Patents by Inventor Germano Nicollini
Germano Nicollini 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).
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Publication number: 20240106401Abstract: A measurement system, featuring first and second capacitances, and switching, control, and measurement circuits, charges/discharges the capacitances during normal operation. The switching and control circuits periodically connect a first terminal of the first capacitance to a first voltage and a reference voltage, and a first terminal of the second capacitance to a second voltage and the reference voltage. The second terminal of the first capacitance and the second terminal of the second capacitance are connected to the input terminals of the differential integrator, the charge difference between the capacitances being transferred to the differential integrator. A comparator triggers when the output signal of the differential integrator exceeds the hysteresis threshold of the comparator.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 18, 2023Publication date: March 28, 2024Applicant: STMicroelectronics S.r.l.Inventors: Germano NICOLLINI, Michele VAIANA
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Patent number: 11716061Abstract: A circuit for startup of a multi-stage amplifier circuit includes a pair of input nodes and at least two output nodes configured to be coupled to a multi-stage amplifier circuit. A startup differential stage includes a differential pair of transistors having respective control terminals coupled to the pair of input nodes, and each transistor in the differential pair of transistors has a respective current path therethrough between a respective output node and a common source terminal. The startup differential stage is configured to sense a common mode voltage drop at a first differential stage of the multi-stage amplifier circuit. Current mirror circuitry includes a plurality of transistors coupled to the common terminal of the differential pair of transistors and coupled to two output nodes of the at least two output nodes.Type: GrantFiled: February 4, 2022Date of Patent: August 1, 2023Assignee: STMicroelectronics S.r.l.Inventors: Roberto Modaffari, Germano Nicollini
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Patent number: 11637562Abstract: A delta-sigma modulation circuit has a sampling period and, in operation, generates a delta-sigma modulated signal based on the analog input signal. The delta-sigma modulation circuit includes: a first integrator; an analog-to-digital converter; a feedback-loop coupled between an input of the first integrator and the output interface; a second integrator coupled between the first integrator and the analog-to-digital converter. The delta-sigma modulation circuit has loop-delay compensation circuitry having a plurality of switches. The loop delay compensation circuitry, in operation, controls the plurality of switches based on a time interval of a duration of half the sampling period and generates a loop-delay compensation signal.Type: GrantFiled: February 22, 2022Date of Patent: April 25, 2023Assignee: STMICROELECTRONICS S.r.l.Inventors: Roberto Modaffari, Paolo Pesenti, Germano Nicollini
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Patent number: 11537153Abstract: A voltage reference circuit includes a first circuit block configured to generate a proportional to absolute temperature current, the first circuit block comprising a current mirror amplifier, a second circuit block coupled to the first circuit block and configured to generated a complimentary to absolute temperature current, and a third circuit block coupled to both the first circuit block and the second circuit block. The second circuit block includes a multi-stage common-source amplifier. The third circuit block is configured to combine the proportional to absolute temperature current and the complimentary to absolute temperature current to generate a reference voltage at an output of the voltage reference circuit.Type: GrantFiled: July 1, 2019Date of Patent: December 27, 2022Assignee: STMicroelectronics S.r.l.Inventors: Marco Orazio Cavallaro, Germano Nicollini, Giuseppe Palmisano
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Patent number: 11531365Abstract: A bandgap circuit includes a supply node as well as a first and second bipolar transistors having jointly coupled base terminal at a bandgap node providing a bandgap voltage. First and second current generators are coupled to the supply node and supply mirrored first and second currents, respectively, to first and second circuit nodes. A third circuit node is coupled to the first bipolar transistor via a first resistor and coupled to ground via a second resistor, respectively. The third circuit node is also coupled to the second bipolar transistor so that the second resistor is traversed by a current which is the sum of the currents through the bipolar transistors. A decoupling stage intermediate the current generators and the bipolar transistors includes first and second cascode decoupling transistors having jointly coupled control terminals receiving a bias voltage sensitive to the bandgap voltage.Type: GrantFiled: July 20, 2021Date of Patent: December 20, 2022Assignee: STMicroelectronics S.r.l.Inventors: Stefano Ramorini, Germano Nicollini
