Patents by Inventor Cesare Buffa

Cesare Buffa 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: 20170307668
    Abstract: According to an embodiment, a capacitance determination circuit is provided comprising a voltage controlled oscillator configured to generate a frequency signal whose frequency depends on a control voltage supplied to the voltage controlled oscillator, a capacitor coupled to the voltage controlled oscillator wherein the control voltage depends on a voltage across the capacitor and a processing circuit configured to generate, based on the frequency signal generated by the voltage controlled oscillator over a time interval comprising at least one phase in which the capacitor is charged and comprising at least one phase in which the capacitor is discharged, an indication of the capacitance of the capacitor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 22, 2016
    Publication date: October 26, 2017
    Inventors: Cesare Buffa, Luis Hernandez-Corporales, Andreas Wiesbauer, Enrique Prefasi
  • Publication number: 20170276723
    Abstract: Sensor devices and methods are provided where a test signal is applied to a capacitive sensor. Furthermore, a bias voltage is applied to the capacitive sensor via a high impedance component. A path for applying the test signal excludes the high impedance component. Using this testing signal, in some implementations a capacity imbalance of the capacitive sensor may be detected.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 23, 2016
    Publication date: September 28, 2017
    Inventors: Cesare Buffa, Richard Gaggl
  • Publication number: 20170257093
    Abstract: A high-ohmic circuit includes a plurality of high-ohmic branches coupled in parallel between a first node and a second node. Each of the plurality of high-ohmic branches includes a first plurality of series connected resistive elements forming a first series path from the first node to the second node, each of the first plurality of series connected resistive elements comprising a first diode-connected transistor. Each of the plurality of high-ohmic branches further includes a second plurality of series connected resistive elements forming a second series path from the first node to the second node, each of the second plurality of series connected resistive elements comprising a second diode-connected transistor. The high-ohmic circuit further includes a plurality of switches, each of the switches being coupled between a corresponding one of the plurality of high-ohmic branches and the second node.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 7, 2016
    Publication date: September 7, 2017
    Inventors: Cesare Buffa, Elmar Bach