Patents by Inventor Angelo Recchia

Angelo Recchia 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: 11709185
    Abstract: An amplification interface includes first and second differential input terminals, first and second differential output terminals providing first and second output voltages defining a differential output signal, and first and second analog integrators coupled between the first and second differential input terminals and the first and second differential output terminals, the first and second analog integrators being resettable by a reset signal. A control circuit generates the reset signal such that the first and second analog integrators are periodically reset during a reset interval and activated during a measurement interval, receives a control signal indicative of offsets in the measurement sensor current and the reference sensor current, and generates a drive signal as a function of the control signal. First and second current generators coupled first and second compensation circuits to the first and second differential input terminals as a function of a drive signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 14, 2022
    Date of Patent: July 25, 2023
    Assignee: STMicroelectronics S.r.l.
    Inventors: Michele Vaiana, Calogero Marco Ippolito, Angelo Recchia, Antonio Cicero, Pierpaolo Lombardo
  • Patent number: 11652458
    Abstract: A thermally-isolated-metal-oxide-semiconducting (TMOS) sensor has inputs coupled to first and second nodes to receive first and second bias currents, and an output coupled to a third node. A tail has a first conduction terminal coupled to the third node and a second conduction terminal coupled to a reference voltage. A control circuit applies a control signal to a control terminal of the tail transistor based upon voltages at the first and second nodes so that a common mode voltage at the first and second nodes is equal to a reference common mode voltage. A differential current integrator has a first input terminal coupled to the second node and a second input terminal coupled to the first node, and provides an output voltage indicative of an integral of a difference between a first output current at the first input terminal and a second output current at the second input terminal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 9, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 16, 2023
    Assignee: STMicroelectronics S.r.l.
    Inventors: Calogero Marco Ippolito, Michele Vaiana, Angelo Recchia
  • Patent number: 11561663
    Abstract: A touchscreen resistive sensor includes a network of resistive sensor branches coupled to a number of sensor nodes arranged at touch locations of the touchscreen. A test sequence is performed by sequentially applying to each sensor node a reference voltage level, jointly coupling to a common line the other nodes, sensing a voltage value at the common line, and declaring a short circuit condition as a result of the voltage value sensed at the common line reaching a short circuit threshold. A current value level flowing at the sensor node to which the reference voltage level is applied is sensed and a malfunction of the resistive sensor branch coupled with the sensor node to which a reference voltage level is applied is generated as a result of the current value sensed at the sensor node reaching an upper threshold or lower threshold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 24, 2023
    Assignee: STMicroelectronics S.r.l.
    Inventors: Calogero Marco Ippolito, Angelo Recchia, Antonio Cicero, Pierpaolo Lombardo, Michele Vaiana
  • Publication number: 20220170795
    Abstract: A thermographic sensor is proposed. The thermographic sensor includes one or more thermo-couples, each for providing a sensing voltage depending on a difference between a temperature of a hot joint and a temperature of a cold joint of the thermo-couple; the thermographic sensor further comprises one or more sensing transistors, each driven according to the sensing voltages of one or more corresponding thermo-couples for providing a sensing electrical signal depending on its temperature and on the corresponding sensing voltages. A thermographic device including the thermographic sensor and a corresponding signal processing circuit, and a system including one or more thermographic devices are also proposed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 29, 2021
    Publication date: June 2, 2022
    Applicant: STMICROELECTRONICS S.r.l.
    Inventors: Giuseppe BRUNO, Michele VAIANA, Maria Eloisa CASTAGNA, Angelo RECCHIA
  • Publication number: 20220163572
    Abstract: An amplification interface includes first and second differential input terminals, first and second differential output terminals providing first and second output voltages defining a differential output signal, and first and second analog integrators coupled between the first and second differential input terminals and the first and second differential output terminals, the first and second analog integrators being resettable by a reset signal. A control circuit generates the reset signal such that the first and second analog integrators are periodically reset during a reset interval and activated during a measurement interval, receives a control signal indicative of offsets in the measurement sensor current and the reference sensor current, and generates a drive signal as a function of the control signal. First and second current generators coupled first and second compensation circuits to the first and second differential input terminals as a function of a drive signal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 14, 2022
    Publication date: May 26, 2022
    Applicant: STMicroelectronics S.r.l.
