Patents by Inventor Athanasios Sarafianos

Athanasios Sarafianos 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: 12609697
    Abstract: Disclosed embodiments provide backpower-safe test switches, devices, systems, and methods. By maintaining high impedance on an existing communications bus integrated circuit pin, disclosed embodiments prevent backpower of integrated circuits even when the integrated circuits are powered off. In a non-limiting aspect, disclosed embodiments facilitate increased final ASIC test coverage by facilitating multiplexing analog test bus on an existing ASIC pin.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 16, 2023
    Date of Patent: April 21, 2026
    Assignee: INVENSENSE, INC.
    Inventors: Tim Piessens, Robin Croon, Athanasios Sarafianos
  • Patent number: 12506489
    Abstract: A continuous time single drive capacitance-to-voltage (C2V) converter can be employed for single sensor, balanced single sensor, or differential sensor. First sensor and/or second sensor can be employed to sense a condition. A capacitive bridge can comprise a first capacitive digital-to-analog-converter (DAC) and second capacitive DAC as a differential node. First capacitive DAC can be associated with first sensor, and second capacitive DAC can be associated with a third capacitive DAC, in series with first sensor, if single sensor is implemented or the second sensor if balanced single sensor or differential sensor is implemented. Capacitive bridge can be connected to differential input of a capacitive feedback amplifier that can be a continuous time amplifier with no signal sampling and no noise folding. Capacitive feedback amplifier can comprise capacitively coupled input common mode feedback, which can remove noise from a sensor drive, and output common mode feedback.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 2, 2023
    Date of Patent: December 23, 2025
    Assignee: INVENSENSE, INC.
    Inventors: Wouter Bracke, Bert Serneels, Athanasios Sarafianos, Tim Piessens
  • Publication number: 20240171174
    Abstract: Disclosed embodiments provide backpower-safe test switches, devices, systems, and methods. By maintaining high impedance on an existing communications bus integrated circuit pin, disclosed embodiments prevent backpower of integrated circuits even when the integrated circuits are powered off. In a non-limiting aspect, disclosed embodiments facilitate increased final ASIC test coverage by facilitating multiplexing analog test bus on an existing ASIC pin.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 16, 2023
    Publication date: May 23, 2024
    Inventors: Tim Piessens, Robin Croon, Athanasios Sarafianos
  • Publication number: 20240171188
    Abstract: A continuous time single drive capacitance-to-voltage (C2V) converter can be employed for single sensor, balanced single sensor, or differential sensor. First sensor and/or second sensor can be employed to sense a condition. A capacitive bridge can comprise a first capacitive digital-to-analog-converter (DAC) and second capacitive DAC as a differential node. First capacitive DAC can be associated with first sensor, and second capacitive DAC can be associated with a third capacitive DAC, in series with first sensor, if single sensor is implemented or the second sensor if balanced single sensor or differential sensor is implemented. Capacitive bridge can be connected to differential input of a capacitive feedback amplifier that can be a continuous time amplifier with no signal sampling and no noise folding. Capacitive feedback amplifier can comprise capacitively coupled input common mode feedback, which can remove noise from a sensor drive, and output common mode feedback.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 2, 2023
    Publication date: May 23, 2024
    Inventors: Wouter Bracke, Bert Serneels, Athanasios Sarafianos, Tim Piessens
  • Publication number: 20240171133
    Abstract: A sensor driver providing high power supply rejection ratio is provided herein. A circuit can include a charge pump that comprises an input terminal and an output terminal, wherein the input terminal is operatively connected to a voltage supply. The charge pump further comprises circuitry that decouples an input voltage from the voltage supply from an output voltage of the charge pump and mixes defined frequency disturbances back to baseband. The circuit also includes an error amplifier configured to provide high power supply rejection ratio at baseband, wherein the output terminal of the charge pump is operatively connected to an input node of the error amplifier. Further, the circuit includes a capacitive micro-electromechanical system sensor operatively connected to an output node of the error amplifier.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 5, 2023
    Publication date: May 23, 2024
    Inventors: Athanasios Sarafianos, Tim Piessens