Patents by Inventor Giuseppe Castagna

Giuseppe Castagna 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).

  • Publication number: 20130003462
    Abstract: A nonvolatile memory device includes a discharge circuit configured to selectively connect circuit nodes to discharge terminals through corresponding discharge paths, and an accumulation device for accumulating electric charge. A driving circuit is for driving the discharge circuit in such a way to connect at least a part of such circuit nodes to the discharge terminals if the value of the external supply voltage falls below a corresponding threshold. A supply circuit is for supplying the driving circuit with an intermediate supply voltage. Each one of the intermediate supply voltages is the corresponding external supply voltage when the value of the external supply voltage is higher than the corresponding threshold, or it is an internal voltage locally generated by the supply circuit by exploiting the electric charge stored by the accumulation device when the value of the external supply voltage is lower than the corresponding threshold.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 26, 2012
    Publication date: January 3, 2013
    Applicant: STMicroelectronics S.r.l.
    Inventors: Giuseppe CASTAGNA, Vincenzo MATRANGA, Maurizio Francesco PERRONI
  • Publication number: 20120221827
    Abstract: An address decoding device may include a supply terminal for a supply voltage, a conductive path configured to provide an electric signal, associated with an address of at least one memory cell, and an address terminal connected to the conductive path and structured to receive the electric signal. An address decoder may be connected to the address terminal to receive the electric signal. The decoder may have a decoding operative voltage associated therewith. A switch circuit may be structured to electrically connect the address terminal to the supply terminal when the address terminal takes a threshold voltage imposed by the electric signal, and may bring the address terminal to the decoding operative voltage.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 27, 2012
    Publication date: August 30, 2012
    Applicant: STMicroelectronics S.r.I.
    Inventors: Maurizio Francesco Perroni, Giuseppe Castagna
  • Publication number: 20120197581
    Abstract: A non-volatile memory device may be integrated in a chip of semiconductor material. The memory device may include circuitry for receiving a measure instruction for obtaining a numerical measure value of a selected one among a plurality of predefined memory operations of the memory device. The memory device may also include circuitry for enabling the execution of the selected memory operation in response to the measure instruction. The execution of the selected memory operation may generate a corresponding result. The memory device may further include circuitry for providing at least one time signal, different from the corresponding result, relating to the execution of each memory operation, and circuitry for determining the measure value according to the at least one time signal of the selected memory operation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 30, 2012
    Publication date: August 2, 2012
    Applicant: STMicroelectronics S.r.l.
    Inventors: Maurizio Francesco Perroni, Giuseppe Castagna
  • Publication number: 20110305096
    Abstract: A circuit for reading memory cells includes: a sense node connectable to a memory cell; a sense device connected to the sense node and configured to be activated in a precharging step which precedes a cell reading step and to provide such an output signal to assume logic values dependant on an electric signal present at the sense node; a precharging circuit connected to said sense node and configured to be activated to make said sense node reach a precharging voltage and to be deactivated upon switching said output signal occurred in the precharging step.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 15, 2011
    Publication date: December 15, 2011
    Applicant: STMICROELECTRONICS S.R.L.
    Inventors: Maurizio Francesco Perroni, Giuseppe Castagna
  • Publication number: 20110305094
    Abstract: An electrically programmable non-volatile memory device includes a plurality of memory cells, a plurality of lines for selectively biasing the memory cells, reconnection circuitry for reconnecting a pair of selected lines having different voltages, and a controller for controlling the memory device. The reconnection means includes a discharge circuit for discharging one of the selected lines being at the higher voltage in absolute value, an equalization circuit for equalizing the selected lines, a comparator circuit for measuring an indication of a voltage difference between the selected lines, and an evaluation circuit responsive to an enabling signal from the controller for activating the discharge circuit until an absolute value of the voltage difference exceeds a threshold value and for disabling the discharge circuit and enabling the equalization circuit when the absolute value of the voltage difference reaches the threshold value.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 9, 2011
    Publication date: December 15, 2011
    Applicant: STMicroelectronics S.r.I
    Inventors: Maurizio Francesco Perroni, Giuseppe Castagna
  • Publication number: 20110305092
    Abstract: An electrically programmable non-volatile memory device being integrated on a chip of semiconductor material is proposed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 9, 2011
    Publication date: December 15, 2011
    Applicant: STMicroelectronics S.r.l.
    Inventors: Maurizio Francesco Perroni, Giuseppe Castagna
  • Patent number: 7408377
    Abstract: A driving circuit is for an output buffer stage, with high speed and reduced noise induced on the power supply. The driving circuit may include first and second circuit portions, each intended for the generation of a respective driving signal for a corresponding transistor of the buffer stage. Each portion may include a final stage with a complementary pair of MOS transistors inserted between two supply voltage references, and a third MOS transistor having its conduction terminals connected between one of the voltage references and an interconnection node of the complementary pair and receiving, on its control terminal, an activation pulse signal coming from a logic network incorporating at least one delay chain.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 21, 2005
    Date of Patent: August 5, 2008
    Assignee: STMicroelectronics S.r.l.
    Inventors: Giuseppe Castagna, Salvatore Imbesi, Salvatore Mazzara, Salvatore Polizzi
  • Publication number: 20060091910
    Abstract: A driving circuit is for an output buffer stage, with high speed and reduced noise induced on the power supply. The driving circuit may include first and second circuit portions, each intended for the generation of a respective driving signal for a corresponding transistor of the buffer stage. Each portion may include a final stage with a complementary pair of MOS transistors inserted between two supply voltage references, and a third MOS transistor having its conduction terminals connected between one of the voltage references and an interconnection node of the complementary pair and receiving, on its control terminal, an activation pulse signal coming from a logic network incorporating at least one delay chain.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 21, 2005
    Publication date: May 4, 2006
    Applicant: STMicroelectronics S.r.l.
    Inventors: Giuseppe Castagna, Salvatore Imbesi, Salvatore Mazzara, Salvatore Polizzi