Patents by Inventor Bruno Gailhard

Bruno Gailhard 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: 11703897
    Abstract: In an embodiment, a method includes: receiving a main supply voltage; generating a first regulated output voltage with a DC-DC converter; providing the main supply voltage to a driver of a control terminal of an output transistor of an LDO; receiving, at an input terminal of the LDO, the first regulated output voltage; generating, at an output terminal of the LDO, a second regulated output voltage from the first regulated output voltage; and when the main supply voltage falls below a predetermined threshold, discharging a capacitor coupled to the input terminal of the LDO by activating a switch coupled to the input terminal of the LDO.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 5, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 18, 2023
    Assignees: STMicroelectronics S.r.l., STMicroelectronics (Rousset) SAS
    Inventors: Michel Cuenca, Bruno Gailhard, Daniele Mangano
  • Patent number: 11671078
    Abstract: A device for generating first clock signals includes first circuits, each including a ring oscillator delivering one of the first clock signals and being connected to a first node configured to receive a first current. A circuit selects one the first clock signals, and a phase-locked loop delivers a second signal which is a function of a difference between a frequency of the first selected clock signal and a set point frequency. Each first circuit supplies the first node with a compensation current determined by the second signal, when this first circuit delivers the selected clock signal and operates in controlled mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 5, 2021
    Date of Patent: June 6, 2023
    Assignee: STMicroelectronics (Rousset) SAS
    Inventor: Bruno Gailhard
  • Publication number: 20230019539
    Abstract: Two sets of the DC voltages are determined from among sets of DC voltages. At a first temperature, a first voltage of one of the two sets and a first voltage of the other one of the two sets surround a detection voltage that varies substantially proportionally to temperature. The detection voltage is compared with a second voltage of one of the two sets.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 19, 2022
    Publication date: January 19, 2023
    Inventor: Bruno Gailhard
  • Patent number: 11454554
    Abstract: Two sets of the DC voltages are determined from among sets of DC voltages. At a first temperature, a first voltage of one of the two sets and a first voltage of the other one of the two sets surround a detection voltage that varies substantially proportionally to temperature. The detection voltage is compared with a second voltage of one of the two sets.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 19, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2022
    Assignee: STMicroelectronics (Rousset) SAS
    Inventor: Bruno Gailhard
  • Publication number: 20220163408
    Abstract: A calibration method of a temperature sensor is provided. The temperature sensor having a current source and a ring oscillator generating a square pulse signal with a temperature-dependent square pulse frequency. The acquisition of a first square pulse frequency measurement at a first temperature from the square pulse signal forms a first measurement point. A second square pulse frequency measurement at a second temperature from the second square pulse signal forms a second measurement point. The determination of the relation data being representative of an affine relation between square pulse frequency measurements and temperatures. The affine relation being defined by a used proportionality coefficient modified with respect to a measured proportionality coefficient of a measured affine relation linking the first measurement point and the second measurement point.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 25, 2021
    Publication date: May 26, 2022
    Inventors: Vincent Binet, Bruno Gailhard
  • Publication number: 20220158628
    Abstract: A device for generating first clock signals includes first circuits, each including a ring oscillator delivering one of the first clock signals and being connected to a first node configured to receive a first current. A circuit selects one the first clock signals, and a phase-locked loop delivers a second signal which is a function of a difference between a frequency of the first selected clock signal and a set point frequency. Each first circuit supplies the first node with a compensation current determined by the second signal, when this first circuit delivers the selected clock signal and operates in controlled mode.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 5, 2021
    Publication date: May 19, 2022
    Applicant: STMicroelectronics (Rousset) SAS
    Inventor: Bruno GAILHARD
  • Patent number: 11336268
    Abstract: Integrated circuit, comprising at least one ring oscillator including a succession of inverters looped back to form the ring, the at least one oscillator being intended to operate at a desired output frequency and configured so that the inverter transistors operate in or near their temperature inversion zone.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 17, 2022
    Assignee: STMICROELECTRONICS (ROUSSET) SAS
    Inventor: Bruno Gailhard
  • Patent number: 11245405
    Abstract: A start-up phase of a phase lock loop (PLL) circuit includes supplying, by a phase comparator, of control pulses during which an output signal frequency of an oscillator increases. The increase includes an application of a pre-charge current at the oscillator input. A determination is made of a time variation of the output signal frequency. At least one adjustment is made of the intensity of the pre-charge current depending on the at least one determined time variation so as to approach a reference time variation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 21, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 8, 2022
    Assignee: STMicroelectronics (Rousset) SAS
    Inventors: Bruno Gailhard, Laurent Truphemus, Christophe Eva
  • Publication number: 20210409030
    Abstract: A start-up phase of a phase lock loop (PLL) circuit includes supplying, by a phase comparator, of control pulses during which an output signal frequency of an oscillator increases. The increase includes an application of a pre-charge current at the oscillator input. A determination is made of a time variation of the output signal frequency. At least one adjustment is made of the intensity of the pre-charge current depending on the at least one determined time variation so as to approach a reference time variation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 21, 2021
    Publication date: December 30, 2021
    Applicant: STMicroelectronics (Rousset) SAS
    Inventors: Bruno GAILHARD, Laurent TRUPHEMUS, Christophe EVA
  • Publication number: 20210278868
