Patents by Inventor Giovanni Campardo

Giovanni Campardo 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: 11462269
    Abstract: An embodiment phase-change memory device includes a memory array provided with a plurality of phase-change memory cells, each having a body made of phase-change material and a first state, in which the phase-change material is completely in an amorphous phase, and at least one second state, in which the phase-change material is partially in the amorphous phase and partially in a crystalline phase. A programming-pulse generator applies to the memory cells rectangular dynamic-programming pulses having an amplitude and a duration calibrated for switching the memory cells from the first state to the second state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 16, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 4, 2022
    Assignee: STMICROELECTRONICS S.R.L.
    Inventors: Giovanni Campardo, Massimo Borghi, Paola Zuliani, Marco Barboni
  • Publication number: 20220199900
    Abstract: A phase-change memory (PCM) includes a semiconductor body housing a selection transistor; a electrical-insulation body disposed over the semiconductor body; a conductive region, extending through the electrical-insulation body, electrically coupled to the selection transistor; and a plurality of heater elements in the electrical-insulation body. Each of the plurality of heater elements include a first end in electrical contact with a respective portion of the conductive region and a second end that extends away from the conductive region. The PCM further includes a plurality of phase-change elements extending in the electrical-insulation body and including data storage regions, where each of the data storage regions being electrically and thermally coupled to one respective heater element at the second end of the respective heater element.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 17, 2021
    Publication date: June 23, 2022
    Inventors: Giovanni Campardo, Massimo Borghi
  • Patent number: 11069587
    Abstract: An integrated semiconductor device and a method for manufacturing the integrated semiconductor device are disclosed. In an embodiment an integrated semiconductor device includes a supporting substrate having a first substrate face and a second substrate face opposite to the first substrate face, a semiconductor die having a first die face coupled to the first substrate face of the supporting substrate, the first die face including first die contact pads, wherein the supporting substrate has at least one through opening, wherein the first die contact pads are arranged facing the through opening, and wherein the supporting substrate comprises first substrate contact pads connected by first bonding wires to the respective first die contact pads through the through opening.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 18, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 20, 2021
    Assignee: STMICROELECTRONICS S.R.L.
    Inventors: Giovanni Campardo, Marco Omar Ghidoni
  • Publication number: 20210166757
    Abstract: An embodiment phase-change memory device includes a memory array provided with a plurality of phase-change memory cells, each having a body made of phase-change material and a first state, in which the phase-change material is completely in an amorphous phase, and at least one second state, in which the phase-change material is partially in the amorphous phase and partially in a crystalline phase. A programming-pulse generator applies to the memory cells rectangular dynamic-programming pulses having an amplitude and a duration calibrated for switching the memory cells from the first state to the second state.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 16, 2020
    Publication date: June 3, 2021
    Inventors: Giovanni Campardo, Massimo Borghi, Paola Zuliani, Marco Barboni
  • Publication number: 20200402874
    Abstract: An integrated semiconductor device and a method for manufacturing the integrated semiconductor device are disclosed. In an embodiment an integrated semiconductor device includes a supporting substrate having a first substrate face and a second substrate face opposite to the first substrate face, a semiconductor die having a first die face coupled to the first substrate face of the supporting substrate, the first die face including first die contact pads, wherein the supporting substrate has at least one through opening, wherein the first die contact pads are arranged facing the through opening, and wherein the supporting substrate comprises first substrate contact pads connected by first bonding wires to the respective first die contact pads through the through opening.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 18, 2020
    Publication date: December 24, 2020
    Inventors: Giovanni Campardo, Marco Omar Ghidoni
  • Patent number: 10847326
    Abstract: A microelectromechanical device, in particular a non-volatile memory module or a relay, comprising: a mobile body including a top region and a bottom region; top electrodes facing the top region; and bottom electrodes, facing the bottom region. The mobile body is, in a resting condition, at a distance from the electrodes. The latter can be biased for generating a movement of the mobile body for causing a direct contact of the top region with the top electrodes and, in a different operating condition, a direct contact of the bottom region with the bottom electrodes. In the absence of biasing, molecular-attraction forces maintain in stable mutual contact the top region and the top electrodes or, alternatively, the bottom region and the bottom electrodes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 24, 2020
    Assignee: STMicroelectronics S.r.l.
    Inventors: Giovanni Campardo, Carlo Valzasina
  • Patent number: 10706924
    Abstract: A non-volatile memory device has a circuit branch associated to a bit line connected to a memory cell. When the memory cell is read, in a precharging step, the bit line is precharged. In a characteristic shift step, the memory cell is activated, and a current source is activated to supply a shift current to the first bit line and cause the bit line to charge or discharge on the basis of the datum stored in the memory cell. In a detection step, the current source is deactivated, the memory cell is decoupled, and the bit line is coupled to an input of a comparator stage that compares the voltage on the bit line with a reference voltage to supply an output signal indicating a datum stored in the memory cell.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 7, 2020
    Assignee: STMICROELECTRONICS S.R.L.
