Patents by Inventor Carlo Valzasina

Carlo Valzasina 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).

  • Publication number: 20180335326
    Abstract: An integrated sensor device including a first die, housing a sensor element to detect a quantity external to the sensor device and transduce the external quantity into an electrical sensing signal; a second die mechanically coupled to the first die so that the first and second dies are stacked on one another along one and the same axis; and at least one heater of a resistive type integrated in the first die and/or in the second die, having a first conduction terminal and a second conduction terminal configured to couple respective first and second conduction terminals of a signal generator for causing an electric current to flow, in use, between the first and second conduction terminals of the heater and generate heat by the Joule effect. It is possible to carry out calibration in temperature of the sensor element.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 30, 2018
    Publication date: November 22, 2018
    Inventors: Dario PACI, Francesco PROCOPIO, Carlo VALZASINA, Paolo ANGELINI, Francesco DIAZZI, Roberto Pio BAORDA, Danilo Karim KADDOURI
  • Patent number: 10113872
    Abstract: MEMS device having a support region elastically carrying a suspended mass through first elastic elements. A tuned dynamic absorber is elastically coupled to the suspended mass and configured to dampen quadrature forces acting on the suspended mass at the natural oscillation frequency of the dynamic absorber. The tuned dynamic absorber is formed by a damping mass coupled to the suspended mass through second elastic elements. In an embodiment, the suspended mass and the damping mass are formed in a same structural layer, for example of semiconductor material, and the damping mass is surrounded by the suspended mass.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 30, 2018
    Assignee: STMicroelectronics S.r.l.
    Inventors: Luca Giuseppe Falorni, Carlo Valzasina, Roberto Carminati, Alessandro Tocchio
  • Patent number: 10054471
    Abstract: An integrated sensor device including a first die, housing a sensor element to detect a quantity external to the sensor device and transduce the external quantity into an electrical sensing signal; a second die mechanically coupled to the first die so that the first and second dies are stacked on one another along one and the same axis; and at least one heater of a resistive type integrated in the first die and/or in the second die, having a first conduction terminal and a second conduction terminal configured to couple respective first and second conduction terminals of a signal generator for causing an electric current to flow, in use, between the first and second conduction terminals of the heater and generate heat by the Joule effect. It is possible to carry out calibration in temperature of the sensor element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 21, 2018
    Assignee: STMICROELECTRONICS S.R.L.
    Inventors: Dario Paci, Francesco Procopio, Carlo Valzasina, Paolo Angelini, Francesco Diazzi, Roberto Pio Baorda, Danilo Karim Kaddouri
  • Patent number: 10031155
    Abstract: The piezoelectric sensor is formed in a semiconductor material chip having a surface defining a plane and integrating a structure for sensing forces acting in the plane. The chip is formed by a substrate defining a cantilever having a first end, constrained to an anchorage portion of the substrate, and a second end, which is free to bend under the action of external forces. The cantilever has first and second longitudinal halves, each carrying a respective strip element of piezoelectric material, which extends parallel to the chip plane.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 24, 2018
    Assignee: STMicroelectronics S.r.l.
    Inventors: Francesco Procopio, Carlo Valzasina
  • Publication number: 20180198383
    Abstract: A piezoelectric transducer for energy-harvesting systems includes a substrate, a piezoelectric cantilever element, a first magnetic element, and a second magnetic element, mobile with respect to the first magnetic element. The first magnetic element is coupled to the piezoelectric cantilever element. The first magnetic element and the second magnetic element are set in such a way that, in response to relative movements between the first magnetic element and the second magnetic element through an interval of relative positions, the first magnetic element and the second magnetic element approach one another without coming into direct contact, and the interaction between the first magnetic element and the second magnetic element determines application of a force pulse on the piezoelectric cantilever element.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 6, 2018
    Publication date: July 12, 2018
    Inventors: Francesco Procopio, Carlo Valzasina, Alberto Corigliano, Raffaele Ardito, Giacomo Gafforelli
  • Publication number: 20180106617
    Abstract: A microelectromechanical gyroscope includes: a substrate; a stator sensing structure fixed to the substrate; a first mass elastically constrained to the substrate and movable with respect to the substrate in a first direction; a second mass elastically constrained to the first mass and movable with respect to the first mass in a second direction; and a third mass elastically constrained to the second mass and to the substrate and capacitively coupled to the stator sensing structure, the third mass being movable with respect to the substrate in the second direction and with respect to the second mass in the first direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 29, 2017
    Publication date: April 19, 2018
    Inventors: Daniele PRATI, Carlo VALZASINA, Luca Giuseppe FALORNI, Matteo Fabio BRUNETTO
  • Patent number: 9941821
    Abstract: A piezoelectric transducer for energy-harvesting systems includes a substrate, a piezoelectric cantilever element, a first magnetic element, and a second magnetic element, mobile with respect to the first magnetic element. The first magnetic element is coupled to the piezoelectric cantilever element. The first magnetic element and the second magnetic element are set in such a way that, in response to relative movements between the first magnetic element and the second magnetic element through an interval of relative positions, the first magnetic element and the second magnetic element approach one another without coming into direct contact, and the interaction between the first magnetic element and the second magnetic element determines application of a force pulse on the piezoelectric cantilever element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 10, 2018
    Assignee: STMicroelectronics S.R.L.