    Inventors: Michele VAIANA, Calogero Marco IPPOLITO, Angelo RECCHIA, Antonio CICERO, Pierpaolo LOMBARDO
  • Patent number: 11275100
    Abstract: An amplification interface includes an input terminal receiving a sensor current and an output terminal supplying an output voltage. An analog integrator is connected to the input terminal and supplies the output voltage. A current generator is connected to the input of the analog integrator and generates a compensation current based on a drive signal. A control circuit generates the drive signal for the current generator based on a control signal representing an offset in the sensor current supplied by the sensor. The current generator generates, based on the driving signal, a positive or negative current. The control circuit determines a first duration and a second duration as a function of the control signal representing the offset in the sensor current, during the measurement interval, and sets the driving signal to a first logic value for the first duration and to a second logic value for the second duration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 4, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 15, 2022
    Assignee: STMicroelectronics S.r.l.
    Inventors: Michele Vaiana, Calogero Marco Ippolito, Angelo Recchia, Antonio Cicero, Pierpaolo Lombardo
  • Publication number: 20210336593
    Abstract: A thermally-isolated-metal-oxide-semiconducting (TMOS) sensor has inputs coupled to first and second nodes to receive first and second bias currents, and an output coupled to a third node. A tail has a first conduction terminal coupled to the third node and a second conduction terminal coupled to a reference voltage. A control circuit applies a control signal to a control terminal of the tail transistor based upon voltages at the first and second nodes so that a common mode voltage at the first and second nodes is equal to a reference common mode voltage. A differential current integrator has a first input terminal coupled to the second node and a second input terminal coupled to the first node, and provides an output voltage indicative of an integral of a difference between a first output current at the first input terminal and a second output current at the second input terminal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 9, 2021
    Publication date: October 28, 2021
    Applicant: STMicroelectronics S.r.l.
    Inventors: Calogero Marco Ippolito, Michele Vaiana, Angelo Recchia
  • Patent number: 11095261
    Abstract: An amplification interface includes a drain of a first FET connected to a first node, a drain of a second FET connected to a second node, and sources of the first and second FETs connected to a third node. First and second bias-current generators are connected to the first and second nodes. A third FET is connected between the third node and a reference voltage. A regulation circuit drives the gate of the third FET to regulate the common mode of the voltage at the first node and the voltage at the second node to a desired value. A current generator applies a correction current to the first and/or second node. A differential current integrator has a first and second inputs connected to the second and first nodes. The integrator supplies a voltage representing the integral of the difference between the currents received at the second and first inputs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 4, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 17, 2021
    Assignee: STMicroelectronics S.r.l.
    Inventors: Calogero Marco Ippolito, Michele Vaiana, Angelo Recchia
  • Publication number: 20210011569
    Abstract: A touchscreen resistive sensor includes a network of resistive sensor branches coupled to a number of sensor nodes arranged at touch locations of the touchscreen. A test sequence is performed by sequentially applying to each sensor node a reference voltage level, jointly coupling to a common line the other nodes, sensing a voltage value at the common line, and declaring a short circuit condition as a result of the voltage value sensed at the common line reaching a short circuit threshold. A current value level flowing at the sensor node to which the reference voltage level is applied is sensed and a malfunction of the resistive sensor branch coupled with the sensor node to which a reference voltage level is applied is generated as a result of the current value sensed at the sensor node reaching an upper threshold or lower threshold.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 30, 2020
    Publication date: January 14, 2021
    Inventors: Calogero Marco Ippolito, Angelo Recchia, Antonio Cicero, Pierpaolo Lombardo, Michele Vaiana
  • Patent number: 10809862
    Abstract: A touchscreen resistive sensor includes a network of resistive sensor branches coupled to a number of sensor nodes arranged at touch locations of the touchscreen. A test sequence is performed by sequentially applying to each sensor node a reference voltage level, jointly coupling to a common line the other nodes, sensing a voltage value at the common line, and declaring a short circuit condition as a result of the voltage value sensed at the common line reaching a short circuit threshold. A current value level flowing at the sensor node to which the reference voltage level is applied is sensed and a malfunction of the resistive sensor branch coupled with the sensor node to which a reference voltage level is applied is generated as a result of the current value sensed at the sensor node reaching an upper threshold or lower threshold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 26, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 20, 2020
    Assignee: STMicroelectronics S.r.l.
