Patents by Inventor Daniele Prati

Daniele Prati 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: 11965739
    Abstract: The MEMS gyroscope is formed by a substrate, a first mass and a second mass, wherein the first and the second masses are suspended over the substrate and extend, at rest, in a plane of extension defining a first direction and a second direction transverse to the first direction. The MEMS gyroscope further has a drive structure coupled to the first mass and configured, in use, to cause a movement of the first mass in the first direction, and an elastic coupling structure, which extends between the first mass and the second mass and is configured to couple the movement of the first mass in the first direction with a movement of the second mass in the second direction. The elastic coupling structure has a first portion having a first stiffness and a second portion having a second stiffness greater than the first stiffness.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 19, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 23, 2024
    Assignee: STMICROELECTRONICS S.r.l.
    Inventors: Daniele Prati, Luca Giuseppe Falorni, Luca Guerinoni
  • Publication number: 20230036566
    Abstract: The MEMS gyroscope is formed by a substrate, a first mass and a second mass, wherein the first and the second masses are suspended over the substrate and extend, at rest, in a plane of extension defining a first direction and a second direction transverse to the first direction. The MEMS gyroscope further has a drive structure coupled to the first mass and configured, in use, to cause a movement of the first mass in the first direction, and an elastic coupling structure, which extends between the first mass and the second mass and is configured to couple the movement of the first mass in the first direction with a movement of the second mass in the second direction. The elastic coupling structure has a first portion having a first stiffness and a second portion having a second stiffness greater than the first stiffness.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 19, 2022
    Publication date: February 2, 2023
    Applicant: STMICROELECTRONICS S.r.l.
    Inventors: Daniele PRATI, Luca Giuseppe FALORNI, Luca GUERINONI
  • Patent number: 11280611
    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: November 26, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2022
    Assignee: STMicroelectronics S.r.l.
    Inventors: Daniele Prati, Carlo Valzasina, Luca Giuseppe Falorni, Matteo Fabio Brunetto
  • Patent number: 11002543
    Abstract: A MEMS gyroscope can include a supporting structure and a mobile mass elastically suspended from the supporting structure in a driving direction and in a sensing direction, mutually perpendicular. A driving structure is coupled to the mobile mass for controlling a driving movement of the mobile mass in the driving direction at a driving frequency. A driving-frequency tuning electrode, distinct from the driving structure, faces the mobile mass. A driving-frequency tuner electrically coupled to the driving-frequency tuning electrode for supplying a tuning voltage to the driving-frequency tuning electrode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 11, 2021
    Assignee: STMICROELECTRONICS S.R.L.
    Inventor: Daniele Prati
  • Publication number: 20210002126
    Abstract: A system for diagnosing the operating state of a MEMS sensor includes a stimulation circuit, external to the MEMS sensor, configured to generate a stimulation signal designed to be detected by the MEMS sensor. The system has control circuitry, operatively coupled to the stimulation circuit and to the MEMS sensor, so as to control the stimulation circuit to generate the stimulation signal and receive a diagnostic signal generated by the MEMS sensor in response to the stimulation signal. The control circuitry determines an operating state of the MEMS sensor based on the diagnostic signal and an expected response to the stimulation signal by the MEMS sensor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 30, 2020
    Publication date: January 7, 2021
    Inventors: Enrico Rosario ALESSI, Fabio PASSANITI, Daniele PRATI
  • Publication number: 20200109946
    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: November 26, 2019
    Publication date: April 9, 2020
    Inventors: Daniele PRATI, Carlo VALZASINA, Luca Giuseppe FALORNI, Matteo Fabio BRUNETTO
  • Patent number: 10539420
    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 29, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 21, 2020
    Assignee: STMICROELECTRONICS S.R.L.
    Inventors: Daniele Prati, Carlo Valzasina, Luca Giuseppe Falorni, Matteo Fabio Brunetto
  • Patent number: 10444013
    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: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 15, 2019
    Assignee: STMICROELECTRONICS S.R.L.
