Patents by Inventor Alexandre Morello

Alexandre Morello has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 10601323
    Abstract: A power converter which converts electrical power at an input voltage into electrical power at an output voltage is presented. It has a power stage with a high side switching element, a low side switching element and an inductor. The power converter has a voltage-to-current converter coupled to the power stage to convert a voltage indicative of a current flowing into the inductor into an indicator current. A peak current detector receives the indicator current to determine a pedestal component of the indicator current in a first time interval during which the high side switching element is open, and to generate a calibrated indicator current by subtracting the pedestal component from the indicator current. The peak current detector compares the calibrated indicator current with a threshold value for detecting a more precise peak current flowing into the inductor, taking into account the effects of temperature or circuit aging.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 24, 2020
    Assignee: Dialog Semiconductor (UK) Limited
    Inventors: Francesco Dalena, Alexandre Morello
  • Patent number: 10523118
    Abstract: A switching mode power converter circuit is disclosed, comprising a first high-side switch and a first low-side switch coupled in series between an input voltage level and a reference voltage level, a second high-side switch and a second low-side switch coupled in series between the input voltage level and the reference voltage level, and a control circuit for controlling switching operation of the first and second high-side switches and the first and second low-side switches. The first high-side switch has a larger on-state resistance than the second high-side switch and the first low-side switch has a larger on-state resistance than the second low-side switch. The control circuit is configured to, during an on-state of the first and second low-side switches, control the second low-side switch to switch to the off-state and control the first high-side switch to switch to the on-state, so that the first high-side switch and the first low-side switch are both in the on-state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 8, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 31, 2019
    Assignee: Dialog Semiconductor (UK) Limited
    Inventors: Francesco Dalena, Alexandre Morello
  • Publication number: 20190190387
    Abstract: A power converter which converts electrical power at an input voltage into electrical power at an output voltage is presented. It has a power stage with a high side switching element, a low side switching element and an inductor. The power converter has a voltage-to-current converter coupled to the power stage to convert a a-voltage indicative of a a-current flowing into the inductor into an indicator current. A peak current detector receives the indicator current at an input node, to determine a pedestal component of the indicator current in a first time interval during which the high side switching element is open, and to generate a calibrated indicator current by subtracting the pedestal component from the indicator current. The peak current detector compares the calibrated indicator current with a threshold value for detecting a more precise peak current flowing into the inductor, taking into account the effects of temperature or circuit aging.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 15, 2017
    Publication date: June 20, 2019
    Inventors: Francesco Dalena, Alexandre Morello
  • Patent number: 10177659
    Abstract: A switching mode power converter circuit and a method are presented. The circuit comprises a first transistor switch and a second transistor switch coupled in series between an input voltage level and ground. There is a control circuit for controlling switching operation of the first transistor switch and the second transistor switch. There is a detection circuit for sensing a voltage at an intermediate node arranged between the first transistor switch and the second transistor switch, for deriving an indication of a slope of the sensed voltage, and for generating a switching control signal for the control circuit on the basis of the derived indication of the slope of the sensed voltage. The control circuit sets a first timing for activating the first transistor switch and/or a second timing for activating the second transistor switch on the basis of the switching control signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 8, 2019
    Assignee: Dialog Semiconductor (UK) Limited
    Inventors: Francesco Dalena, Nicolo Nizza, Danilo Gerna, Enrico Pardi, Stefano Scaldaferri, Alexandre Morello, Tommaso Baldetti
  • Publication number: 20180294723
    Abstract: A switching mode power converter circuit is disclosed, comprising a first high-side switch and a first low-side switch coupled in series between an input voltage level and a reference voltage level, a second high-side switch and a second low-side switch coupled in series between the input voltage level and the reference voltage level, and a control circuit for controlling switching operation of the first and second high-side switches and the first and second low-side switches. The first high-side switch has a larger on-state resistance than the second high-side switch and the first low-side switch has a larger on-state resistance than the second low-side switch. The control circuit is configured to, during an on-state of the first and second low-side switches, control the second low-side switch to switch to the off-state and control the first high-side switch to switch to the on-state, so that the first high-side switch and the first low-side switch are both in the on-state.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 8, 2018
    Publication date: October 11, 2018
    Inventors: Francesco Dalena, Alexandre Morello
  • Publication number: 20180026538
    Abstract: A switching mode power converter circuit and a method are presented. The circuit comprises a first transistor switch and a second transistor switch coupled in series between an input voltage level and ground. There is a control circuit for controlling switching operation of the first transistor switch and the second transistor switch. There is a detection circuit for sensing a voltage at an intermediate node arranged between the first transistor switch and the second transistor switch, for deriving an indication of a slope of the sensed voltage, and for generating a switching control signal for the control circuit on the basis of the derived indication of the slope of the sensed voltage. The control circuit sets a first timing for activating the first transistor switch and/or a second timing for activating the second transistor switch on the basis of the switching control signal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 21, 2016
    Publication date: January 25, 2018
    Inventors: Francesco Dalena, Nicolo Nizza, Danilo Gerna, Enrico Pardi, Stefano Scaldaferri, Alexandre Morello, Tommaso Baldetti