Patents by Inventor Egidio Ragonese

Egidio Ragonese 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: 11901863
    Abstract: An oscillator circuit includes a total of N (N?2) class-D oscillator circuits stacked together between a supply voltage node and a reference voltage node. The output ports of adjacent class-D oscillator circuits in the disclosed oscillator circuit are coupled together by capacitors to ensure frequency and phase synchronization for the frequency signals generated by the class-D oscillator circuits. Compared with a reference oscillator circuit formed of a single class-D oscillator circuit, the oscillation amplitude of each of the class-D oscillator circuits in the disclosed oscillator circuit is 1/N of that of the reference oscillator circuit, and the current consumption of the disclosed oscillator circuit is 1/N of that of the reference oscillator circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 2, 2023
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2024
    Assignee: STMICROELECTRONICS S.R.L.
    Inventors: Simone Spataro, Salvatore Coffa, Egidio Ragonese
  • Publication number: 20230353091
    Abstract: An oscillator circuit includes a total of N (N?2) class-D oscillator circuits stacked together between a supply voltage node and a reference voltage node. The output ports of adjacent class-D oscillator circuits in the disclosed oscillator circuit are coupled together by capacitors to ensure frequency and phase synchronization for the frequency signals generated by the class-D oscillator circuits. Compared with a reference oscillator circuit formed of a single class-D oscillator circuit, the oscillation amplitude of each of the class-D oscillator circuits in the disclosed oscillator circuit is 1/N of that of the reference oscillator circuit, and the current consumption of the disclosed oscillator circuit is 1/N of that of the reference oscillator circuit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 2, 2023
    Publication date: November 2, 2023
    Inventors: Simone Spataro, Salvatore Coffa, Egidio Ragonese
  • Patent number: 11621670
    Abstract: An oscillator circuit includes a total of N (N?2) class-D oscillator circuits stacked together between a supply voltage node and a reference voltage node. The output ports of adjacent class-D oscillator circuits in the disclosed oscillator circuit are coupled together by capacitors to ensure frequency and phase synchronization for the frequency signals generated by the class-D oscillator circuits. Compared with a reference oscillator circuit formed of a single class-D oscillator circuit, the oscillation amplitude of each of the class-D oscillator circuits in the disclosed oscillator circuit is 1/N of that of the reference oscillator circuit, and the current consumption of the disclosed oscillator circuit is 1/N of that of the reference oscillator circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 28, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 4, 2023
    Assignees: STMicroelectronics S.r.l., Université degli studi di Catania
    Inventors: Simone Spataro, Salvatore Coffa, Egidio Ragonese
  • Patent number: 11611280
    Abstract: A DC-DC converter includes: an transformer having a primary winding and a secondary winding magnetically coupled to the primary winding; a power oscillator applying an oscillating signal to the primary to transmit a power signal to the secondary winding; a rectifier connected to the secondary winding of the transformer to obtain an output DC voltage by rectification of the power signal; comparison circuitry to generate an error signal representing a difference between the output DC voltage and a reference voltage; a transmitter connected to the secondary winding of the transformer to apply an amplitude modulation to the power signal at the secondary winding of the transformer in response to the error signal to thereby produce an amplitude modulated signal at the primary winding; and a receiver and control circuit connected to the primary winding to control an amplitude of the oscillating signal as a function of the amplitude modulated signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 17, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2023
    Assignee: STMicroelectronics S.r.l.
    Inventors: Alessandro Parisi, Nunzio Greco, Nunzio Spina, Egidio Ragonese, Giuseppe Palmisano
  • Publication number: 20220329207
    Abstract: A rectifier stage includes a differential input transistor pair coupled between a reference voltage node and an intermediate node, and a load circuit coupled between the intermediate node and a supply voltage node. The differential input transistor pair receives a radio-frequency amplitude modulated signal. A rectified signal indicative of an envelope of the radio-frequency amplitude modulated signal is produced at the intermediate node. An amplifier stage coupled to the intermediate node produces an amplified rectified signal at an output node that is indicative of the envelope of the radio-frequency amplitude modulated signal. The rectifier stage includes a resistive element coupled between the intermediate node and the supply voltage node in parallel to the load circuit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 25, 2022
    Publication date: October 13, 2022
    Applicant: STMicroelectronics S.r.l.