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Publication number: 20220337198Abstract: An amplifier circuit includes a first input stage with a differential input transistor pair and a second gain stage having an output node coupled to a load. A node in the first gain stage is coupled to the output node in the second gain stage. A feedback line couples the output node to the control node of a first transistor of the differential input transistor pair. Current mirror circuitry is coupled to a current flow path through a further transistor in the second gain stage and includes a sensing node configured to produce a sensing signal indicative of the current supplied to the load. The sensing signal at the sensing node is directly fed back to the control node of the first transistor of the differential input transistor pair to provide a zero in the loop transfer function that is matched to and tracks and cancels out a load-dependent pole.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 14, 2022Publication date: October 20, 2022Applicant: STMicroelectronics S.r.l.Inventors: Alessandro BERTOLINI, Germano NICOLLINI
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Publication number: 20220263481Abstract: A circuit for startup of a multi-stage amplifier circuit includes a pair of input nodes and at least two output nodes configured to be coupled to a multi-stage amplifier circuit. A startup differential stage includes a differential pair of transistors having respective control terminals coupled to the pair of input nodes, and each transistor in the differential pair of transistors has a respective current path therethrough between a respective output node and a common source terminal. The startup differential stage is configured to sense a common mode voltage drop at a first differential stage of the multi-stage amplifier circuit. Current mirror circuitry includes a plurality of transistors coupled to the common terminal of the differential pair of transistors and coupled to two output nodes of the at least two output nodes.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 4, 2022Publication date: August 18, 2022Applicant: STMicroelectronics S.r.l.Inventors: Roberto MODAFFARI, Germano NICOLLINI
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Publication number: 20220173751Abstract: A delta-sigma modulation circuit has a sampling period and, in operation, generates a delta-sigma modulated signal based on the analog input signal. The delta-sigma modulation circuit includes: a first integrator; an analog-to-digital converter; a feedback-loop coupled between an input of the first integrator and the output interface; a second integrator coupled between the first integrator and the analog-to-digital converter. The delta-sigma modulation circuit has loop-delay compensation circuitry having a plurality of switches. The loop delay compensation circuitry, in operation, controls the plurality of switches based on a time interval of a duration of half the sampling period and generates a loop-delay compensation signal.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 22, 2022Publication date: June 2, 2022Applicant: STMICROELECTRONICS S.r.l.Inventors: Roberto MODAFFARI, Paolo PESENTI, Germano NICOLLINI
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Patent number: 11290124Abstract: A delta-sigma modulation circuit has a sampling period and, in operation, generates a delta-sigma modulated signal based on the analog input signal. The delta-sigma modulation circuit includes: a first integrator; an analog-to-digital converter; a feedback-loop coupled between an input of the first integrator and the output interface; a second integrator coupled between the first integrator and the analog-to-digital converter. The delta-sigma modulation circuit has loop-delay compensation circuitry having a plurality of switches. The loop delay compensation circuitry, in operation, controls the plurality of switches based on a time interval of a duration of half the sampling period and generates a loop-delay compensation signal.Type: GrantFiled: January 29, 2021Date of Patent: March 29, 2022Assignee: STMICROELECTRONICS S.r.l.Inventors: Roberto Modaffari, Paolo Pesenti, Germano Nicollini
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Publication number: 20210349491Abstract: A bandgap circuit includes a supply node as well as a first and second bipolar transistors having jointly coupled base terminal at a bandgap node providing a bandgap voltage. First and second current generators are coupled to the supply node and supply mirrored first and second currents, respectively, to first and second circuit nodes. A third circuit node is coupled to the first bipolar transistor via a first resistor and coupled to ground via a second resistor, respectively. The third circuit node is also coupled to the second bipolar transistor so that the second resistor is traversed by a current which is the sum of the currents through the bipolar transistors. A decoupling stage intermediate the current generators and the bipolar transistors includes first and second cascode decoupling transistors having jointly coupled control terminals receiving a bias voltage sensitive to the bandgap voltage.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 20, 2021Publication date: November 11, 2021Applicant: STMicroelectronics S.r.l.Inventors: Stefano RAMORINI, Germano NICOLLINI
