Patents by Inventor Emilio VOLPI

Emilio VOLPI 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: 11817791
    Abstract: A synchronous rectifier driver circuit is configured to drive a synchronous rectifier FET and includes a first terminal configured to be connected to a source terminal of the synchronous rectifier FET. A second terminal is configured to be connected to a drain terminal of the synchronous rectifier FET, and a third terminal is configured to be connected to a gate terminal of the synchronous rectifier FET. The synchronous rectifier driver circuit is configured to measure the voltage between the second terminal and the first terminal, and detect a switch-on instant in which the measured voltage reaches a first threshold value and a switch-off instant in which the measured voltage reaches a second threshold value. The synchronous rectifier driver circuit generates a drive signal between the third terminal and the first terminal as a function of the measured voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 14, 2023
    Assignees: STMicroelectronics S.r.l., STMicroelectronics Design and Application S.R.O.
    Inventors: Alberto Iorio, Maurizio Foresta, Emilio Volpi, Jan Novotny
  • Publication number: 20220109375
    Abstract: A synchronous rectifier driver circuit is configured to drive a synchronous rectifier FET and includes a first terminal configured to be connected to a source terminal of the synchronous rectifier FET. A second terminal is configured to be connected to a drain terminal of the synchronous rectifier FET, and a third terminal is configured to be connected to a gate terminal of the synchronous rectifier FET. The synchronous rectifier driver circuit is configured to measure the voltage between the second terminal and the first terminal, and detect a switch-on instant in which the measured voltage reaches a first threshold value and a switch-off instant in which the measured voltage reaches a second threshold value. The synchronous rectifier driver circuit generates a drive signal between the third terminal and the first terminal as a function of the measured voltage.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 30, 2021
    Publication date: April 7, 2022
    Applicants: STMicroelectronics S.r.l., STMicroelectronics Design and Application S.R.O.
    Inventors: Alberto IORIO, Maurizio FORESTA, Emilio VOLPI, Jan NOVOTNY
  • Patent number: 10819245
    Abstract: A method of controlling synchronous rectification transistors in a switching converter includes sensing a drain-to-source voltage across each synchronous rectification transistor each switching half-cycle of the switching converter. An average of the sensed drain-to-source voltage is calculated for each synchronous rectification transistor over N prior switching half-cycles. A load current transient in the switching converter is sensed based on the sensed drain-to-source voltage of each synchronous rectification transistor and the calculated average of the sensed drain-to-source voltage for each synchronous rectification transistor over the N prior switching half-cycles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 17, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 27, 2020
    Assignee: STMicroelectronics S.r.l.
    Inventors: Alberto Iorio, Emilio Volpi, Jeanpierre Vicquery
  • Publication number: 20200336071
    Abstract: A method of controlling synchronous rectification transistors in a switching converter includes sensing a drain-to-source voltage across each synchronous rectification transistor each switching half-cycle of the switching converter. An average of the sensed drain-to-source voltage is calculated for each synchronous rectification transistor over N prior switching half-cycles. A load current transient in the switching converter is sensed based on the sensed drain-to-source voltage of each synchronous rectification transistor and the calculated average of the sensed drain-to-source voltage for each synchronous rectification transistor over the N prior switching half-cycles.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 17, 2019
    Publication date: October 22, 2020
    Inventors: Alberto Iorio, Emilio Volpi, Jeanpierre Vicquery
  • Patent number: 10491118
    Abstract: A voltage comparator for detecting a voltage difference in a high-voltage domain, wherein said comparator receives an input voltage and compares it with a reference voltage also received in input, in which the output voltage from the comparator assumes the logic value 1 if the input voltage is greater than the reference voltage and assumes the logic value 0 if the input voltage is less than or equal to the reference voltage, wherein said comparator comprises low-voltage components and a single high-voltage component. In particular, the low-voltage components are MOS transistors and the high-voltage component is a high-voltage PMOS.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 26, 2019
    Assignee: STMICROELECTRONICS S.R.L.
    Inventors: Alberto Iorio, Jeanpierre Vicquery, Emilio Volpi
  • Patent number: 9973085
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for controlling a converter are provided. In the method and apparatus, a converter is operated in accordance with a duty cycle and based on a difference between a feedback signal representing an output voltage of the converter and a reference signal. An overcurrent condition is detected in the converter. In response to detecting the overcurrent condition, the duty cycle used to operate the converter is limited and the reference signal is made to track the feedback signal to mitigate an output voltage overshoot at an end of the overcurrent condition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 25, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 15, 2018
    Assignee: STMICROELECTRONICS S.R.L.
    Inventors: Jeanpierre Vicquery, Emilio Volpi
  • Publication number: 20180091052
    Abstract: A voltage comparator for detecting a voltage difference in a high-voltage domain, wherein said comparator receives an input voltage and compares it with a reference voltage also received in input, in which the output voltage from the comparator assumes the logic value 1 if the input voltage is greater than the reference voltage and assumes the logic value 0 if the input voltage is less than or equal to the reference voltage, wherein said comparator comprises low-voltage components and a single high-voltage component. In particular, the low-voltage components are MOS transistors and the high-voltage component is a high-voltage PMOS.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 13, 2017
    Publication date: March 29, 2018
    Inventors: Alberto Iorio, Jeanpierre Vicquery, Emilio Volpi
  • Publication number: 20180026537
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for controlling a converter are provided. In the method and apparatus, a converter is operated in accordance with a duty cycle and based on a difference between a feedback signal representing an output voltage of the converter and a reference signal. An overcurrent condition is detected in the converter. In response to detecting the overcurrent condition, the duty cycle used to operate the converter is limited and the reference signal is made to track the feedback signal to mitigate an output voltage overshoot at an end of the overcurrent condition.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 25, 2016
    Publication date: January 25, 2018
    Inventors: Jeanpierre VICQUERY, Emilio VOLPI