    Inventors: Calogero Marco Ippolito, Angelo Recchia, Antonio Cicero, Pierpaolo Lombardo, Michele Vaiana
  • Publication number: 20200256898
    Abstract: An amplification interface includes an input terminal receiving a sensor current and an output terminal supplying an output voltage. An analog integrator is connected to the input terminal and supplies the output voltage. A current generator is connected to the input of the analog integrator and generates a compensation current based on a drive signal. A control circuit generates the drive signal for the current generator based on a control signal representing an offset in the sensor current supplied by the sensor. The current generator generates, based on the driving signal, a positive or negative current. The control circuit determines a first duration and a second duration as a function of the control signal representing the offset in the sensor current, during the measurement interval, and sets the driving signal to a first logic value for the first duration and to a second logic value for the second duration.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 4, 2020
    Publication date: August 13, 2020
    Applicant: STMicroelectronics S.r.l.
    Inventors: Michele VAIANA, Calogero Marco IPPOLITO, Angelo RECCHIA, Antonio CICERO, Pierpaolo LOMBARDO
  • Publication number: 20200259474
    Abstract: An amplification interface includes a drain of a first FET connected to a first node, a drain of a second FET connected to a second node, and sources of the first and second FETs connected to a third node. First and second bias-current generators are connected to the first and second nodes. A third FET is connected between the third node and a reference voltage. A regulation circuit drives the gate of the third FET to regulate the common mode of the voltage at the first node and the voltage at the second node to a desired value. A current generator applies a correction current to the first and/or second node. A differential current integrator has a first and second inputs connected to the second and first nodes. The integrator supplies a voltage representing the integral of the difference between the currents received at the second and first inputs.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 4, 2020
    Publication date: August 13, 2020
    Applicant: STMicroelectronics S.r.l.
    Inventors: Calogero Marco IPPOLITO, Michele VAIANA, Angelo RECCHIA
  • Patent number: 10660540
    Abstract: A device for measuring an electrical impedance of biologic tissue may include electrodes configured to contact the biologic tissue and generate a differential voltage thereon. The device may include a first circuit coupled to the electrodes and configured to force an oscillating input signal therethrough, and a differential amplitude modulation (AM) demodulator coupled to the plurality of electrodes. The differential AM demodulator may be configured to demodulate the differential voltage, and generate a base-band signal representative of the demodulated differential voltage. The device may further include an output circuit downstream from the differential AM demodulator and may be configured to generate an output signal representative of the electrical impedance as a function of the base-band signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 1, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 26, 2020
    Assignee: STMICROELECTRONICS S.R.L.
    Inventors: Pasquale Biancolillo, Stefano Rossi, Angelo Recchia, Giuseppe Bruno
  • Publication number: 20200050305
    Abstract: A touchscreen resistive sensor includes a network of resistive sensor branches coupled to a number of sensor nodes arranged at touch locations of the touchscreen. A test sequence is performed by sequentially applying to each sensor node a reference voltage level, jointly coupling to a common line the other nodes, sensing a voltage value at the common line, and declaring a short circuit condition as a result of the voltage value sensed at the common line reaching a short circuit threshold. A current value level flowing at the sensor node to which the reference voltage level is applied is sensed and a malfunction of the resistive sensor branch coupled with the sensor node to which a reference voltage level is applied is generated as a result of the current value sensed at the sensor node reaching an upper threshold or lower threshold.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 26, 2019
    Publication date: February 13, 2020
    Inventors: Calogero Marco Ippolito, Angelo Recchia, Antonio Cicero, Pierpaolo Lombardo, Michele Vaiana
  • Patent number: 10451575
    Abstract: A gas measurement device measures gas using a gas sensor including a sense resistance exposed to the gas and a reference resistance not exposed to the gas. The gas measurement device applies a first current value and a second current value to the sensor. A detector functions to detect a first resistance variation and a second resistance variation of the sense resistance exposed to the gas with respect to the reference resistance as a function of the first current value and the second current value, respectively. The resistance variation dependent on relative humidity is then determined as a function of the first and second resistance variations and a first constant. The resistance variation dependent on gas content is then determined as a function of the first and second resistance variations and a second (different) constant.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 22, 2019
    Assignee: STMicroelectronics S.r.l.