    Inventors: Daniele Prati, Carlo Valzasina, Tiziano Chiarillo, Pasquale Franco
  • Publication number: 20190072389
    Abstract: A MEMS gyroscope can include a supporting structure and a mobile mass elastically suspended from the supporting structure in a driving direction and in a sensing direction, mutually perpendicular. A driving structure is coupled to the mobile mass for controlling a driving movement of the mobile mass in the driving direction at a driving frequency. A driving-frequency tuning electrode, distinct from the driving structure, faces the mobile mass. A driving-frequency tuner electrically coupled to the driving-frequency tuning electrode for supplying a tuning voltage to the driving-frequency tuning electrode.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 29, 2018
    Publication date: March 7, 2019
    Inventor: Daniele Prati
  • Patent number: 10024738
    Abstract: A MEMS force sensor has: a substrate; a fixed electrode coupled to the substrate; and a mobile electrode suspended above the substrate at the fixed electrode to define a sensing capacitor, the mobile electrode being designed to undergo deformation due to application of a force to be detected. A dielectric material region is set on the fixed electrode and spaced apart by an air gap from the mobile electrode, in resting conditions. The mobile electrode comes to bear upon the dielectric material region upon application of a minimum detectable value of the force, so that a contact surface between the mobile electrode and the dielectric material region increases, in particular in a substantially linear way, as the force increases.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 2014
    Date of Patent: July 17, 2018
    Assignee: STMICROELECTRONICS S.R.L.
    Inventors: Sebastiano Conti, Daniele Prati, Domenico Giusti
  • 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
  • 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
  • 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
  • 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
  • Patent number: 9561650
    Abstract: The present disclosure is directed to a microfluidic die that includes a first larger heater and a second smaller heater is a single chamber. The first heater is configured to form a primary bubble that ejects fluid from a nozzle associated with the chamber. The second heater is configured to form a secondary bubble to prevent blow back caused when the primary bubble bursts and ejects fluid from the nozzle. The first and second heater may be coupled to a single input trace and a single ground trace.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 7, 2017
    Assignee: STMICROELECTRONICS S.R.L.
    Inventors: Domenico Giusti, Daniele Prati
  • Publication number: 20160107445
    Abstract: The present disclosure is directed to a microfluidic die that includes a first larger heater and a second smaller heater is a single chamber. The first heater is configured to form a primary bubble that ejects fluid from a nozzle associated with the chamber. The second heater is configured to form a secondary bubble to prevent blow back caused when the primary bubble bursts and ejects fluid from the nozzle. The first and second heater may be coupled to a single input trace and a single ground trace.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 21, 2015
    Publication date: April 21, 2016
    Inventors: Domenico Giusti, Daniele Prati
  • Patent number: 9248648
    Abstract: The present disclosure is directed to a microfluidic die that includes a first larger heater and a second smaller heater is a single chamber. The first heater is configured to form a primary bubble that ejects fluid from a nozzle associated with the chamber. The second heater is configured to form a secondary bubble to prevent blow back caused when the primary bubble bursts and ejects fluid from the nozzle. The first and second heater may be coupled to a single input trace and a single ground trace.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 20, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 2, 2016
    Assignee: STMICROELECTRONICS S.R.L.
    Inventors: Domenico Giusti, Daniele Prati
  • Publication number: 20150367641
    Abstract: The present disclosure is directed to a microfluidic die that includes a first larger heater and a second smaller heater is a single chamber. The first heater is configured to form a primary bubble that ejects fluid from a nozzle associated with the chamber. The second heater is configured to form a secondary bubble to prevent blow back caused when the primary bubble bursts and ejects fluid from the nozzle. The first and second heater may be coupled to a single input trace and a single ground trace.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 20, 2014
    Publication date: December 24, 2015
    Inventors: Domenico Giusti, Daniele Prati
  • Patent number: 9174445
    Abstract: The present disclosure is directed to a microfluidic die having a substrate with an inlet path that is configured to move fluid into the die. The die includes a plurality of heaters formed above the substrate, each heater having a first area, a plurality of chambers formed above the plurality of heaters, and a plurality of nozzles formed above the chambers. Each nozzle having an entrance adjacent to the chamber and an exit adjacent to en external environment, the entrance having a second area, and the second having a third area, the first area being greater than the second area, and the second area being greater than the third area. A ratio of the first area to the third area being greater than 5 to 1.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 20, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 3, 2015
    Assignees: STMicroelectronics S.r.l., STMicroelectronics, Inc.
    Inventors: Daniele Prati, Domenico Giusti, Simon Dodd
  • Publication number: 20150135860
    Abstract: A MEMS force sensor has: a substrate; a fixed electrode coupled to the substrate; and a mobile electrode suspended above the substrate at the fixed electrode to define a sensing capacitor, the mobile electrode being designed to undergo deformation due to application of a force to be detected. A dielectric material region is set on the fixed electrode and spaced apart by an air gap from the mobile electrode, in resting conditions. The mobile electrode comes to bear upon the dielectric material region upon application of a minimum detectable value of the force, so that a contact surface between the mobile electrode and the dielectric material region increases, in particular in a substantially linear way, as the force increases.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 12, 2014
    Publication date: May 21, 2015
    Inventors: Sebastiano Conti, Daniele Prati, Domenico Giusti