Patents by Inventor Fabio De Santis

Fabio De Santis 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: 11863066
    Abstract: A voltage supply circuit and a method for controlling a voltage supply circuit are provided. The voltage supply circuit includes a positive charge pump stage that generates a positive voltage and a negative charge pump stage that generates a negative voltage. The voltage supply circuit also includes a control stage that compares a voltage representative of the negative voltage with a reference voltage and causes a slope of the positive voltage to decrease when the voltage representative of the negative voltage exceeds the reference voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 14, 2023
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2024
    Assignees: STMicroelectronics International N.V., STMicroelectronics S.r.l.
    Inventors: Vikas Rana, Marco Pasotti, Fabio De Santis
  • Publication number: 20230198386
    Abstract: A voltage supply circuit and a method for controlling a voltage supply circuit are provided. The voltage supply circuit includes a positive charge pump stage that generates a positive voltage and a negative charge pump stage that generates a negative voltage. The voltage supply circuit also includes a control stage that compares a voltage representative of the negative voltage with a reference voltage and causes a slope of the positive voltage to decrease when the voltage representative of the negative voltage exceeds the reference voltage.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 14, 2023
    Publication date: June 22, 2023
    Applicants: STMicroelectronics International N.V., STMicroelectronics S.r.l.
    Inventors: Vikas Rana, Marco Pasotti, Fabio De Santis
  • Patent number: 11665915
    Abstract: According to principles as discussed herein, an EEPROM cell is provided and then, after testing the code, using the exact same architecture, transistors, memory cells, and layout, the EEPROM cell is converted to a read-only memory (“ROM”) cell. This conversion is done on the very same integrated circuit die using the same layout, design, and timing with only a single change in an upper level mask in the memory array. In one embodiment, the mask change is the via mask connecting metal 1 to poly. This allows the flexibility to store the programming code as non-volatile memory code, and then after it has been tested, at time selected by the customer, some or all of that code from a code that can be written to a read-only code that is stored in a ROM cell that is composed the same transistors and having the same layout.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 30, 2023
    Assignees: STMicroelectronics International N.V., STMicroelectronics S.r.l.
    Inventors: Fabio De Santis, Vikas Rana
  • Patent number: 11611275
    Abstract: A voltage supply circuit and a method for controlling a voltage supply circuit are provided. The voltage supply circuit includes a positive charge pump stage that generates a positive voltage and a negative charge pump stage that generates a negative voltage. The voltage supply circuit also includes a control stage that compares a voltage representative of the negative voltage with a reference voltage and causes a slope of the positive voltage to decrease when the voltage representative of the negative voltage exceeds the reference voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 15, 2022
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2023
    Assignees: STMicroelectronics International N.V., STMicroelectronics S.r.l.
    Inventors: Vikas Rana, Marco Pasotti, Fabio De Santis
  • Publication number: 20220352817
    Abstract: A voltage supply circuit and a method for controlling a voltage supply circuit are provided. The voltage supply circuit includes a positive charge pump stage that generates a positive voltage and a negative charge pump stage that generates a negative voltage. The voltage supply circuit also includes a control stage that compares a voltage representative of the negative voltage with a reference voltage and causes a slope of the positive voltage to decrease when the voltage representative of the negative voltage exceeds the reference voltage.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 15, 2022
    Publication date: November 3, 2022
    Applicants: STMicroelectronics International N.V., STMicroelectronics S.r.l.
    Inventors: Vikas Rana, Marco Pasotti, Fabio De Santis
  • Patent number: 11424676
    Abstract: A voltage supply circuit and a method for controlling a voltage supply circuit are provided. The voltage supply circuit includes a positive charge pump stage that generates a positive voltage and a negative charge pump stage that generates a negative voltage. The voltage supply circuit also includes a control stage that compares a voltage representative of the negative voltage with a reference voltage and causes a slope of the positive voltage to decrease when the voltage representative of the negative voltage exceeds the reference voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 8, 2021
    Date of Patent: August 23, 2022
    Assignees: STMicroelectronics International N.V., STMicroelectronics S.r.l.
    Inventors: Vikas Rana, Marco Pasotti, Fabio De Santis
  • Publication number: 20210234460
    Abstract: A voltage supply circuit and a method for controlling a voltage supply circuit are provided. The voltage supply circuit includes a positive charge pump stage that generates a positive voltage and a negative charge pump stage that generates a negative voltage. The voltage supply circuit also includes a control stage that compares a voltage representative of the negative voltage with a reference voltage and causes a slope of the positive voltage to decrease when the voltage representative of the negative voltage exceeds the reference voltage.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 8, 2021
    Publication date: July 29, 2021
    Inventors: Vikas Rana, Marco Pasotti, Fabio De Santis
  • Patent number: 10862392
    Abstract: A charge pump circuit has a plurality of charge pump stages cascaded to one another between an input terminal and an output terminal to provide an output voltage having a boosted value with respect to the input voltage. A clock generator is configured to generate a clock signal provided to the charge pump stages to perform the boosting of the input voltage. An output-voltage regulation feedback closed-loop is coupled to the clock generator to perform a regulation of the output voltage based on a feedback voltage. A discharge control stage is configured to control a discharge of the charge pump circuit by generating a first discharge control signal configured to disable the output-voltage regulation feedback closed-loop or a second discharge control signal configured to reduce the frequency of the clock signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 7, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 8, 2020
    Assignee: STMICROELECTRONICS S.R.L.