    Inventors: Giovanni Campardo, Roberto Annunziata, Paola Zuliani
  • Publication number: 20190341103
    Abstract: A non-volatile memory device has a circuit branch associated to a bit line connected to a memory cell. When the memory cell is read, in a precharging step, the bit line is precharged. In a characteristic shift step, the memory cell is activated, and a current source is activated to supply a shift current to the first bit line and cause the bit line to charge or discharge on the basis of the datum stored in the memory cell. In a detection step, the current source is deactivated, the memory cell is decoupled, and the bit line is coupled to an input of a comparator stage that compares the voltage on the bit line with a reference voltage to supply an output signal indicating a datum stored in the memory cell.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 24, 2019
    Publication date: November 7, 2019
    Inventors: Giovanni Campardo, Roberto Annunziata, Paola Zuliani
  • Publication number: 20190318885
    Abstract: A microelectromechanical device, in particular a non-volatile memory module or a relay, comprising: a mobile body including a top region and a bottom region; top electrodes facing the top region; and bottom electrodes, facing the bottom region. The mobile body is, in a resting condition, at a distance from the electrodes. The latter can be biased for generating a movement of the mobile body for causing a direct contact of the top region with the top electrodes and, in a different operating condition, a direct contact of the bottom region with the bottom electrodes. In the absence of biasing, molecular-attraction forces maintain in stable mutual contact the top region and the top electrodes or, alternatively, the bottom region and the bottom electrodes.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 26, 2019
    Publication date: October 17, 2019
    Inventors: Giovanni CAMPARDO, Carlo VALZASINA
  • Patent number: 10381173
    Abstract: A microelectromechanical device, in particular a non-volatile memory module or a relay, comprising: a mobile body including a top region and a bottom region; top electrodes facing the top region; and bottom electrodes, facing the bottom region. The mobile body is, in a resting condition, at a distance from the electrodes. The latter can be biased for generating a movement of the mobile body for causing a direct contact of the top region with the top electrodes and, in a different operating condition, a direct contact of the bottom region with the bottom electrodes. In the absence of biasing, molecular-attraction forces maintain in stable mutual contact the top region and the top electrodes or, alternatively, the bottom region and the bottom electrodes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 13, 2019
    Assignee: STMICROELECTRONICS S.R.L.
    Inventors: Giovanni Campardo, Carlo Valzasina
  • Patent number: 10249373
    Abstract: A circuit for reading a memory cell of a non-volatile memory device provided with a memory array with cells arranged in wordlines and bitlines, among which a first bitline, associated to the memory cell, and a second bitline, has: a first circuit branch associated to the first bitline and a second circuit branch associated to the second bitline, each with a local node, coupled to which is a first dividing capacitor, and a global node, coupled to which is a second dividing capacitor; a decoder stage for coupling the local node to the first or second bitlines and coupling the global node to the local node; and a differential comparator stage supplies an output signal indicative of the datum stored; and a control unit for controlling the decoder stage, the coupling stage, and the differential comparator stage for generation of the output signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 4, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2019
    Assignee: STMICROELECTRONICS S.R.L.
    Inventors: Giovanni Campardo, Salvatore Polizzi
  • Patent number: 10002672
    Abstract: A memory device includes a memory array with memory cells arranged in rows and columns and with word lines and bit lines. A dummy structure includes a dummy row of dummy cells and a dummy word line. A first pre-charging stage biases a word line of the memory array. An output stage includes a plurality of sense amplifiers. Each sense amplifier generates a corresponding output signal representing a datum stored in a corresponding memory cell pre-charged by the first pre-charging stage. A second pre-charging stage biases the dummy word line simultaneously with the word line biased by the first pre-charging stage. The output stage includes an enable stage, which detects a state of complete pre-charging of an intermediate dummy cell.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 27, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 19, 2018
    Assignee: STMicroelectronics S.r.l.
    Inventors: Giovanni Campardo, Salvatore Polizzi
  • Patent number: 9971536
    Abstract: Various embodiments disclose a controller to manage memory devices. In an exemplary method, signals are exchanged with a host processor to allow the host processor to communicate with multiple memory devices in a memory stack as a single device, regardless of an actual number of memory devices within the memory stack. Power is provided to a single one of the multiple memory devices in the memory stack at a time to reduce power consumption. Other methods, apparatuses, and devices are also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 13, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 15, 2018
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Federico Tiziani, Giovanni Campardo, Massimo Iaculo, Claudio Giaccio, Manuela Scognamiglio, Danilo Caraccio, Ornella Vitale, Antonino Pollio
  • Publication number: 20180130538
    Abstract: A circuit for reading a memory cell of a non-volatile memory device provided with a memory array with cells arranged in wordlines and bitlines, among which a first bitline, associated to the memory cell, and a second bitline, has: a first circuit branch associated to the first bitline and a second circuit branch associated to the second bitline, each with a local node, coupled to which is a first dividing capacitor, and a global node, coupled to which is a second dividing capacitor; a decoder stage for coupling the local node to the first or second bitlines and coupling the global node to the local node; and a differential comparator stage supplies an output signal indicative of the datum stored; and a control unit for controlling the decoder stage, the coupling stage, and the differential comparator stage for generation of the output signal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 4, 2018
    Publication date: May 10, 2018
    Inventors: Giovanni Campardo, Salvatore Polizzi
  • Patent number: 9966145
    Abstract: A non-volatile memory device includes a memory array having memory cells arranged in wordlines and receiving a supply voltage. A row decoder includes an input and pre-decoding module, which is configured to receive address signals and generate pre-decoded address signals at low voltage, in the range of the supply voltage. A driving module is configured to generate biasing signals for biasing the wordlines of the memory array starting from decoded address signals, which are a function of the pre-decoded address signals, at high voltage and in the range of a boosted voltage higher than the supply voltage. A processing module is configured to receive the pre-decoded address signals and to jointly execute an operation of logic combination and an operation of voltage boosting of the pre-decoded address signals for generation of the decoded address signals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 25, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 8, 2018
    Assignee: STMicroelectronics S.r.l.
