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: 20170184400
    Abstract: A gyroscope includes a substrate, a first structure, a second structure and a third structure elastically coupled to the substrate and movable along a first axis. The first and second structure are arranged at opposite sides of the third structure with respect to the first axis A driving system is configured to oscillate the first and second structure along the first axis in phase with one another and in phase opposition with the third structure. The first, second and third structure are provided with respective sets of sensing electrodes, configured to be displaced along a second axis perpendicular to the first axis in response to rotations of the substrate about a third axis perpendicular to the first axis and to the second axis.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 29, 2016
    Publication date: June 29, 2017
    Inventors: Carlo Valzasina, Huantong Zhang, Matteo Fabio Brunetto, Gert Ingvar Andersson, Erik Daniel Svensson, Nils Einar Hedenstierna
  • Publication number: 20170108337
    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 9, 2015
    Publication date: April 20, 2017
    Inventors: Daniele PRATI, Carlo VALZASINA, Luca Giuseppe FALORNI, Matteo Fabio BRUNETTO
  • Publication number: 20170088416
    Abstract: An encapsulated device of semiconductor material wherein a chip of semiconductor material is fixed to a base element of a packaging body through at least one pillar element having elasticity and deformability greater than the chip, for example a Young's modulus lower than 300 MPa. In one example, four pillar elements are fixed in proximity of the corners of a fixing surface of the chip and operate as uncoupling structure, which prevents transfer of stresses and deformations of the base element to the chip.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 28, 2016
    Publication date: March 30, 2017
    Inventors: Alessandro TOCCHIO, Carlo VALZASINA, Luca GUERINONI, Giorgio ALLEGATO
  • Publication number: 20160320425
    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: Application
    Filed: December 16, 2015
    Publication date: November 3, 2016
    Inventors: Francesco Procopio, Carlo Valzasina
  • Publication number: 20160313123
    Abstract: A microelectromechanical gyroscope, includes: a supporting body; a first movable mass and a second movable mass, which are oscillatable according to a first driving axis and tiltable about respective a first and second sensing axes and are symmetrically arranged with respect to a center of symmetry; first sensing electrodes and a second sensing electrodes associated with the first and second movable masses and arranged on the supporting body symmetrically with respect to the first and second sensing axis, the first and second movable masses being capacitively coupled to the respective first sensing electrode and to the respective second sensing electrode, a bridge element elastically coupled to respective inner ends of the first movable mass and of the second movable mass and coupled to the supporting body so as to be tiltable about an axis transverse to the first driving axis.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 1, 2016
    Publication date: October 27, 2016
    Inventors: Carlo VALZASINA, Luca Giuseppe FALORNI
  • Patent number: 9452922
    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: June 19, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2016
    Assignee: STMICROELECTRONICS S.R.L.
    Inventors: Giorgio Allegato, Barbara Simoni, Carlo Valzasina, Lorenzo Corso
  • Patent number: 9448071
    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: March 13, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2016
    Assignee: STMICROELECTRONICS S.R.L.
    Inventors: Marco Garbarino, Andrea Donadel, Davide Magnoni, Carlo Valzasina
  • Patent number: 9404747
    Abstract: A microelectromechanical gyroscope, includes: a supporting body; a first movable mass and a second movable mass, which are oscillatable according to a first driving axis and tiltable about respective a first and second sensing axes and are symmetrically arranged with respect to a center of symmetry; first sensing electrodes and a second sensing electrodes associated with the first and second movable masses and arranged on the supporting body symmetrically with respect to the first and second sensing axis, the first and second movable masses being capacitively coupled to the respective first sensing electrode and to the respective second sensing electrode, a bridge element elastically coupled to respective inner ends of the first movable mass and of the second movable mass and coupled to the supporting body so as to be tiltable about an axis transverse to the first driving axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 2, 2016
    Assignee: STMicroelectroncs S.R.L.
    Inventors: Carlo Valzasina, Luca Giuseppe Falorni
  • Patent number: 9383382
    Abstract: A microelectromechanical sensor that in one embodiment includes a supporting structure, having a substrate and electrode structures anchored to the substrate; and a sensing mass, movable with respect to the supporting structure so that a distance between the sensing mass and the substrate is variable. The sensing mass is provided with movable electrodes capacitively coupled to the electrode structures. Each electrode structure comprises a first fixed electrode and a second fixed electrode mutually insulated by a dielectric region and arranged in succession in a direction substantially perpendicular to a face of the substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 5, 2016
    Assignee: STMICROELECTRONICS S.R.L.
