstract: A first generator produces a first signal that is supplied to an energy storage circuit. Energy transfer circuitry coupled to the energy storage circuit transfers energy stored in the energy storage circuit to an output node. A driver circuit coupled to the energy transfer circuitry switches the energy transfer circuitry between a state where energy from the first signal is stored in the energy storage circuit and a state where energy stored in the energy storage circuit section is delivered to the output node. A voltage at the energy storage circuit varies between an upper value and a lower value around a voltage setting point. A second generator, which is a scaled-down replica of the first generator, produces a second signal that is indicative of an open-circuit voltage of the first generator. The driver circuit uses the second signal to set the voltage setting point.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 22, 2019
    Publication date: August 29, 2019
    Applicant: STMicroelectronics S.r.l.
    Inventor: Roberto LA ROSA
  • Publication number: 20190266367
    Abstract: An electromagnetic interposer circuit is attachable to an article that is also equipped with an anti-counterfeit and anti-theft/tracking electromagnetic marker. The interposer circuit includes a first interface for exchanging electrical signals with the marker at a first, shorter, communication range and a second interface coupled to the first interface for exchanging electromagnetic signals with a reader at a second, longer, communication range. The first and second interfaces exchange signals with the marker and the reader, respectively, over a radiofrequency bandwidth that includes a first frequency band and a second frequency band. A filter circuit block within the interposer circuit between the first interface and the second interface operates to block the transfer of signals between the first interface and the second interface over the first frequency band.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 21, 2019
    Publication date: August 29, 2019
    Applicant: STMicroelectronics S.r.l.
    Inventors: Alessandro FINOCCHIARO, Giovanni GIRLANDO
  • Patent number: 10393601
    Abstract: A MEMS pressure sensor includes a resistive sensing bridge with a first sensing resistor and a second sensing resistor, each having variable resistance values in response to change in a sensed physical variable. An oscillator generates an oscillation signal with a frequency or period that is a function of an oscillator control signal. A sensor reference module generates the oscillator control signal as a function of the resistance value of a resistor coupled therewith. This sensor reference module is couplable with the first sensing resistor or second sensing resistor. A processing circuit coupled to the oscillator provides a sensor signal indicative of the frequency or period of the oscillation signal. The sensor signal has first and second values with the sensor reference module coupled with the first sensing resistor and with the second sensing resistor, respectively, the first and second values being thus jointly indicative of the physical variable sensed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 21, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 27, 2019
    Assignee: STMicroelectronics S.r.l.
    Inventor: Santo Alessandro Smerzi
  • Patent number: 10393967
    Abstract: An optical waveguide includes opposed end sections for optical radiation to propagate in a longitudinal direction therebetween and an intermediate section extending between the end sections. The intermediate section includes first and second portions superposed in a superposition direction. One of the opposite end sections has a first height in the superposition direction corresponding to the sum of the heights of the superposed portions of the intermediate section. The other of the opposite end sections has a second height in the superposition direction corresponding to the height of the first of the superposed portions of the intermediate section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 1, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 27, 2019
    Assignee: STMICROELECTRONICS S.R.L.
    Inventors: Marco Piazza, Piero Orlandi, Antonio Canciamilla
  • Patent number: 10396730
    Abstract: A signal processing chain, such as an audio chain, produces an analog output signal from a digital input signal. The signal processing chain is operated by generating a first flag signal for the analog output signal and one or more second flag signals for the digital input signal. Each flag signal assumes a first level or a second level and is set to the first level when a signal from which the flag is generated has a value within an amplitude window. An amount the first flag signal for the analog output signal and the second flag signal for the digital input signal match each other may be calculated for issuing an alert flag which indicates an impaired operation of the signal processing chain.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 27, 2019
    Assignee: STMICROELECTRONICS S.R.L.
    Inventor: Carmelo Burgio
  • Patent number: 10396192
    Abstract: A method for manufacturing a HEMT transistor comprising the steps of: providing a wafer comprising a semiconductor body including a heterojunction structure formed by semiconductor materials that include elements of Groups III-V of the Periodic Table, and a dielectric layer on the semiconductor body; etching selective portions of the wafer, thus exposing a portion of the heterojunction structure; forming an interface layer by a surface reconstruction process, of a semiconductor compound formed by elements of Groups III-V of the Periodic Table, in the exposed portion of the heterojunction structure; and forming a gate electrode, including a gate dielectric and a gate conductive region, on said interface layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 27, 2019
    Assignee: STMICROELECTRONICS S.R.L.