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Patent number: 11171620Abstract: A high-to-low voltage interface circuit includes a differential circuit stage with a differential amplifier circuit having inverting and non-inverting inputs coupled to first and second input pads as well as a differential output having first and second output nodes. A pair of bias amplifier stages sensitive to the common mode voltage of the differential amplifier circuit are arranged in first and second current mirror paths from the first and second input pads to the inverting/non-inverting inputs of the differential amplifier circuit, respectively. The bias amplifier stages are configured to maintain the first input pad and the second input pad of the differential circuit stage at the common mode voltage.Type: GrantFiled: February 10, 2020Date of Patent: November 9, 2021Assignee: STMicroelectronics S.r.l.Inventor: Germano Nicollini
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Patent number: 11150678Abstract: A current mirror includes first and second transistors having current paths coupled to an input current line. The current paths for the first and second transistors are referenced to ground via respective first and second resistors having resistance values twice a first resistance value. The first transistor is diode connected. A third transistor has a current path coupled to an output current line and referenced to ground via a third resistor having a second resistance value equal to the first resistance value divided by a mirror factor. Control terminals of the first and third transistors are coupled together, and further coupled to a control terminal of the second transistor through a coupling resistor. A first capacitor is coupled between ground and the control terminal of the second transistor unit. A second capacitor is coupled between ground and the current path through the third transistor.Type: GrantFiled: May 7, 2020Date of Patent: October 19, 2021Assignee: STMicroelectronics S.r.l.Inventors: Germano Nicollini, Stefano Polesel
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Patent number: 11099595Abstract: A bandgap circuit includes a supply node as well as a first and second bipolar transistors having jointly coupled base terminal at a bandgap node providing a bandgap voltage. First and second current generators are coupled to the supply node and supply mirrored first and second currents, respectively, to first and second circuit nodes. A third circuit node is coupled to the first bipolar transistor via a first resistor and coupled to ground via a second resistor, respectively. The third circuit node is also coupled to the second bipolar transistor so that the second resistor is traversed by a current which is the sum of the currents through the bipolar transistors. A decoupling stage intermediate the current generators and the bipolar transistors includes first and second cascode decoupling transistors having jointly coupled control terminals receiving a bias voltage sensitive to the bandgap voltage.Type: GrantFiled: November 17, 2020Date of Patent: August 24, 2021Assignee: STMicroelectronics S.r.l.Inventors: Stefano Ramorini, Germano Nicollini
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Publication number: 20210242878Abstract: A delta-sigma modulation circuit has a sampling period and, in operation, generates a delta-sigma modulated signal based on the analog input signal. The delta-sigma modulation circuit includes: a first integrator; an analog-to-digital converter; a feedback-loop coupled between an input of the first integrator and the output interface; a second integrator coupled between the first integrator and the analog-to-digital converter. The delta-sigma modulation circuit has loop-delay compensation circuitry having a plurality of switches. The loop delay compensation circuitry, in operation, controls the plurality of switches based on a time interval of a duration of half the sampling period and generates a loop-delay compensation signal.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 29, 2021Publication date: August 5, 2021Inventors: Roberto MODAFFARI, Paolo PESENTI, Germano NICOLLINI