    Inventors: Nunzio SPINA, Egidio RAGONESE, Giuseppe PALMISANO
  • Patent number: 11442142
    Abstract: An input receives a radio frequency (RF) signal having an interfering component superimposed thereon. The RF signal is mixed with a local oscillator (LO) signal and down-converted to an intermediate frequency (IF) to generate a mixed signal which includes a frequency down-converted interfering component. The mixed signal is amplified by an amplifier to generate an output signal. A feedback loop processes the output signal to generate a correction signal for cancelling the frequency down-converted interfering component at the input of the amplifier. The feedback loop includes a low-pass filter and a amplification circuit which outputs the correction signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 20, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2022
    Assignee: STMicroelectronics S.r.l.
    Inventors: Giuseppe Papotto, Egidio Ragonese, Claudio Nocera, Alessandro Finocchiaro, Giuseppe Palmisano
  • Publication number: 20210376735
    Abstract: A DC-DC converter includes: an transformer having a primary winding and a secondary winding magnetically coupled to the primary winding; a power oscillator applying an oscillating signal to the primary to transmit a power signal to the secondary winding; a rectifier connected to the secondary winding of the transformer to obtain an output DC voltage by rectification of the power signal; comparison circuitry to generate an error signal representing a difference between the output DC voltage and a reference voltage; a transmitter connected to the secondary winding of the transformer to apply an amplitude modulation to the power signal at the secondary winding of the transformer in response to the error signal to thereby produce an amplitude modulated signal at the primary winding; and a receiver and control circuit connected to the primary winding to control an amplitude of the oscillating signal as a function of the amplitude modulated signal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 17, 2021
    Publication date: December 2, 2021
    Applicant: STMicroelectronics S.r.l.
    Inventors: Alessandro PARISI, Nunzio GRECO, Nunzio SPINA, Egidio RAGONESE, Giuseppe PALMISANO
  • Patent number: 11128221
    Abstract: A DC-DC converter includes a transformer having primary and secondary windings, a power oscillator applying an oscillating signal to the primary winding to transmit a power signal to the secondary winding, a rectifier obtaining an output DC voltage by rectifying the power signal at the secondary winding, and comparison circuitry generating an error signal representing a difference between the output DC voltage and a reference voltage value. A transmitter connected to the secondary winding performs an amplitude modulation of the power signal at the secondary winding to transmit an amplitude modulated power signal to the primary winding, the amplitude modulation based upon the error signal and modulating a stream of data to the primary winding. A receiver coupled to the primary winding demodulates the amplitude modulated power signal to recover the error signal and the stream of data. An amplitude of the oscillating signal is controlled by the error signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 21, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 21, 2021
    Assignee: STMicroelectronics S.r.l.
    Inventors: Alessandro Parisi, Nunzio Greco, Nunzio Spina, Egidio Ragonese, Giuseppe Palmisano
  • Patent number: 10917091
    Abstract: An oscillator is coupled to a first side of a galvanic barrier for supplying thereto an electric supply signal. The oscillator is configured to be alternatively turned on and off as a function of a PWM drive signal applied thereto. A receiver circuit coupled to the galvanic barrier receives therefrom a PWM power control signal. A signal reconstruction circuit coupled between the receiver circuit block and the oscillator provides to the oscillator a PWM drive signal reconstructed from the PWM power control signal. The signal reconstruction circuit includes a PLL circuit coupled to the receiver circuit block and configured to lock to the PWM control signal from the receiver circuit block. A PLL loop within the PLL circuit is sensitive to the PWM drive signal applied to the oscillator. The PLL loop is configured to be opened as a result of the power supply oscillator being turned off.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 1, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 9, 2021
    Assignee: STMicroelectronics S.r.l.
    Inventors: Alessandro Parisi, Nunzio Greco, Nunzio Spina, Egidio Ragonese, Giuseppe Palmisano
  • Publication number: 20200278420
    Abstract: An input receives a radio frequency (RF) signal having an interfering component superimposed thereon. The RF signal is mixed with a local oscillator (LO) signal and down-converted to an intermediate frequency (IF) to generate a mixed signal which includes a frequency down-converted interfering component. The mixed signal is amplified by an amplifier to generate an output signal. A feedback loop processes the output signal to generate a correction signal for cancelling the frequency down-converted interfering component at the input of the amplifier. The feedback loop includes a low-pass filter and a amplification circuit which outputs the correction signal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 20, 2020
    Publication date: September 3, 2020
    Applicant: STMicroelectronics S.r.l.