    Inventors: Pasquale Biancolillo, Angelo Recchia, Pasquale Franco, Antonio Cicero, Giuseppe Bruno
  • Patent number: 10180406
    Abstract: A semiconductor gas sensor device includes a first cavity that is enclosed by opposing first and second semiconductor substrate slices. At least one conducting filament is provided to extend over the first cavity, and a passageway is provided to permit gas to enter the first cavity. The sensor device may further including a second cavity that is hermetically enclosed by the opposing first and second semiconductor substrate slices. At least one another conducting filament is provided to extend over the second cavity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 9, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 15, 2019
    Assignee: STMicroelectronics S.r.l.
    Inventors: Pasquale Biancolillo, Angelo Recchia, Pasquale Franco, Antonio Cicero, Giuseppe Bruno
  • Publication number: 20180074000
    Abstract: A semiconductor gas sensor device includes a first cavity that is enclosed by opposing first and second semiconductor substrate slices. At least one conducting filament is provided to extend over the first cavity, and a passageway is provided to permit gas to enter the first cavity. The sensor device may further including a second cavity that is hermetically enclosed by the opposing first and second semiconductor substrate slices. At least one another conducting filament is provided to extend over the second cavity.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 9, 2017
    Publication date: March 15, 2018
    Applicant: STMicroelectronics S.r.l.
    Inventors: Pasquale Biancolillo, Angelo Recchia, Pasquale Franco, Antonio Cicero, Giuseppe Bruno
  • Publication number: 20180052129
    Abstract: A gas measurement device measures gas using a gas sensor including a sense resistance exposed to the gas and a reference resistance not exposed to the gas. The gas measurement device applies a first current value and a second current value to the sensor. A detector functions to detect a first resistance variation and a second resistance variation of the sense resistance exposed to the gas with respect to the reference resistance as a function of the first current value and the second current value, respectively. The resistance variation dependent on relative humidity is then determined as a function of the first and second resistance variations and a first constant. The resistance variation dependent on gas content is then determined as a function of the first and second resistance variations and a second (different) constant.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 30, 2017
    Publication date: February 22, 2018
    Applicant: STMicroelectronics S.r.l.
    Inventors: Pasquale Biancolillo, Angelo Recchia, Pasquale Franco, Antonio Cicero, Giuseppe Bruno
  • Patent number: 9888863
    Abstract: A device for measuring an electrical impedance of biologic tissue may include electrodes configured to contact the biologic tissue and generate a differential voltage thereon. The device may include a first circuit coupled to the electrodes and configured to force an oscillating input signal therethrough, and a differential amplitude modulation (AM) demodulator coupled to the plurality of electrodes. The differential AM demodulator may be configured to demodulate the differential voltage, and generate a base-band signal representative of the demodulated differential voltage. The device may further include an output circuit downstream from the differential AM demodulator and may be configured to generate an output signal representative of the electrical impedance as a function of the base-band signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2018
    Assignee: STMICROELECTRONICS S.R.L.
    Inventors: Pasquale Biancolillo, Stefano Rossi, Giuseppe Bruno, Angelo Recchia
  • Publication number: 20170354345
    Abstract: A device for measuring an electrical impedance of biologic tissue may include electrodes configured to contact the biologic tissue and generate a differential voltage thereon. The device may include a first circuit coupled to the electrodes and configured to force an oscillating input signal therethrough, and a differential amplitude modulation (AM) demodulator coupled to the plurality of electrodes. The differential AM demodulator may be configured to demodulate the differential voltage, and generate a base-band signal representative of the demodulated differential voltage. The device may further include an output circuit downstream from the differential AM demodulator and may be configured to generate an output signal representative of the electrical impedance as a function of the base-band signal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 1, 2017
    Publication date: December 14, 2017
    Inventors: Pasquale Biancolillo, Stefano Rossi, Angelo Recchia, Giuseppe Bruno