    Inventors: Ferdinando Iucolano, Andrea Severino, Maria Concetta Nicotra, Alfonso Patti
  • Patent number: 10392245
    Abstract: An integrated device includes: a first die; a second die coupled in a stacked way on the first die along a vertical axis; a coupling region arranged between facing surfaces of the first die and of the second die, which face one another along the vertical axis and lie in a horizontal plane orthogonal to the vertical axis, for mechanical coupling of the first and second dies; electrical-contact elements carried by the facing surfaces of the first and second dies, aligned in pairs along the vertical axis; and conductive regions arranged between the pairs of electrical-contact elements carried by the facing surfaces of the first and second dies, for their electrical coupling. Supporting elements are arranged at the facing surface of at least one of the first and second dies and elastically support respective electrical-contact elements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 10, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 27, 2019
    Assignee: STMICROELECTRONICS S.R.L.
    Inventors: Enri Duqi, Lorenzo Baldo, Domenico Giusti
  • Patent number: 10393692
    Abstract: An integrated electronic device, for detecting for detecting changes in an environmental parameter indicative of an environment surrounding the device, includes: a first conductive element and a second conductive element; a measurement circuit including a first measurement terminal and a second measurement terminal respectively coupled to the first conductive element and the second conductive element. The measurement circuit is configured to provide an electrical potential difference between the first conductive element and the second conductive element is configured to determine a change in an impedance of an electromagnetic circuit including the first conductive element and the second conductive element and formed between the first measurement terminal and the second measurement terminal. The device determines that an increase in a presence of water within the environment has occurred in response to a decrease in a real part of the impedance of the electromagnetic circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 27, 2019
    Assignee: STMICROELECTRONICS S.R.L.
    Inventors: Alberto Pagani, Bruno Murari
  • Patent number: 10394259
    Abstract: A power transistor generates an output current and a sense transistor generates a proportional sense current. A differential amplifier generates a gate voltage applied to the power and sense transistors in response to first and second input signals. A comparator circuit compares the gate voltage to a switching reference to detect whether the power and sense transistors are operating in a triode mode of operation or in a saturation mode of operation. At least one of the first and second input signals is modified in response to the detection made by the comparator circuit. In one instance, different reference voltages are applied to an input of the amplifier depending on the detected mode of operation. In another instance, different resistances are used to convert the sense current to a voltage for application to an input of the amplifier in response to the detected mode of operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 27, 2019
    Assignee: STMICROELECTRONICS S.R.L.
    Inventor: Marco Martini
  • Patent number: 10389376
    Abstract: In some embodiments, a circuit for use in devices involving digital-to-analog conversion of signals includes: a capacitive digital-to-analog converter array and an amplifier. The capacitive digital-to-analog converter includes an input port for receiving a digital input signal and an output port. The amplifier includes capacitive feedback loops that include a first capacitor coupling the output of the amplifier with the input of the amplifier and a second capacitor coupled to the output port of the digital-to-analog converter array at the input of the amplifier. The circuit further includes a set of switches that include a first switch and a second switch coupled with opposed ends of the second capacitor at the input and at the output of the amplifier, respectively.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 20, 2019
    Assignee: STMicroelectronics S.r.l.
    Inventors: Luigino D'Alessio, Germano Nicollini
  • Patent number: 10387334
    Abstract: A circuit, for managing operations for accessing a flash memory on the basis of requests received from a main CPU and from an auxiliary CPU, may be configured to: associate with the main CPU, a higher access priority to the flash memory than the access priority of the auxiliary CPU; command, in the absence of further requests for accessing the flash memory, the access to the flash memory for the main or auxiliary CPU which has initiated a first access request; verify, following a receipt of a second access request, the access priority associated with this second access request; suspend one of the first or the second access request having lower priority; and authorize the other of the first or the second access request having higher priority.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 20, 2019
    Assignee: STMicroelectronics S.r.l.
    Inventors: Fabio Enrico Carlo Disegni, Federico Goller, Michele Febbrarino
  • Patent number: 10389223
    Abstract: A method and controller for controlling a converter are provided. The converter is operated in a first phase in which controller logic asserts a first gate drive signal to cause a first transistor of the converter to be conductive and deasserts a second gate drive signal to cause a second transistor of the converter to be non-conductive. In a first deadtime phase and a second phase, the controller logic deasserts both the first and second gate drive signals to cause leakage energy from a leakage inductance of a primary winding of the converter to be transferred to a clamp capacitance of the converter. After the leakage energy is transferred, the converter is operated in a third phase in which the logic asserts the second gate drive signal and deasserts the first gate drive signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 20, 2019
    Assignee: STMicroelectronics S.r.l.
    Inventors: Alberto Bianco, Claudio Adragna
  • Publication number: 20190253039
    Abstract: A voltage-to-time converter circuit receives a first voltage signal and produces a PWM-modulated signal having a duty-cycle proportional to the first voltage signal. A current integrator circuit receives the PWM-modulated signal from the voltage-to-time converter circuit block and produces an output signal by integrating a current signal from a current source over integration time intervals having a duration which is a function of the duty-cycle of the PWM-modulated signal. The current signal is proportional to a second voltage signal. The output signal is accordingly proportional to a product of the first voltage signal and the current signal, which is furthermore proportional to a product of the first voltage signal and the second voltage signal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 13, 2019
    Publication date: August 15, 2019
    Applicant: STMicroelectronics S.r.l.