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Publication number: 20210165438Abstract: A bandgap circuit includes a supply node as well as a first and second bipolar transistors having jointly coupled base terminal at a bandgap node providing a bandgap voltage. First and second current generators are coupled to the supply node and supply mirrored first and second currents, respectively, to first and second circuit nodes. A third circuit node is coupled to the first bipolar transistor via a first resistor and coupled to ground via a second resistor, respectively. The third circuit node is also coupled to the second bipolar transistor so that the second resistor is traversed by a current which is the sum of the currents through the bipolar transistors. A decoupling stage intermediate the current generators and the bipolar transistors includes first and second cascode decoupling transistors having jointly coupled control terminals receiving a bias voltage sensitive to the bandgap voltage.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 17, 2020Publication date: June 3, 2021Applicant: STMicroelectronics S.r.l.Inventors: Stefano RAMORINI, Germano NICOLLINI
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Publication number: 20210004031Abstract: A voltage reference circuit includes a first circuit block configured to generate a proportional to absolute temperature current, the first circuit block comprising a current mirror amplifier, a second circuit block coupled to the first circuit block and configured to generated a complimentary to absolute temperature current, and a third circuit block coupled to both the first circuit block and the second circuit block. The second circuit block includes a multi-stage common-source amplifier. The third circuit block is configured to combine the proportional to absolute temperature current and the complimentary to absolute temperature current to generate a reference voltage at an output of the voltage reference circuit.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 1, 2019Publication date: January 7, 2021Inventors: Marco Orazio Cavallaro, Germano Nicollini, Giuseppe Palmisano
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Publication number: 20200356127Abstract: A current mirror includes first and second transistors having current paths coupled to an input current line. The current paths for the first and second transistors are referenced to ground via respective first and second resistors having resistance values twice a first resistance value. The first transistor is diode connected. A third transistor has a current path coupled to an output current line and referenced to ground via a third resistor having a second resistance value equal to the first resistance value divided by a mirror factor. Control terminals of the first and third transistors are coupled together, and further coupled to a control terminal of the second transistor through a coupling resistor. A first capacitor is coupled between ground and the control terminal of the second transistor unit. A second capacitor is coupled between ground and the current path through the third transistor.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 7, 2020Publication date: November 12, 2020Applicant: STMicroelectronics S.r.l.Inventors: Germano NICOLLINI, Stefano POLESEL
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Patent number: 10797688Abstract: A comparator circuit is implemented using a simple comparator core having two gain stages integrated in a single circuit block. The circuit operates with improved speed and resolution in comparison to a conventional continuous-time comparator. Offset trimming allows for the crossing time of the comparator to be adjusted close to an ideal crossing time.Type: GrantFiled: July 24, 2018Date of Patent: October 6, 2020Assignee: STMicroelectronics S.r.l.Inventors: Stefano Ramorini, Germano Nicollini
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Publication number: 20200259475Abstract: A high-to-low voltage interface circuit includes a differential circuit stage with a differential amplifier circuit having inverting and non-inverting inputs coupled to first and second input pads as well as a differential output having first and second output nodes. A pair of bias amplifier stages sensitive to the common mode voltage of the differential amplifier circuit are arranged in first and second current mirror paths from the first and second input pads to the inverting/non-inverting inputs of the differential amplifier circuit, respectively. The bias amplifier stages are configured to maintain the first input pad and the second input pad of the differential circuit stage at the common mode voltage.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 10, 2020Publication date: August 13, 2020Applicant: STMicroelectronics S.r.l.Inventor: Germano NICOLLINI
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Patent number: 10566940Abstract: A switching amplifier, such as a Class D amplifier, includes a current sensing circuit. The current sensing circuit is formed by replica loop circuits that are selectively coupled to corresponding output inverter stages of the switching amplifier. The replica loop circuits operated to produce respective replica currents of the output currents generated by the output inverter stages. A sensing circuitry is coupled to receive the replica currents from the replica loop circuits and operates to produce an output sensing signal as a function of the respective replica currents.Type: GrantFiled: August 13, 2019Date of Patent: February 18, 2020Assignee: StMicroelectronics S.r.l.Inventors: Stefano Ramorini, Alberto Cattani, Germano Nicollini, Alessandro Gasparini