Patents by Inventor Carmela Albano

Carmela Albano 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: 7532060
    Abstract: In a charge-pump device, a charge-pump circuit has an input, which is connected to a supply line and receives a supply voltage, and an output; in the charge-pump circuit a first elementary stage defines a first transfer node and a second transfer node that can be connected respectively to the input and to the output, and has at least one first phase input. In addition, in the first elementary stage a first switching element is arranged between the first transfer node and the second transfer node, has a control terminal receiving a control signal, and is closed during a charge-transfer interval; and first charge-storage means are connected between the control terminal and the first phase input. In the first elementary stage, a voltage-booster stage has an input connected to the first phase input of the first elementary stage, and an output connected to the first charge-storage means and supplies a boosted phase signal; in particular, the voltage-booster stage is operative during the charge-transfer interval.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 9, 2005
    Date of Patent: May 12, 2009
    Inventors: Carmela Albano, Daniele Vimercati
  • Patent number: 7321512
    Abstract: A non-volatile memory device includes an array of memory cells organized into a plurality of array sectors, with each array sector being singularly addressable through an array wordline. An array of reference cells is addressable through a reference wordline. A respective voltage ramp generator is provided for each array sector for generating a voltage ramp on an array wordline for reading a memory cell therein, and is provided for each array of reference cells for generating a voltage ramp on a reference wordline for a reference cell therein. A respective row decoding circuit is coupled between each respective voltage ramp generator and corresponding reference wordline or array wordline. A current generator generates a current to be injected on a circuit node in a selected array sector and on a circuit node of the array of reference cells to produce on the circuit nodes a voltage ramp similar to the generated voltage ramp.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 3, 2006
    Date of Patent: January 22, 2008
    Assignee: STMicroelectronics S.r.l.
    Inventors: Daniele Vimercati, Marco Onorato, Carmela Albano, Mounia El-Moutaouakil
  • Publication number: 20070217272
    Abstract: A single job memory device includes an array of memory cells, row and column decoders and first and second charge pump voltage regulators controlled by respective first and second control circuits that supply the row and column decoders at least during write operations of data in the array of memory cells. A third charge pump voltage generator, controlled by a third control circuit, supplies the row and column decoders during read operations of data from the array of memory cells. The memory device includes a switching circuit that, during the read operations, disconnects two of the control circuits from the respective charge pump voltage generators, transmits control signals generated by the other control circuit to the first and second charge pump voltage generators, and shorts among them the output nodes of the voltage generators on which the supply voltages of the row and column decoders are generated.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 21, 2007
    Publication date: September 20, 2007
    Applicant: STMicroelectronics S.r.l.
    Inventors: Carmela Albano, Mounia El-Moutaouakil, Massimo Terragni
  • Publication number: 20060250852
    Abstract: A non-volatile memory device includes an array of memory cells organized into a plurality of array sectors, with each array sector being singularly addressable through an array wordline. An array of reference cells is addressable through a reference wordline. A respective voltage ramp generator is provided for each array sector for generating a voltage ramp on an array wordline for reading a memory cell therein, and is provided for each array of reference cells for generating a voltage ramp on a reference wordline for a reference cell therein. A respective row decoding circuit is coupled between each respective volage ramp generator and corresponding reference wordline or array wordline. A current generator generates a current to be injected on a circuit node in a selected array sector and on a circuit node of the array of reference cells to produce on the circuit nodes a voltage ramp similar to the generated voltage ramp.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 3, 2006
    Publication date: November 9, 2006
    Applicant: STMicroelectronics S.r.I
    Inventors: Daniele Vimercati, Marco Onorato, Carmela Albano, Mounia El-Moutaouakil
  • Publication number: 20060120157
    Abstract: In a charge-pump device, a charge-pump circuit has an input, which is connected to a supply line and receives a supply voltage, and an output; in the charge-pump circuit a first elementary stage defines a first transfer node and a second transfer node that can be connected respectively to the input and to the output, and has at least one first phase input. In addition, in the first elementary stage a first switching element is arranged between the first transfer node and the second transfer node, has a control terminal receiving a control signal, and is closed during a charge-transfer interval; and first charge-storage means are connected between the control terminal and the first phase input. In the first elementary stage, a voltage-booster stage has an input connected to the first phase input of the first elementary stage, and an output connected to the first charge-storage means and supplies a boosted phase signal; in particular, the voltage-booster stage is operative during the charge-transfer interval.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 9, 2005
    Publication date: June 8, 2006
    Applicant: STMicroelectronics, S.r.l.
    Inventors: Carmela Albano, Daniele Vimercati