    Inventors: Fabio de Santis, Dario Livornesi
  • Publication number: 20200258885
    Abstract: According to principles as discussed herein, an EEPROM cell is provided and then, after testing the code, using the exact same architecture, transistors, memory cells, and layout, the EEPROM cell is converted to a read-only memory (“ROM”) cell. This conversion is done on the very same integrated circuit die using the same layout, design, and timing with only a single change in an upper level mask in the memory array. In one embodiment, the mask change is the via mask connecting metal 1 to poly. This allows the flexibility to store the programming code as non-volatile memory code, and then after it has been tested, at time selected by the customer, some or all of that code from a code that can be written to a read-only code that is stored in a ROM cell that is composed the same transistors and having the same layout.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 30, 2020
    Publication date: August 13, 2020
    Inventors: Fabio DE SANTIS, Vikas RANA
  • Publication number: 20200161966
    Abstract: A charge pump circuit has a plurality of charge pump stages cascaded to one another between an input terminal and an output terminal to provide an output voltage having a boosted value with respect to the input voltage. A clock generator is configured to generate a clock signal provided to the charge pump stages to perform the boosting of the input voltage. An output-voltage regulation feedback closed-loop is coupled to the clock generator to perform a regulation of the output voltage based on a feedback voltage. A discharge control stage is configured to control a discharge of the charge pump circuit by generating a first discharge control signal configured to disable the output-voltage regulation feedback closed-loop or a second discharge control signal configured to reduce the frequency of the clock signal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 7, 2019
    Publication date: May 21, 2020
    Inventors: Fabio de Santis, Dario Livornesi
  • Patent number: 10658364
    Abstract: According to principles as discussed herein, an EEPROM cell is provided and then, after testing the code, using the exact same architecture, transistors, memory cells, and layout, the EEPROM cell is converted to a read-only memory (“ROM”) cell. This conversion is done on the very same integrated circuit die using the same layout, design, and timing with only a single change in an upper level mask in the memory array. In one embodiment, the mask change is the via mask connecting metal 1 to poly. This allows the flexibility to store the programming code as non-volatile memory code, and then after it has been tested, at time selected by the customer, some or all of that code from a code that can be written to a read-only code that is stored in a ROM cell that is composed the same transistors and having the same layout.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 19, 2020
    Assignees: STMICROELECTRONICS S.R.L., STMICROELECTRONICS INTERNATIONAL N.V.
    Inventors: Fabio De Santis, Vikas Rana
  • Publication number: 20190267380
    Abstract: According to principles as discussed herein, an EEPROM cell is provided and then, after testing the code, using the exact same architecture, transistors, memory cells, and layout, the EEPROM cell is converted to a read-only memory (“ROM”) cell. This conversion is done on the very same integrated circuit die using the same layout, design, and timing with only a single change in an upper level mask in the memory array. In one embodiment, the mask change is the via mask connecting metal 1 to poly. This allows the flexibility to store the programming code as non-volatile memory code, and then after it has been tested, at time selected by the customer, some or all of that code from a code that can be written to a read-only code that is stored in a ROM cell that is composed the same transistors and having the same layout.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 28, 2018
    Publication date: August 29, 2019
    Inventors: Fabio DE SANTIS, Vikas RANA
  • Patent number: 10109329
    Abstract: A non-volatile memory of a complementary type includes sectors of memory cells, with each cell formed by a direct memory cell and a complementary memory cell. Each sector is in a non-written condition when the corresponding memory cells are in equal states and is in a written condition wherein each location thereof stores a first logic value or a second logic value when the memory cells of the location are in a first combination of different states or in a second combination of different states, respectively. A sector is selected and a determination is made as to a number of memory cells in the programmed state and a number of memory cells in the erased state. From this information, the condition of the selected sector is identified from a comparison between the number of memory cells in the programmed state and the number of memory cells in the erased state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 23, 2018
    Assignee: STMicroelectronics S.r.l.
    Inventors: Marcella Carissimi, Marco Pasotti, Fabio De Santis
  • Patent number: 9755632
    Abstract: A cascode voltage generating circuit and method are provided. The circuit includes four switching elements. In a high voltage operation mode, the first and second switching elements, respectively, couple a first intermediate voltage input node to a first intermediate voltage output node, and a second intermediate voltage input node to a second intermediate voltage output node. In a low voltage operation mode, the third switching element couples the first and second intermediate voltage input nodes to a ground reference voltage level, and the fourth switching element couples the first and second intermediate voltage output nodes to a supply voltage level.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 13, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2017
    Assignees: STMICROELECTRONICS INTERNATIONAL N.V., STMICROELECTRONICS S.R.L.
