Patents by Inventor Francesco Rezzi

Francesco Rezzi 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: 6587059
    Abstract: A code word includes a first group of data bits and includes code bits that represent a second group of data bits. One embodiment of the code word has a minimum probability of bit transitions among its bits. Another embodiment of the code word includes a parity bit. Unlike conventional codes, a code that includes such a code word can have both a high efficiency and small error propagation. Additionally, by including fewer bit transitions, a sequence of such code words causes less read noise, and thus causes fewer read errors as compared to sequences of known code words. Moreover, the code word can include a parity bit to allow improved error detection as compared to known error-detection techniques. Therefore, such a code word can significantly increase the effective write and read speeds of a disk drive.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 15, 2002
    Date of Patent: July 1, 2003
    Assignee: STMicroelectronics, Inc.
    Inventors: Francesco Rezzi, Marcus Marrow
  • Publication number: 20030080882
    Abstract: A code word includes a first group of data bits and includes code bits that represent a second group of data bits. One embodiment of the code word has a minimum probability of bit transitions among its bits. Another embodiment of the code word includes a parity bit. Unlike conventional codes, a code that includes such a code word can have both a high efficiency and small error propagation. Additionally, by including fewer bit transitions, a sequence of such code words causes less read noise, and thus causes fewer read errors as compared to sequences of known code words. Moreover, the code word can include a parity bit to allow improved error detection as compared to known error-detection techniques. Therefore, such a code word can significantly increase the effective write and read speeds of a disk drive.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 15, 2002
    Publication date: May 1, 2003
    Applicant: STMicroelectronics, Inc.
    Inventors: Francesco Rezzi, Marcus Marrow
  • Publication number: 20030043038
    Abstract: Modulating current of an integrated circuit for signal transmission. The invention may be used in a network device to signal its presence or continued presence to a network router, mid span, hub, or switch, and/or to identify its characteristics or class to control whether and/or what power is applied to the applicable network lines to fully power the network device. Use of the invention in a network environment allows use of certain lines as low voltage signal communication lines for certain network devices, and use of the same lines and/or of different lines for powering other network devices from the same lines at voltages that would damage devices intended for low voltage communication.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 5, 2001
    Publication date: March 6, 2003
    Inventors: Mansour Izadinia, Francesco Rezzi, Thong Huynh
  • Patent number: 6498692
    Abstract: A circuit combines a read signal from an MR/GMR read head with a signal generated by a matched filter, the parameters of which depend on the geometry of the head and the output of which, generated every Nth clock period, includes a real part and an imaginary part that models an expected head response. The combined signal is phase equalized and sent to a complex correlator, which integrates the signal over N clock periods to output a correlated signal having real and imaginary portions of the Nth root of unity which correspond to bits in an N-clock data unit. The real and imaginary portions can subsequently be digitized and analyzed for errors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 1, 2000
    Date of Patent: December 24, 2002
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Martin Aureliano Hassner, Francesco Rezzi, Barry Marshall Trager
  • Patent number: 6492918
    Abstract: A code word includes a first group of data bits and includes code bits that represent a second group of data bits. One embodiment of the code word has a minimum probability of bit transitions among its bits. Another embodiment of the code word includes a parity bit. Unlike conventional codes, a code that includes such a code word can have both a high efficiency and small error propagation. Additionally, by including fewer bit transitions, a sequence of such code words causes less read noise, and thus causes fewer read errors as compared to sequences of known code words. Moreover, the code word can include a parity bit to allow improved error detection as compared to known error-detection techniques. Therefore, such a code word can significantly increase the effective write and read speeds of a disk drive.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 1999
    Date of Patent: December 10, 2002
    Assignee: STMicroelectronics, Inc.
    Inventors: Francesco Rezzi, Marcus Marrow
  • Patent number: 6201652
    Abstract: A method for synchronously detecting servo information from a data disk includes reading servo information from a disk and passing the servo information signal through a Viterbi detector. The disk is encoded in a known data format from Gray code data to obtain a servo information signal, the encoded Gray code data being constrained to allow no more and no fewer than two “1” states to sequentially occur. The Viterbi detector is modified to eliminate state changes that do not occur within the constrained encoded Gray code data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 29, 1998
    Date of Patent: March 13, 2001
    Assignee: STMicroelectronics, Inc.
    Inventors: Francesco Rezzi, Hakan Ozdemir
  • Patent number: 6043943
    Abstract: A method and a circuit for correcting asymmetry in a response signal generated by a magneto-resistive head. The magneto-resistive head generates a response signal to transmit digital information read from a magnetic media storage device. The asymmetry is corrected in a negative feedback manner by squaring an output signal, modulating the squared output signal, and subtracting the modulated squared output signal from the response signal to generate the output signal. The circuit employs a differential amplifier as an input stage and a Gilbert multiplier circuit to square the output signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 1997
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2000
    Assignee: STMicroelectronics, Inc.
    Inventors: Francesco Rezzi, Giuseppe Patti
  • Patent number: 5696457
    Abstract: A low-voltage transconductor circuit in which the common mode gain of a first transconductor stage is compensated by a second transconductor stage (connected in parallel with the first transconductor stage) which has no differential mode transconductance, and which is connected so that its common mode transconductance offsets the common mode transconductance of the stage. This greatly reduces the common mode current signal at the output, while avoiding the necessity for a current sink at the source of the input transistors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 1995
    Date of Patent: December 9, 1997
    Assignee: SGS-Thomson Microelectronics, S.r.l.
    Inventors: Francesco Rezzi, Andrea Baschirotto, Rinaldo Castello
  • Patent number: 5576646
    Abstract: The invention relates to a transconductor circuit with a double input and a single output, comprising two input transistors (M1, M2) whose primary conduction terminals (D1, S1, D2, S2) are respectively connected together; in this way, variations in load current and voltage can be made lower, thereby also lowering distortion from changes in their transconductance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 1995
    Date of Patent: November 19, 1996
    Assignee: SGS-Thomson Microelectronics, S.r.l.
    Inventors: Francesco Rezzi, Andrea Baschirotto, Rinaldo Castello
  • Patent number: 5430337
    Abstract: A transconductor stage for high-frequency filters of a type which comprises an input circuit portion having signal inputs and an output circuit portion, incorporates a pair of field-effect transistors having respective gate and source terminals in common, and has the output portion formed of a pair of bipolar transistors connected to the aforesaid field-effect transistors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 12, 1993
    Date of Patent: July 4, 1995
    Assignee: SGS-Thomson Microelectronics, S.r.l.
    Inventors: Rinaldo Castello, Roberto Alini, Francesco Rezzi, Valerio Pisati
  • Patent number: 5394112
    Abstract: An integrated circuit transconductor stage which suppresses the dependence on temperature and production process variables of a differential transconductor stage. A negative feedback relation is used, where the output of the transconductor stage is connected to an additional current generator (which is referenced to a precision external resistor), to a capacitor, and also to the gate of a PMOS transistor which sources current to a polarization stage, which in turn sources current to the transconductor stage, or to multiple transconductor stages.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 1993
    Date of Patent: February 28, 1995
    Assignee: SGS-Thomson Microelectronics, S.r.l.
    Inventors: Roberto Alini, Francesco Rezzi, Gianfranco Vai, Marco Gregori