    Inventors: Giovanni SICURELLA, Manuela LA ROSA
  • Publication number: 20190249832
    Abstract: Disclosed herein is a lighting system including a bulb. The bulb includes a phosphor plate, and a scanning projector to emit a beam of collimated light and scan the beam of collimated light across the phosphor plate to thereby cause emission of light by portions of the phosphor plate impinged upon by the beam of collimated light. Control circuitry wirelessly receives configuration data and modulates the beam of collimated light during scanning so that the scanning forms a projection pattern on the phosphor plate. A control system is spaced apart from the bulb and processes the initial configuration data, and wirelessly sends the configuration data to the control circuitry of the bulb. A mobile wireless communications device wirelessly sends initial configuration data to the control system.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 13, 2018
    Publication date: August 15, 2019
    Applicant: STMicroelectronics S.r.l.
    Inventors: Guido Marco Bertoni, Massimo Ratti
  • Patent number: 10382137
    Abstract: An optoelectronic device may include a package having a component for sending/receiving optical signals along a first direction, and a chip of semiconductor material housed within the package. The chip may have a main surface and a portion exposed on the main surface for sending/receiving the optical signals along a second direction different from the first direction. The optoelectronic device may further include a component for deflecting the optical signals between the first direction and the second direction, the component being mounted on the main surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 21, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 13, 2019
    Assignee: STMICROELECTRONICS S.R.L.
    Inventors: Luca Maggi, Antonio Fincato, Salvatore Mario Rotolo, Matteo Alessio Traldi, Luigi Verga, Mark Andrew Shaw
  • Patent number: 10380433
    Abstract: A sequence of images is processed to generate optical flow data including a list of motion vectors. The motion vectors are grouped based on orientation into a first set of moving away motion vectors and a second set of moving towards motion vectors. A vanishing point is determined as a function of the first set of motion vectors and a center position of the images is determined. Pan and tilt information is computed from the distance difference between the vanishing point and the center position. Approaching objects are identified from the second set as a function of position, length and orientation, thereby identifying overtaking vehicles. Distances to the approaching objects are determined from object position, camera focal length, and pan and tilt information. A warning signal is issued as a function of the distances.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 13, 2019
    Assignee: STMicroelectronics S.r.l.
    Inventors: Nunziata Ivana Guarneri, Arcangelo Ranieri Bruna, Giuseppe Spampinato
  • Patent number: 10379937
    Abstract: A memory includes error correction circuitry that receives a data packet, outputs a correctable error flag indicating presence or absence of a correctable error in the data packet, and outputs an uncorrectable error flag indicating presence or absence of an uncorrectable error in the data packet. A response manager, operating in availability mode, generates output indicating that a correctable error was present if the correctable error flag indicates presence thereof, and generates an output indicating that an uncorrectable error was present if the uncorrectable error flag indicates presence thereof. In a coverage mode, the response manager generates an output indicating that a correctable error was potentially present but should be treated as an uncorrectable error if the correctable error flag indicates presence of the correctable error, and generates an output indicating that an uncorrectable error was present if the uncorrectable error flag indicates presence thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 13, 2019
    Assignees: STMicroelectronics International N.V., STMicroelectronics S.r.l.
    Inventors: Om Ranjan, Riccardo Gemelli, Abhishek Gupta
  • Patent number: 10381470
    Abstract: An HEMT device, comprising: a semiconductor body including a heterojunction structure; a dielectric layer on the semiconductor body; a gate electrode; a drain electrode, facing a first side of the gate electrode; and a source electrode, facing a second side opposite to the first side of the gate electrode; an auxiliary channel layer, which extends over the heterojunction structure between the gate electrode and the drain electrode, in electrical contact with the drain electrode and at a distance from the gate electrode, and forming an additional conductive path for charge carriers that flow between the source electrode and the drain electrode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 29, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 13, 2019
    Assignee: STMICROELECTRONICS S.R.L.
    Inventors: Ferdinando Iucolano, Alessandro Chini
  • Patent number: 10379173
    Abstract: A magnetic field sensor generates signal components corresponding to an uncalibrated representation of a sensed magnetic field in a three-dimensional coordinate system. A reader coupled to the magnetic field sensor determines a center offset based on received signal components, adjusts the received signal components based on the determined center offset, and applies Kalman filtering to the adjusted signal components, generating a set of ellipsoid parameters. The reader generates calibrated signal components based on the determined center offset and the generated set of ellipsoid parameters.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 21, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 13, 2019
    Assignee: STMICROELECTRONICS S.R.L.
    Inventors: Rossella Bassoli, Carlo Crippa