    Inventors: Salvatore Polizzi, Giovanni Campardo
  • Publication number: 20180047455
    Abstract: A memory device includes a memory array with memory cells arranged in rows and columns and with word lines and bit lines. A dummy structure includes a dummy row of dummy cells and a dummy word line. A first pre-charging stage biases a word line of the memory array. An output stage includes a plurality of sense amplifiers. Each sense amplifier generates a corresponding output signal representing a datum stored in a corresponding memory cell pre-charged by the first pre-charging stage. A second pre-charging stage biases the dummy word line simultaneously with the word line biased by the first pre-charging stage. The output stage includes an enable stage, which detects a state of complete pre-charging of an intermediate dummy cell.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 27, 2017
    Publication date: February 15, 2018
    Inventors: Giovanni Campardo, Salvatore Polizzi
  • Publication number: 20180033564
    Abstract: A microelectromechanical device, in particular a non-volatile memory module or a relay, comprising: a mobile body including a top region and a bottom region; top electrodes facing the top region; and bottom electrodes, facing the bottom region. The mobile body is, in a resting condition, at a distance from the electrodes. The latter can be biased for generating a movement of the mobile body for causing a direct contact of the top region with the top electrodes and, in a different operating condition, a direct contact of the bottom region with the bottom electrodes. In the absence of biasing, molecular-attraction forces maintain in stable mutual contact the top region and the top electrodes or, alternatively, the bottom region and the bottom electrodes.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 27, 2017
    Publication date: February 1, 2018
    Inventors: Giovanni Campardo, Carlo Valzasina
  • Patent number: 9865356
    Abstract: A circuit for reading a memory cell of a non-volatile memory device provided with a memory array with cells arranged in wordlines and bitlines, among which a first bitline, associated to the memory cell, and a second bitline, has: a first circuit branch associated to the first bitline and a second circuit branch associated to the second bitline, each with a local node, coupled to which is a first dividing capacitor, and a global node, coupled to which is a second dividing capacitor; a decoder stage for coupling the local node to the first or second bitlines and coupling the global node to the local node; and a differential comparator stage supplies an output signal indicative of the datum stored; and a control unit for controlling the decoder stage, the coupling stage, and the differential comparator stage for generation of the output signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2018
    Assignee: STMICROELECTRONICS S.R.L.
    Inventors: Giovanni Campardo, Salvatore Polizzi
  • Patent number: 9805810
    Abstract: A memory device includes a memory array with memory cells arranged in rows and columns and with word lines and bit lines. A dummy structure includes a dummy row of dummy cells and a dummy word line. A first pre-charging stage biases a word line of the memory array. An output stage includes a plurality of sense amplifiers. Each sense amplifier generates a corresponding output signal representing a datum stored in a corresponding memory cell pre-charged by the first pre-charging stage. A second pre-charging stage biases the dummy word line simultaneously with the word line biased by the first pre-charging stage. The output stage includes an enable stage, which detects a state of complete pre-charging of an intermediate dummy cell.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 31, 2017
    Assignee: STMicroelectronics S.r.l.
    Inventors: Giovanni Campardo, Salvatore Polizzi
  • Patent number: 9767907
    Abstract: A row decoder for a non-volatile memory device includes an input and pre-decoding module that receives address signals and generates pre-decoded address signals. A decoding module receives the pre-decoded address signals for generation on an output of decoded address signals. A driving module generates biasing signals for biasing wordlines of a memory array. The decoding module envisages a plurality of decoding stages, each of which carries out an operation of an OR logic combination between a first and a second predecoded address signal to be combined. The decoding module includes at least one first pass transistor for selectively transferring onto the output the one between the first and second predecoded address signals to be combined in a first operating condition. The decoding module includes at least one first pull-up transistor to selectively bring the output to a high state in at least one second operating condition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2017
    Assignee: STMICROELECTRONICS S.R.L.
    Inventors: Salvatore Polizzi, Giovanni Campardo