    Inventors: Giuseppe PAPOTTO, Egidio RAGONESE, Claudio NOCERA, Alessandro FINOCCHIARO, Giuseppe PALMISANO
  • Publication number: 20200266781
    Abstract: A cascade of amplifier stages has a differential input and a differential output. The cascade of amplifier stages includes at least one differential amplifier circuit including first and second transistors, at least one of the first and second transistors having a control terminal and a body terminal. A mismatch between the first and second transistors generates an input offset. A feedback network couples the differential output to the body terminal in order to cancel the input offset. The feedback network includes a low-pass filter and a differential amplifier stage.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 18, 2020
    Publication date: August 20, 2020
    Applicant: STMicroelectronics S.r.l.
    Inventors: Alessandro FINOCCHIARO, Giuseppe PAPOTTO, Egidio RAGONESE, Giuseppe PALMISANO
  • Publication number: 20200161980
    Abstract: A DC-DC converter includes a transformer having primary and secondary windings, a power oscillator applying an oscillating signal to the primary winding to transmit a power signal to the secondary winding, a rectifier obtaining an output DC voltage by rectifying the power signal at the secondary winding, and comparison circuitry generating an error signal representing a difference between the output DC voltage and a reference voltage value. A transmitter connected to the secondary winding performs an amplitude modulation of the power signal at the secondary winding to transmit an amplitude modulated power signal to the primary winding, the amplitude modulation based upon the error signal and modulating a stream of data to the primary winding. A receiver coupled to the primary winding demodulates the amplitude modulated power signal to recover the error signal and the stream of data. An amplitude of the oscillating signal is controlled by the error signal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 21, 2020
    Publication date: May 21, 2020
    Applicant: STMicroelectronics S.r.l.
    Inventors: Alessandro PARISI, Nunzio GRECO, Nunzio SPINA, Egidio RAGONESE, Giuseppe PALMISANO
  • Patent number: 10637360
    Abstract: A DC-DC converter includes a power oscillator connected to a first transformer winding, and a channel conveying a data stream through galvanic isolation by power signal modulation. A rectifier rectifies the power signal to produce a DC voltage. A comparator produces an error signal from the DC voltage and a reference voltage. An analog-to-digital converter converts the error signal to a digital power control value. A multiplexer multiplexes the digital power control value with the data stream to obtain a multiplexed bitstream. A transmitter driven by the multiplexed bitstream performs amplitude modulation of the power signal at a second transformer winding. A receiver connected to the first winding demodulates the amplitude modulated power signal. A demultiplexer demultiplexes the data stream and the digital power control value. A digital-to-analog converter converts the digital power control value to an analog control signal for the power oscillator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 10, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 28, 2020
    Assignee: STMicroelectronics S.r.l.
    Inventors: Alessandro Parisi, Nunzio Greco, Nunzio Spina, Egidio Ragonese, Giuseppe Palmisano
  • Publication number: 20190305775
    Abstract: An oscillator is coupled to a first side of a galvanic barrier for supplying thereto an electric supply signal. The oscillator is configured to be alternatively turned on and off as a function of a PWM drive signal applied thereto. A receiver circuit coupled to the galvanic barrier receives therefrom a PWM power control signal. A signal reconstruction circuit coupled between the receiver circuit block and the oscillator provides to the oscillator a PWM drive signal reconstructed from the PWM power control signal. The signal reconstruction circuit includes a PLL circuit coupled to the receiver circuit block and configured to lock to the PWM control signal from the receiver circuit block. A PLL loop within the PLL circuit is sensitive to the PWM drive signal applied to the oscillator. The PLL loop is configured to be opened as a result of the power supply oscillator being turned off.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 1, 2019
    Publication date: October 3, 2019
    Applicant: STMicroelectronics S.r.l.
