Patents by Inventor Federico Marcassa

Federico Marcassa 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: 7050257
    Abstract: A method for estimating resistance of a DC motor for positioning read/write heads of a data storage disk is provided. The DC motor is controlled in an open-loop voltage mode through a motor controller input with a first signal for compensating positioning of the read/write heads onto the data storage disk. The first signal is generated based upon a position error signal representing a difference between a position of the read/write heads and a center of a track to be read. The method includes monitoring the first signal during a read operation of data being stored on the data storage disk, and estimating the resistance based upon spectral components of the first signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 12, 2004
    Date of Patent: May 23, 2006
    Assignee: STMicroelectronics S.r.l.
    Inventors: Giuseppe Maiocchi, Roberto Oboe, Federico Marcassa, Michele Boscolo
  • Patent number: 7049781
    Abstract: A method for controlling in an open-loop voltage mode a DC motor driven through a power amplifier includes generating a control voltage for the DC motor to be input to the power amplifier based upon a difference between an external command and a correction signal, and amplifying the control voltage for generating a replica of an output of the power amplifier. A model of the DC motor is defined based upon electrical parameters of the DC motor. The method further includes estimating current flowing in the DC motor based upon the replica of the output of the power amplifier and the model of the DC motor, and generating the correction signal proportional to the estimated current.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 12, 2004
    Date of Patent: May 23, 2006
    Assignee: STMicroelectronics S.r.l.
    Inventors: Giuseppe Maiocchi, Roberto Oboe, Federico Marcassa
  • Publication number: 20060034592
    Abstract: A method for controlling in an open-loop voltage mode a DC motor driven through a power amplifier includes generating a control voltage for the DC motor to be input to the power amplifier based upon a difference between an external command and a correction signal, and amplifying the control voltage for generating a replica of an output of the power amplifier. A model of the DC motor is defined based upon electrical parameters of the DC motor. The method further includes estimating current flowing in the DC motor based upon the replica of the output of the power amplifier and the model of the DC motor, and generating the correction signal proportional to the estimated current.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 12, 2004
    Publication date: February 16, 2006
    Applicant: STMicroelectronics S.r.I.
    Inventors: Giuseppe Maiocchi, Roberto Oboe, Federico Marcassa
  • Publication number: 20060034009
    Abstract: A method for estimating resistance of a DC motor for positioning read/write heads of a data storage disk is provided. The DC motor is controlled in an open-loop voltage mode through a motor controller input with a first signal for compensating positioning of the read/write heads onto the data storage disk. The first signal is generated based upon a position error signal representing a difference between a position of the read/write heads and a center of a track to be read. The method includes monitoring the first signal during a read operation of data being stored on the data storage disk, and estimating the resistance based upon spectral components of the first signal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 12, 2004
    Publication date: February 16, 2006
    Applicant: STMicroelectronics S.r.I.
    Inventors: Giuseppe Maiocchi, Roberto Oboe, Federico Marcassa, Michele Boscolo