Patents by Inventor Andrea Ghilardelli

Andrea Ghilardelli 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: 6097213
    Abstract: Switching circuit comprising a reference voltage, an input voltage, suitable to assume alternatively a negative value or a value equal to said reference voltage, an output node, suitable to assume selectively three possible voltage values equal to a supply voltage, to the reference voltage, to the input voltage or, alternatively, to be kept floating, in response to a first, a second, a third, a fourth, a fifth, a sixth control logic signal, switching between the supply voltage and the reference voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 1999
    Date of Patent: August 1, 2000
    Assignee: STMicroelectronics S.r.l.
    Inventors: Andrea Ghilardelli, Carla Maria Golla, Matteo Zammattio, Stefano Zanardi
  • Patent number: 6075402
    Abstract: A charge pump comprises a plurality of stages connected in series, an input terminal of the charge pump being connected to a voltage supply and an output terminal of the charge pump providing an output voltage higher than the voltage supply. Each stage comprises unidirectional current flow MOS transistor means connected between a stage input terminal and a stage output terminal allowing current to flow only from said stage input terminal to said stage output terminal, and a first capacitor with one plate connected to said stage output terminal and another plate driven by a respective first digital signal periodically switching between ground and said voltage supply.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 8, 1997
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2000
    Assignee: SGS-Thomson Microelectronics S.r.l.
    Inventors: Andrea Ghilardelli, Jacopo Mulatti, Stefano Ghezzi
  • Patent number: 6064598
    Abstract: A switching circuit comprising a supply voltage, a reference voltage, a line suitable to carry a negative voltage, an input for a control signal, suitable to supply to a first output node and to a second output node two voltages respectively equal to supply voltage and to line voltage or, alternatively, to line voltage and to supply voltage, in response to the control signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 1999
    Date of Patent: May 16, 2000
    Assignee: STMicroelectronics, S.r.l.
    Inventors: Andrea Ghilardelli, Carla Maria Golla, Matteo Zammattio, Stefano Zanardi
  • Patent number: 6055187
    Abstract: A sense amplifier circuit for reading and verifying the contents of non-volatile memory cells in a semiconductor integrated device including a memory matrix of electrically programmable and erasable cells. The circuit includes a sense amplifier which has a first input connected to a reference load column incorporating a reference cell, and a second input connected to a second matrix load column incorporating a cell of the memory matrix. The circuit also includes a small matrix of reference cells connected, in parallel with one another, in the reference load column. Also provided is a double current mirror having a first mirror column which is connected to a node in the reference load column connected to the first input, and a second mirror column coupled to the second matrix load column to locally replicate, on the second mirror column, the electric potential at the node during a load equalizing step.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 1998
    Date of Patent: April 25, 2000
    Assignee: STMicroelectronics S.r.l.
    Inventors: Marco Dallabora, Corrado Villa, Andrea Ghilardelli
  • Patent number: 6031761
    Abstract: Switching circuit that receives a supply voltage, a reference voltage, a line adapted to carry a negative voltage and a control signal, the switching circuit capable of providing at an output a voltage alternatively equal to the reference voltage or to the voltage of the line in response to the control signal. The circuit includes a first MOSFET with a first electrode operationally connected to the line, a second electrode operationally connected to the output, and a control electrode, a second MOSFET with a first electrode operationally connected to the reference voltage, a second electrode operationally connected to the output, and a control electrode, and driving circuitry adapted to bring the control electrodes of the first and second MOSFETs respectively to the supply voltage and to the voltage of the line or, alternatively, to the voltage of the line and to the supply voltage, in response to the control signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 1999
    Date of Patent: February 29, 2000
    Assignee: STMicroelectronics S.r.l.
    Inventors: Andrea Ghilardelli, Stefano Ghezzi, Stefano Commodaro, Marco Maccarrone
  • Patent number: 6016073
    Abstract: A charge pump includes a plurality of stages connected in series between a reference potential and an output terminal of the charge pump. The plurality of stages includes a first group of stages, proximate to the reference potential, and a second group of stages proximate to the output terminal of the charge pump. Each stage of the first group includes a pass-transistor with first and second terminals respectively connected to an input and an output of the stage, and a first capacitor with a first plate connected to the output of the stage and a second plate driven by a digital signal switching between the reference voltage and a positive voltage. Each stage of the second group includes a junction diode having a first electrode connected to an input of the stage and a second electrode connected to an output of the stage, and a second capacitor having a first plate connected to the output of the stage and a second plate driven by a digital signal switching between the reference voltage and the voltage supply.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 5, 1997
    Date of Patent: January 18, 2000
    Assignee: SGS-Thomson Microelectronics S.r.l.
    Inventors: Andrea Ghilardelli, Jacopo Mulatti, Maurizio Branchetti
  • Patent number: 5917753
    Abstract: A sense amplifier circuit for reading and verifying the contents of non-volatile memory cells in a semiconductor integrated device including a memory matrix of electrically programmable and erasable cells. The circuit includes a sense amplifier which has a first input connected to a reference load column incorporating a reference cell, and a second input connected to a second matrix load column incorporating a cell of the memory matrix. The circuit also includes a small matrix of reference cells connected, in parallel with one another, in the reference load column. Also provided is a double current mirror having a first mirror column which is connected to a node in the reference load column connected to the first input, and a second mirror column coupled to the second matrix load column to locally replicate, on the second mirror column, the electric potential at the node during a load equalizing step.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 29, 1997
    Date of Patent: June 29, 1999
    Assignee: STMicroelectronics, S.r.l.
    Inventors: Marco Dallabora, Corrado Villa, Andrea Ghilardelli