    Inventors: Francesco Procopio, Carlo Valzasina, Alberto Corigliano, Raffaele Ardito, Giacomo Gafforelli
  • Publication number: 20180094929
    Abstract: A MEMS device including a main die that may be coupled to a secondary die, which forms a frame, and at least one first mobile mass elastically coupled to the frame, the main die forming: a driving stage that drives the first mobile mass so that it oscillates, parallel to a first direction, with frequency-modulated displacements; and a processing stage, which generates an output signal indicating an angular velocity of the MEMS device as a function of displacements parallel to a second direction that are made by the first mobile mass, when driven by the driving stage, on account of a Coriolis force.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 22, 2017
    Publication date: April 5, 2018
    Inventors: Gabriele Gattere, Alessandro Tocchio, Carlo Valzasina
  • Publication number: 20180038692
    Abstract: A MEMS gyroscope, wherein a suspended mass is mobile with respect to a supporting structure. The mobile mass is affected by quadrature error caused by a quadrature moment; a driving structure is coupled to the suspended mass for controlling the movement of the mobile mass in a driving direction at a driving frequency. Motion-sensing electrodes, coupled to the mobile mass, detect the movement of the mobile mass in the sensing direction and quadrature-compensation electrodes are coupled to the mobile mass to generate a compensation moment opposite to the quadrature moment. The gyroscope is configured to bias the quadrature-compensation electrodes with a compensation voltage so that the difference between the resonance frequency of the mobile mass and the driving frequency has a preset frequency-mismatch value.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 14, 2017
    Publication date: February 8, 2018
    Inventors: Daniele Prati, Carlo Valzasina, Tiziano Chiarillo, Pasquale Franco
  • Publication number: 20180033564
    Abstract: A microelectromechanical device, in particular a non-volatile memory module or a relay, comprising: a mobile body including a top region and a bottom region; top electrodes facing the top region; and bottom electrodes, facing the bottom region. The mobile body is, in a resting condition, at a distance from the electrodes. The latter can be biased for generating a movement of the mobile body for causing a direct contact of the top region with the top electrodes and, in a different operating condition, a direct contact of the bottom region with the bottom electrodes. In the absence of biasing, molecular-attraction forces maintain in stable mutual contact the top region and the top electrodes or, alternatively, the bottom region and the bottom electrodes.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 27, 2017
    Publication date: February 1, 2018
    Inventors: Giovanni Campardo, Carlo Valzasina
  • Patent number: 9869550
    Abstract: A microelectromechanical gyroscope includes: a substrate; a stator sensing structure fixed to the substrate; a first mass elastically constrained to the substrate and movable with respect to the substrate in a first direction; a second mass elastically constrained to the first mass and movable with respect to the first mass in a second direction; and a third mass elastically constrained to the second mass and to the substrate and capacitively coupled to the stator sensing structure, the third mass being movable with respect to the substrate in the second direction and with respect to the second mass in the first direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 16, 2018
    Assignee: STMICROELECTRONICS S.R.L.
    Inventors: Daniele Prati, Carlo Valzasina, Luca Giuseppe Falorni, Matteo Fabio Brunetto
  • Patent number: 9829319
    Abstract: A microelectromechanical device includes: a body; a movable mass, elastically coupled to the body and oscillatable with respect to the body according to a degree of freedom; a frequency detector, configured to detect a current oscillation frequency of the movable mass; and a forcing stage, capacitively coupled to the movable mass and configured to provide energy to the movable mass through forcing signals having a forcing frequency equal to the current oscillation frequency detected by the frequency detector, at least in a first transient operating condition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 28, 2017
    Assignee: STMicroelectronics S.r.l.