    Inventors: Alessandro PARISI, Nunzio GRECO, Nunzio SPINA, Egidio RAGONESE, Giuseppe PALMISANO
  • Publication number: 20190222126
    Abstract: A DC-DC converter includes a power oscillator connected to a first transformer winding, and a channel conveying a data stream through galvanic isolation by power signal modulation. A rectifier rectifies the power signal to produce a DC voltage. A comparator produces an error signal from the DC voltage and a reference voltage. An analog-to-digital converter converts the error signal to a digital power control value. A multiplexer multiplexes the digital power control value with the data stream to obtain a multiplexed bitstream. A transmitter driven by the multiplexed bitstream performs amplitude modulation of the power signal at a second transformer winding. A receiver connected to the first winding demodulates the amplitude modulated power signal. A demultiplexer demultiplexes the data stream and the digital power control value. A digital-to-analog converter converts the digital power control value to an analog control signal for the power oscillator.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 10, 2019
    Publication date: July 18, 2019
    Applicant: STMicroelectronics S.r.l.
    Inventors: Alessandro Parisi, Nunzio Greco, Nunzio Spina, Egidio Ragonese, Giuseppe Palmisano
  • Patent number: 10298408
    Abstract: Power and data are transmitted via a transformer including primary side and secondary side. A primary side signal is generated by coupling a first oscillator signal modulated with a data signal with a second oscillator signal that is selectively switched on and off. At the secondary side a secondary signal is generated. A demodulator demodulates the secondary signal to recover the data signal. A rectifier processes the secondary signal to recover a power supply signal controlled by switching on and off the second oscillator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 26, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 21, 2019
    Assignee: STMicroelectronics S.r.l.
    Inventors: Egidio Ragonese, Nunzio Greco, Giuseppe Palmisano
  • Patent number: 10193581
    Abstract: A galvanic isolation circuit is formed by a differential transformer having primary and secondary windings for transmission of signals over a carrier between the primary and the secondary windings of the transformer. A galvanic isolation oxide layer is provide between the primary and secondary windings. Each winding includes include a center tap providing a low-impedance paths for dc and low frequency components of common-mode currents through the differential transformer. A pass-band stage is coupled to the secondary winding of the transformer and configured to permit propagation of signals over said carrier through the pass-band amplifier stage while providing for a rejection of common-mode noise.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 29, 2019
    Assignee: STMicroelectronics S.r.l.
    Inventors: Egidio Ragonese, Nunzio Spina, Alessandro Parisi, Pierpaolo Lombardo, Nunzio Greco, Giuseppe Palmisano
  • Publication number: 20180198372
    Abstract: A galvanic isolation is provided between a first circuit and a second circuit. A first galvanically isolated link is configured to transfer power from a first circuit to a second circuit across the galvanic isolation. A second galvanically isolated link is configured to feed back an error signal from the second circuit to the first circuit across the galvanic isolation for use in regulating the power transfer and further configured to support bidirectional data communication between the first and second circuits across the galvanic isolation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 7, 2018
    Publication date: July 12, 2018
    Applicant: STMicroelectronics S.r.l.
    Inventors: Egidio Ragonese, Nunzio Spina, Pierpaolo Lombardo, Nunzio Greco, Alessandro Parisi, Giuseppe Palmisano
  • Patent number: 9978511
    Abstract: A galvanic isolation system includes a first isolation barrier and a second isolation barrier. The first isolation barrier includes a transformer. The second isolation barrier includes an inductive circuit connected to a secondary winding of the transformer. The first and the second isolation barriers are coupled to form an LC resonant network.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 24, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 22, 2018
    Assignee: STMicroelectronics S.r.l.
    Inventors: Nunzio Spina, Egidio Ragonese, Giuseppe Palmisano, Nunzio Greco
  • Patent number: 9948193
    Abstract: A galvanic isolation is provided between a first circuit and a second circuit. A first galvanically isolated link is configured to transfer power from a first circuit to a second circuit across the galvanic isolation. A second galvanically isolated link is configured to feed back an error signal from the second circuit to the first circuit across the galvanic isolation for use in regulating the power transfer and further configured to support bidirectional data communication between the first and second circuits across the galvanic isolation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 10, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2018
    Assignee: STMicroelectronics S.r.l.
    Inventors: Egidio Ragonese, Nunzio Spina, Pierpaolo Lombardo, Nunzio Greco, Alessandro Parisi, Giuseppe Palmisano