Patents by Inventor Gaetano Maria Walter Petrina

Gaetano Maria Walter Petrina 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: 11804769
    Abstract: In some examples, an apparatus includes a driver having a driver output, a capacitor having a first plate and a second plate, the first plate coupled to the driver output, and a transistor having a transistor gate, a transistor source, and a transistor drain. The apparatus also includes a first switch coupled between the second plate and the transistor gate, a second switch coupled between the second plate and the transistor drain, and a third switch coupled between the transistor gate and the transistor drain.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 31, 2023
    Assignee: TEXAS INSTRUMENTS INCORPORATED
    Inventors: Eduardas Jodka, Gaetano Maria Walter Petrina, Manuel Wiersch
  • Publication number: 20230336167
    Abstract: Methods, apparatus, systems, and articles of manufacture are disclosed for cross-conduction detection. An example apparatus includes a cross detector circuit including a first transistor and a second transistor, the first transistor coupled to a load, a third transistor coupled to a first controlled delay circuit and the first transistor, a fourth transistor coupled to a second controlled delay circuit and to the third transistor at a phase node, and a control circuit coupled to the first controlled delay circuit, the second controlled delay circuit, and the load.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 21, 2023
    Publication date: October 19, 2023
    Inventors: Gaetano Maria Walter Petrina, Michael Lueders, Nicola Rasera
  • Patent number: 11728798
    Abstract: Methods, apparatus, systems, and articles of manufacture are disclosed for cross-conduction detection. An example apparatus includes a cross detector circuit including a first transistor and a second transistor, the first transistor coupled to a load, a third transistor coupled to a first controlled delay circuit and the first transistor, a fourth transistor coupled to a second controlled delay circuit and to the third transistor at a phase node, and a control circuit coupled to the first controlled delay circuit, the second controlled delay circuit, and the load.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 15, 2023
    Assignee: TEXAS INSTRUMENTS INCORPORATED
    Inventors: Gaetano Maria Walter Petrina, Michael Lueders, Nicola Rasera
  • Publication number: 20220209654
    Abstract: In some examples, an apparatus includes a driver having a driver output, a capacitor having a first plate and a second plate, the first plate coupled to the driver output, and a transistor having a transistor gate, a transistor source, and a transistor drain. The apparatus also includes a first switch coupled between the second plate and the transistor gate, a second switch coupled between the second plate and the transistor drain, and a third switch coupled between the transistor gate and the transistor drain.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 30, 2020
    Publication date: June 30, 2022
    Inventors: Eduardas JODKA, Gaetano Maria Walter PETRINA, Manuel WIERSCH
  • Patent number: 11258363
    Abstract: Aspects of the disclosure provide for a circuit comprising a power converter controller. In an example, the power converter controller is configured to receive a signal representative of a current of a power converter, compare the signal representative of the current of the power converter to an error signal and generate a peak current detection signal having an asserted value when the signal representative of the current of the power converter is not less than the error signal. A state machine circuit is coupled the peak current detection circuit. The state machine circuit is configured to receive the peak current detection signal, a clock signal, and a timer signal and implement a state machine to generate at least one control signal for controlling a mode and a phase of operation of the power converter based on values of the peak current detection signal, the clock signal, and the timer signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 22, 2022
    Assignee: TEXAS INSTRUMENTS INCORPORATED
    Inventors: Joerg Kirchner, Stefan Dietrich, Gaetano Maria Walter Petrina
  • Publication number: 20210184575
    Abstract: Aspects of the disclosure provide for a circuit comprising a power converter controller. In an example, the power converter controller is configured to receive a signal representative of a current of a power converter, compare the signal representative of the current of the power converter to an error signal and generate a peak current detection signal having an asserted value when the signal representative of the current of the power converter is not less than the error signal. A state machine circuit is coupled the peak current detection circuit. The state machine circuit is configured to receive the peak current detection signal, a clock signal, and a timer signal and implement a state machine to generate at least one control signal for controlling a mode and a phase of operation of the power converter based on values of the peak current detection signal, the clock signal, and the timer signal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 12, 2019
    Publication date: June 17, 2021
    Inventors: Joerg KIRCHNER, Stefan DIETRICH, Gaetano Maria Walter PETRINA
  • Publication number: 20210126538
    Abstract: A converter having an input adapted to be connected to an input voltage and an output adapted to supply an output voltage, the converter comprising: a high-side switch having a first current terminal, a second current terminal and a first control terminal, the first current terminal is coupled to the input voltage and the second current terminal is coupled to a switching node; a high-side driver circuit having an input, a first supply input, a second supply input and an output coupled to the first control terminal, the second supply input is coupled to the switching node; a bootstrap capacitor having a first terminal and a second terminal, the first terminal coupled to the first supply input and the second terminal coupled to the second supply input; a switch having a first terminal and a second terminal, the first terminal of the switch is coupled to the first terminal of the bootstrap capacitor and the second terminal of the switch is connected to a supply voltage (VDD volts above ground).