    Inventors: Marco Garbarino, Andrea Donadel, Davide Magnoni, Carlo Valzasina
  • Publication number: 20170339494
    Abstract: A MEMS acoustic transducer provided with: a substrate of semiconductor material, having a back surface and a front surface opposite with respect to a vertical direction; a first cavity formed within the substrate, which extends from the back surface to the front surface; a membrane which is arranged at the upper surface, suspended above the first cavity and anchored along a perimeter thereof to the substrate; and a combfingered electrode arrangement including a number of mobile electrodes coupled to the membrane and a number of fixed electrodes coupled to the substrate and facing respective mobile electrodes for forming a sensing capacitor, wherein a deformation of the membrane as a result of incident acoustic pressure waves causes a capacitive variation of the sensing capacitor. In particular, the combfingered electrode arrangement lies vertically with respect to the membrane and extends parallel thereto.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 30, 2016
    Publication date: November 23, 2017
    Inventors: Matteo PERLETTI, Igor VARISCO, Luca LAMAGNA, Silvia ADORNO, Gabriele GATTERE, Carlo VALZASINA, Sebastiano CONTI
  • Publication number: 20170297906
    Abstract: A microelectromechanical device includes: a body accommodating a microelectromechanical structure; and a cap bonded to the body and electrically coupled to the microelectromechanical structure through conductive bonding regions. The cap including a selection module, which has first selection terminals coupled to the microelectromechanical structure, second selection terminals, and at least one control terminal, and which can be controlled through the control terminal to couple the second selection terminals to respective first selection terminals according, selectively, to one of a plurality of coupling configurations corresponding to respective operating conditions.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 29, 2017
    Publication date: October 19, 2017
    Inventors: Giorgio ALLEGATO, Barbara SIMONI, Carlo VALZASINA, Lorenzo CORSO
  • Publication number: 20170285061
    Abstract: The accelerometric sensor has a suspended region, mobile with respect to a supporting structure, and a sensing assembly coupled to the suspended region and configured to detect a movement of the suspended region with respect to the supporting structure. The suspended region has a geometry variable between at least two configurations associated with respective centroids, different from each other. The suspended region is formed by a first region rotatably anchored to the supporting structure and by a second region coupled to the first region through elastic connection elements configured to allow a relative movement of the second region with respect to the first region. A driving assembly is coupled to the second region so as to control the relative movement of the latter with respect to the first region.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 29, 2016
    Publication date: October 5, 2017
    Inventors: Alessandro Tocchio, Francesco Rizzini, Carlo Valzasina, Giacomo Langfelder
  • Publication number: 20170284804
    Abstract: A multi-axis MEMS gyroscope includes a micromechanical detection structure having a substrate, a driving-mass arrangement, a driven-mass arrangement with a central window, and a sensing-mass arrangement which undergoes sensing movements in the presence of angular velocities about a first horizontal axis and a second horizontal axis. A sensing-electrode arrangement is fixed with respect to the substrate and is set underneath the sensing-mass arrangement. An anchorage assembly is set within the central window for constraining the driven-mass arrangement to the substrate at anchorage elements. The anchorage assembly includes a rigid structure suspended above the substrate that is elastically coupled to the driven mass by elastic connection elements at a central portion, and is coupled to the anchorage elements by elastic decoupling elements at end portions thereof.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 22, 2016
    Publication date: October 5, 2017
    Inventors: Gabriele Gattere, Carlo Valzasina, Luca Giuseppe Falorni
  • Publication number: 20170268880
    Abstract: MEMS device having a support region elastically carrying a suspended mass through first elastic elements. A tuned dynamic absorber is elastically coupled to the suspended mass and configured to dampen quadrature forces acting on the suspended mass at the natural oscillation frequency of the dynamic absorber. The tuned dynamic absorber is formed by a damping mass coupled to the suspended mass through second elastic elements. In an embodiment, the suspended mass and the damping mass are formed in a same structural layer, for example of semiconductor material, and the damping mass is surrounded by the suspended mass.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 31, 2017
    Publication date: September 21, 2017
    Inventors: Luca Giuseppe Falorni, Carlo Valzasina, Roberto Carminati, Alessandro Tocchio
  • Publication number: 20170261322
    Abstract: A micromechanical detection structure includes a substrate of semiconductor material and a driving-mass arrangement is coupled to a set of driving electrodes and driven in a driving movement following upon biasing of the set of driving electrodes. A first anchorage unit is coupled to the driving-mass arrangement for elastically coupling the driving-mass arrangement to the substrate at first anchorages. A driven-mass arrangement is elastically coupled to the driving-mass arrangement by a coupling unit and designed to be driven by the driving movement. A second anchorage unit is coupled to the driven-mass arrangement for elastically coupling the driven-mass arrangement to the substrate at second anchorages. Following upon the driving movement, the resultant of the forces and of the torques exerted on the substrate at the first and second anchorages is substantially zero.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 9, 2017
    Publication date: September 14, 2017
    Inventors: Gabriele Gattere, Luca Giuseppe Falorni, Carlo Valzasina
  • Patent number: 9718675
    Abstract: A microelectromechanical device includes: a body accommodating a microelectromechanical structure; and a cap bonded to the body and electrically coupled to the microelectromechanical structure through conductive bonding regions. The cap including a selection module, which has first selection terminals coupled to the microelectromechanical structure, second selection terminals, and at least one control terminal, and which can be controlled through the control terminal to couple the second selection terminals to respective first selection terminals according, selectively, to one of a plurality of coupling configurations corresponding to respective operating conditions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 1, 2017
    Assignee: STMICROELECTRONICS S.R.L.
    Inventors: Giorgio Allegato, Barbara Simoni, Carlo Valzasina, Lorenzo Corso
  • Patent number: 9696157
    Abstract: MEMS device having a support region elastically carrying a suspended mass through first elastic elements. A tuned dynamic absorber is elastically coupled to the suspended mass and configured to dampen quadrature forces acting on the suspended mass at the natural oscillation frequency of the dynamic absorber. The tuned dynamic absorber is formed by a damping mass coupled to the suspended mass through second elastic elements. In an embodiment, the suspended mass and the damping mass are formed in a same structural layer, for example of semiconductor material, and the damping mass is surrounded by the suspended mass.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2017
    Assignee: STMICROELECTRONICS S.R.L.
    Inventors: Luca Giuseppe Falorni, Carlo Valzasina, Roberto Carminati, Alessandro Tocchio