    Inventors: Vikas Rana, Fabio De Santis
  • Publication number: 20170200483
    Abstract: A non-volatile memory of a complementary type includes sectors of memory cells, with each cell formed by a direct memory cell and a complementary memory cell. Each sector is in a non-written condition when the corresponding memory cells are in equal states and is in a written condition wherein each location thereof stores a first logic value or a second logic value when the memory cells of the location are in a first combination of different states or in a second combination of different states, respectively. A sector is selected and a determination is made as to a number of memory cells in the programmed state and a number of memory cells in the erased state. From this information, the condition of the selected sector is identified from a comparison between the number of memory cells in the programmed state and the number of memory cells in the erased state.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 28, 2017
    Publication date: July 13, 2017
    Applicant: STMicroelectronics S.r.l.
    Inventors: Marcella Carissimi, Marco Pasotti, Fabio De Santis
  • Patent number: 9691493
    Abstract: A device for generating a reference voltage includes a first non-volatile memory cell provided with a control-gate transistor and a reading transistor. The control-gate transistor includes a gate terminal, a body, a first conduction terminal and a second conduction terminal. The first conduction terminal and the second conduction terminal are connected together to form a control-gate terminal. The reading transistor includes a gate terminal that is connected to the gate terminal of the control-gate transistor to form a floating-gate terminal, a body, a third conduction terminal and a fourth conduction terminal. The device also includes a second, equivalent, memory cell. The source terminal of the first non-volatile memory cell and the source terminal of the second equivalent memory cell are connected together.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 23, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2017
    Assignees: STMicroelectronics S.r.l., STMicroelectronics Design and Application S.R.O.
    Inventors: Marco Pasotti, Fabio De Santis, Roberto Bregoli, Dario Livornesi, Sandor Petenyi
  • Publication number: 20170178734
    Abstract: A device for generating a reference voltage includes a first non-volatile memory cell provided with a control-gate transistor and a reading transistor. The control-gate transistor includes a gate terminal, a body, a first conduction terminal and a second conduction terminal. The first conduction terminal and the second conduction terminal are connected together to form a control-gate terminal. The reading transistor includes a gate terminal that is connected to the gate terminal of the control-gate transistor to form a floating-gate terminal, a body, a third conduction terminal and a fourth conduction terminal. The device also includes a second, equivalent, memory cell. The source terminal of the first non-volatile memory cell and the source terminal of the second equivalent memory cell are connected together.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 23, 2016
    Publication date: June 22, 2017
    Inventors: Marco Pasotti, Fabio De Santis, Roberto Bregoli, Dario Livornesi, Sandor Petenyi
  • Patent number: 9640230
    Abstract: A non-volatile memory of a complementary type includes sectors of memory cells, with each cell formed by a direct memory cell and a complementary memory cell. Each sector of the non-volatile memory is in a non-written condition when the corresponding memory cells are in equal states and is in a written condition wherein each location thereof stores a first logic value or a second logic value when the memory cells of the location are in a first combination of different states or in a second combination of different states, respectively. A sector is selected and a determination is made as to a number of memory cells in the programmed state and a number of memory cells in the erased state. From this information, the condition of the selected sector is identified from a comparison between the number of memory cells in the programmed state and the number of memory cells in the erased state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 11, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2017
    Assignee: STMICROELECTRONICS S.R.L.
    Inventors: Marcella Carissimi, Marco Pasotti, Fabio De Santis
  • Patent number: 9634562
    Abstract: A voltage doubler circuit supports operation in a positive voltage boosting mode to positively boost voltage from a first node to a second node and operation in a negative voltage boosting mode to negatively boost voltage from the second node to the first node. The voltage doubler circuits receive two clock signals having different high voltage levels. A series of voltage doubler circuit are connected in a charge pump with controllable operation in the first and second modes. A connecting circuit interconnects the first and second nodes of the voltage doubler circuits to provide a first connection path, with a first input voltage, to support the positive voltage boosting mode operation and a second connection path, with a proper input voltage, to support the negative voltage boosting mode. A discharge circuit is provided to discharge the voltage doubler circuits when operation of the charge pump circuit is terminated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 9, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 25, 2017
    Assignees: STMicroelectronics International N.V., STMicroelectronics S.r.l.
    Inventors: Vikas Rana, Marco Pasotti, Fabio De Santis
  • Patent number: 9627066
    Abstract: A non-volatile memory cell for storing a single bit is disclosed. The non-volatile memory cell includes an access transistor including a gate, a first body, a first source/drain node, and a second source/drain node. The non-volatile memory cell also includes a first floating gate storage transistor that has a third source/drain node, a second body, a fourth source/drain node, and a first floating gate including a first storage node. The third source/drain node is coupled to the second source/drain node. The non-volatile memory cell further includes a first capacitor, a second capacitor, and a second floating gate storage transistor. The first capacitor has a first plate coupled to the first storage node and an opposite second plate. The second floating gate storage transistor includes a fifth source/drain node, a third body, a sixth source/drain node, a second floating gate including a second storage node. The fifth source/drain node is coupled to the fourth source/drain node.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 14, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2017
    Assignee: STMICROELECTRONICS S.R.L.
    Inventors: Marco Pasotti, Fabio de Santis, Roberto Bregoli, Dario Livornesi