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 30, 2020
    Publication date: April 29, 2021
    Inventors: Emiliano Alejandro Puia, Gaetano Maria Walter Petrina, Puneet Sareen
  • Publication number: 20200358357
    Abstract: A DC/DC switching converter includes high-side and low-side power NFETs coupled in series between a first pin for coupling to a first supply voltage and a second pin for coupling to a second supply voltage. A switch-node is coupled to a third pin. A first gate driver is coupled to drive a gate voltage on the high-side power NFET at a first rate and a second gate driver is coupled to drive the gate voltage of the high-side power NFET at a second rate that is higher than the first rate. A comparator is coupled to the first pin and to the gate of the high-side power NFET and further coupled to turn on the second gate driver when a gate voltage of the high-side power NFET is equal to the first supply voltage coupled to the first pin plus a threshold voltage of the high-side power NFET.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 6, 2019
    Publication date: November 12, 2020
    Inventors: Gaetano Maria Walter Petrina, Joerg Kirchner
  • Patent number: 10819237
    Abstract: A DC/DC switching converter includes high-side and low-side power NFETs coupled in series between a first pin for coupling to a first supply voltage and a second pin for coupling to a second supply voltage. A switch-node is coupled to a third pin. A first gate driver is coupled to drive a gate voltage on the high-side power NFET at a first rate and a second gate driver is coupled to drive the gate voltage of the high-side power NFET at a second rate that is higher than the first rate. A comparator is coupled to the first pin and to the gate of the high-side power NFET and further coupled to turn on the second gate driver when a gate voltage of the high-side power NFET is equal to the first supply voltage coupled to the first pin plus a threshold voltage of the high-side power NFET.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 6, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 27, 2020
    Assignee: Texas Instruments Incorporated
    Inventors: Gaetano Maria Walter Petrina, Joerg Kirchner
  • Publication number: 20200127652
    Abstract: Methods, apparatus, systems, and articles of manufacture are disclosed for cross-conduction detection. An example apparatus includes a cross detector circuit including a first transistor and a second transistor, the first transistor coupled to a load, a third transistor coupled to a first controlled delay circuit and the first transistor, a fourth transistor coupled to a second controlled delay circuit and to the third transistor at a phase node, and a control circuit coupled to the first controlled delay circuit, the second controlled delay circuit, and the load.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 18, 2019
    Publication date: April 23, 2020
    Inventors: Gaetano Maria Walter Petrina, Michael Lueders, Nicola Rasera
  • Patent number: 10547296
    Abstract: Methods, apparatus, systems, and articles of manufacture are disclosed for cross-conduction detection. An example apparatus includes a cross detector circuit including a first transistor and a second transistor, the first transistor coupled to a load, a third transistor coupled to a first controlled delay circuit and the first transistor, a fourth transistor coupled to a second controlled delay circuit and to the third transistor at a phase node, and a control circuit coupled to the first controlled delay circuit, the second controlled delay circuit, and the load.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 30, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 28, 2020
    Assignee: Texas Instruments Incorporated
    Inventors: Gaetano Maria Walter Petrina, Michael Lueders, Nicola Rasera
  • Publication number: 20180351539
    Abstract: Methods, apparatus, systems, and articles of manufacture are disclosed for cross-conduction detection. An example apparatus includes a cross detector circuit including a first transistor and a second transistor, the first transistor coupled to a load, a third transistor coupled to a first controlled delay circuit and the first transistor, a fourth transistor coupled to a second controlled delay circuit and to the third transistor at a phase node, and a control circuit coupled to the first controlled delay circuit, the second controlled delay circuit, and the load.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 30, 2018
    Publication date: December 6, 2018
    Inventors: Gaetano Maria Walter Petrina, Michael Lueders, Nicola Rasera
  • Patent number: 9444338
    Abstract: Various embodiments of the invention provide for a double measurement technique to enable auto-calibration of a switching regulator. In certain embodiments, calibration is performed using a digital conversion circuit that adjusts an internal slope of an on-time generator by adjusting the peak value of a ramp to a desired peak voltage value. Auto-calibration allows for an optimal dynamic response across the entire switching frequency range of the switching regulator even in noisy environments.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 16, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2016
    Assignee: Maxim Integrated Products, Inc.
    Inventors: Salvatore Giovanni Pastorina, Antonio Magazzu′, Antonio Panebianco, Gaetano Maria Walter Petrina