    Abstract: In an embodiment, a method includes: receiving a main supply voltage; generating a first regulated output voltage with a DC-DC converter; providing the main supply voltage to a driver of a control terminal of an output transistor of an LDO; receiving, at an input terminal of the LDO, the first regulated output voltage; generating, at an output terminal of the LDO, a second regulated output voltage from the first regulated output voltage; and when the main supply voltage falls below a predetermined threshold, discharging a capacitor coupled to the input terminal of the LDO by activating a switch coupled to the input terminal of the LDO.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 5, 2020
    Publication date: September 9, 2021
    Inventors: Michel Cuenca, Bruno Gailhard, Daniele Mangano
  • Patent number: 11115038
    Abstract: The operation of the phase-locked loop includes a startup phase where a reference signal having a duty cycle of 50% is applied to a phase comparator of the loop. A first divider of an output signal of the voltage-controlled oscillator of the loop is reset at each first type signal edge of the reference signal. The phase comparator receives the reference signal and a feedback signal from the first divider and generates a control pulse at each second type signal edge of the reference signal that causes a control voltage of the oscillator to increase.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 8, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 7, 2021
    Assignee: STMicroelectronics (Rousset) SAS
    Inventors: Bruno Gailhard, Laurent Truphemus, Christophe Eva
  • Publication number: 20210211120
    Abstract: Integrated circuit, comprising at least one ring oscillator including a succession of inverters looped back to form the ring, the at least one oscillator being intended to operate at a desired output frequency and configured so that the inverter transistors operate in or near their temperature inversion zone.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 21, 2020
    Publication date: July 8, 2021
    Inventor: Bruno Gailhard
  • Patent number: 10958150
    Abstract: An electronic circuit includes a switched-mode power supply and a linear voltage regulation circuit having an input stage, a first output stage, and a second output stage. A first load is capable of being powered either by the switched-mode power supply in series with the regulation circuit or by the regulation circuit without the switched-mode power supply.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 16, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 23, 2021
    Assignees: STMICROELECTRONICS S.R.L., STMICROELECTRONICS (ROUSSET) SAS
    Inventors: Michel Cuenca, Bruno Gailhard, Daniele Mangano
  • Patent number: 10908192
    Abstract: A method includes selecting at least one first voltage that defines subsets of DC voltages from among an ordered set of DC voltages, comparing the first voltage with a DC reference voltage, selecting one of the subsets based on a result of the comparing, and comparing each voltage of the selected subset with the reference voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 13, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 2, 2021
    Assignee: STMicroelectronics (Rousset) SAS
    Inventor: Bruno Gailhard
  • Publication number: 20210013893
    Abstract: The operation of the phase-locked loop includes a startup phase where a reference signal having a duty cycle of 50% is applied to a phase comparator of the loop. A first divider of an output signal of the voltage-controlled oscillator of the loop is reset at each first type signal edge of the reference signal. The phase comparator receives the reference signal and a feedback signal from the first divider and generates a control pulse at each second type signal edge of the reference signal that causes a control voltage of the oscillator to increase.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 8, 2020
    Publication date: January 14, 2021
    Applicant: STMicroelectronics (Rousset) SAS
    Inventors: Bruno GAILHARD, Laurent TRUPHEMUS, Christophe EVA
  • Publication number: 20200103292
    Abstract: Two sets of the DC voltages are determined from among sets of DC voltages. At a first temperature, a first voltage of one of the two sets and a first voltage of the other one of the two sets surround a detection voltage that varies substantially proportionally to temperature. The detection voltage is compared with a second voltage of one of the two sets.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 19, 2019
    Publication date: April 2, 2020
    Inventor: Bruno Gailhard
  • Publication number: 20200103928
    Abstract: A method includes selecting at least one first voltage that defines subsets of DC voltages from among an ordered set of DC voltages, comparing the first voltage with a DC reference voltage, selecting one of the subsets based on a result of the comparing, and comparing each voltage of the selected subset with the reference voltage.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 13, 2019
    Publication date: April 2, 2020
    Inventor: Bruno Gailhard
  • Patent number: 10530374
    Abstract: A method can be used for managing the operation of a phase-locked loop. The loop includes an oscillator voltage controlled by a control signal and a phase comparator receiving a reference signal and a feedback signal which arises from the output signal of the oscillator. The method includes a detection of a possible absence of transitions on the feedback signal for a first duration and, in response to such an absence, a forcing of the lowering of the voltage of the control signal at least until a reappearance of transitions on the feedback signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 7, 2020
    Assignee: STMICROELECTRONICS (ROUSSET) SAS
    Inventor: Bruno Gailhard
  • Publication number: 20190372450
    Abstract: An electronic circuit includes a switched-mode power supply and a linear voltage regulation circuit having an input stage, a first output stage, and a second output stage. A first load is capable of being powered either by the switched-mode power supply in series with the regulation circuit or by the regulation circuit without the switched-mode power supply.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 16, 2019
    Publication date: December 5, 2019
    Inventors: Michel Cuenca, Bruno Gailhard, Daniele Mangano
  • Publication number: 20190296753
    Abstract: A method can be used for managing the operation of a phase-locked loop. The loop includes an oscillator voltage controlled by a control signal and a phase comparator receiving a reference signal and a feedback signal which arises from the output signal of the oscillator. The method includes a detection of a possible absence of transitions on the feedback signal for a first duration and, in response to such an absence, a forcing of the lowering of the voltage of the control signal at least until a reappearance of transitions on the feedback signal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 28, 2019
    Publication date: September 26, 2019
    Inventor: Bruno Gailhard