    Inventors: Barbara Simoni, Carlo Valzasina
  • Publication number: 20160145096
    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: December 16, 2015
    Publication date: May 26, 2016
    Inventors: Giorgio ALLEGATO, Barbara SIMONI, Carlo VALZASINA, Lorenzo CORSO
  • Publication number: 20160109237
    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: Application
    Filed: December 30, 2015
    Publication date: April 21, 2016
    Inventors: Marco Garbarino, Andrea Donadel, Davide Magnoni, Carlo Valzasina
  • Publication number: 20160091528
    Abstract: A microelectromechanical device includes: a supporting structure; two sensing masses, movable with respect to the supporting structure according to a first axis and a respective second axis; a driving device for maintaining the sensing masses in oscillation along the first axis in phase opposition; sensing units for supplying sensing signals indicative of displacements respectively of the sensing masses according to the respective second axis; processing components for combining the sensing signals so as to: in a first sensing mode, amplify effects on the sensing signals of concordant displacements and attenuate effects of discordant displacements of the sensing masses; and in a second sensing mode, amplify effects on the sensing signals of discordant displacements and attenuate effects of concordant displacements of the sensing masses.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 9, 2015
    Publication date: March 31, 2016
    Inventors: Barbara SIMONI, Carlo VALZASINA
  • Patent number: 9234913
    Abstract: A microelectromechanical device includes: a supporting structure; two sensing masses, movable with respect to the supporting structure according to a first axis and a respective second axis; a driving device for maintaining the sensing masses in oscillation along the first axis in phase opposition; sensing units for supplying sensing signals indicative of displacements respectively of the sensing masses according to the respective second axis; processing components for combining the sensing signals so as to: in a first sensing mode, amplify effects on the sensing signals of concordant displacements and attenuate effects of discordant displacements of the sensing masses; and in a second sensing mode, amplify effects on the sensing signals of discordant displacements and attenuate effects of concordant displacements of the sensing masses.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 12, 2016
    Assignee: STMICROELECTRONICS S.R.L.
    Inventors: Barbara Simoni, Carlo Valzasina
  • Publication number: 20150377624
    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: June 25, 2015
    Publication date: December 31, 2015
    Inventors: Luca Giuseppe Falorni, Carlo Valzasina, Roberto Carminati, Alessandro Tocchio
  • Publication number: 20150114112
    Abstract: A microelectromechanical gyroscope, includes: a supporting body; a first movable mass and a second movable mass, which are oscillatable according to a first driving axis and tiltable about respective a first and second sensing axes and are symmetrically arranged with respect to a center of symmetry; first sensing electrodes and a second sensing electrodes associated with the first and second movable masses and arranged on the supporting body symmetrically with respect to the first and second sensing axis, the first and second movable masses being capacitively coupled to the respective first sensing electrode and to the respective second sensing electrode, a bridge element elastically coupled to respective inner ends of the first movable mass and of the second movable mass and coupled to the supporting body so as to be tiltable about an axis transverse to the first driving axis.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 30, 2013
    Publication date: April 30, 2015
    Applicant: STMicroelectroncs S.r.l.
    Inventors: Carlo Valzasina, Luca Giuseppe Falorni
  • Publication number: 20150082856
    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: September 26, 2014
    Publication date: March 26, 2015
    Inventors: Dario PACI, Francesco PROCOPIO, Carlo VALZASINA, Paolo ANGELINI, Francesco DIAZZI, Roberto Pio BAORDA, Danilo Karim KADDOURI
  • Publication number: 20150035409
    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: July 29, 2014
    Publication date: February 5, 2015
    Inventors: Francesco Procopio, Carlo Valzasina, Alberto Corigliano, Raffaele Ardito, Giacomo Gafforelli
  • Publication number: 20140260609
    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: Application
    Filed: March 13, 2013
    Publication date: September 18, 2014
    Applicant: STMICROELECTRONICS S.R.L.
    Inventors: Marco Garbarino, Andrea Donadel, Davide Magnoni, Carlo Valzasina
  • Publication number: 20140230546
    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 19, 2013
    Publication date: August 21, 2014
    Inventors: Giorgio Allegato, Barbara Simoni, Carlo Valzasina, Lorenzo Corso
  • Publication number: 20130125649
    Abstract: A microelectromechanical device includes: a supporting structure; two sensing masses, movable with respect to the supporting structure according to a first axis and a respective second axis; a driving device for maintaining the sensing masses in oscillation along the first axis in phase opposition; sensing units for supplying sensing signals indicative of displacements respectively of the sensing masses according to the respective second axis; processing components for combining the sensing signals so as to: in a first sensing mode, amplify effects on the sensing signals of concordant displacements and attenuate effects of discordant displacements of the sensing masses; and in a second sensing mode, amplify effects on the sensing signals of discordant displacements and attenuate effects of concordant displacements of the sensing masses.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 12, 2012
    Publication date: May 23, 2013
    Applicant: STMICROELECTRONICS S.R.L.
    Inventors: Barbara Simoni, Carlo Valzasina