Patents by Inventor Leonardo Castro

Leonardo Castro 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: 20210288647
    Abstract: A level shifter device comprises a first stage level shifter configured to transform an input signal to a first output signal having a voltage between at least one of a VPS control voltage and a ground or a VDD supply voltage and a VNS control voltage. The level shifter device comprises a second stage level shifter arranged subsequent to the first stage level shifter and configured to transform the first output signal to a second output signal having a voltage between the ground and the VDD supply voltage.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 13, 2020
    Publication date: September 16, 2021
    Inventors: Leonardo Castro, Rainer Bartenschlager
  • Patent number: 11121712
    Abstract: A level shifter device comprises a first stage level shifter configured to transform an input signal to a first output signal having a voltage between at least one of a VPS control voltage and a ground or a VDD supply voltage and a VNS control voltage. The level shifter device comprises a second stage level shifter arranged subsequent to the first stage level shifter and configured to transform the first output signal to a second output signal having a voltage between the ground and the VDD supply voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 14, 2021
    Assignee: INFINEON TECHNOLOGIES AG
    Inventors: Leonardo Castro, Rainer Bartenschlager
  • Patent number: 9892765
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, a circuit is described including a circuit component configured to switch from a first state into a second state including a node whose potential changes by a predetermined voltage when the circuit component switches from the first state into the second state, a line coupled with the node wherein the switching of the circuit component from the first state into the second state draws or injects a predetermined charge from or into the line, a capacitor coupled to the line and a compensation circuit configured to generate a predetermined multiple of the predetermined voltage and to compensate the charge drawn from or injected into the line by driving the capacitor with the multiple of the predetermined voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 11, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2018
    Assignee: Infineon Technologies AG
    Inventors: Giacomo Curatolo, Leonardo Castro
  • Patent number: 9659657
    Abstract: A semiconductor memory device having a plurality of decoders, wherein each decoder is assigned to a select line, wherein no other decoder is assigned to the select line, each decoder has an output configured to charge the select line to when the decoder is activated and to discharge the select line when said decoder is deactivated. Also, each decoder is configured such that, in case that a first decoder gets deactivated after being activated and a second decoder of the decoders gets activated after being deactivated, the output of the first decoder and the output of the second decoder get connected to a common node for a predefined time interval, so that an electrical charge may be transferred from the select line, to the first decoder is assigned to, to the select line, to which the second decoder is assigned to, before the output of the first decoder gets connected to a reference voltage and the output of the second decoder gets connected to a supply voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 1, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 23, 2017
    Assignee: Infineon Technologies AG
    Inventors: Leonardo Castro, Giacomo Curatolo
  • Publication number: 20160300598
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, a circuit is described including a circuit component configured to switch from a first state into a second state including a node whose potential changes by a predetermined voltage when the circuit component switches from the first state into the second state, a line coupled with the node wherein the switching of the circuit component from the first state into the second state draws or injects a predetermined charge from or into the line, a capacitor coupled to the line and a compensation circuit configured to generate a predetermined multiple of the predetermined voltage and to compensate the charge drawn from or injected into the line by driving the capacitor with the multiple of the predetermined voltage.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 11, 2016
    Publication date: October 13, 2016
    Inventors: Giacomo CURATOLO, Leonardo CASTRO
  • Publication number: 20160163387
    Abstract: A semiconductor memory device having a plurality of decoders, wherein each decoder is assigned to a select line, wherein no other decoder is assigned to the select line, each decoder has an output configured to charge the select line to when the decoder is activated and to discharge the select line when said decoder is deactivated. Also, each decoder is configured such that, in case that a first decoder gets deactivated after being activated and a second decoder of the decoders gets activated after being deactivated, the output of the first decoder and the output of the second decoder get connected to a common node for a predefined time interval, so that an electrical charge may be transferred from the select line, to the first decoder is assigned to, to the select line, to which the second decoder is assigned to, before the output of the first decoder gets connected to a reference voltage and the output of the second decoder gets connected to a supply voltage.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 1, 2015
    Publication date: June 9, 2016
    Inventors: Leonardo CASTRO, Giacomo CURATOLO
  • Patent number: 9251864
    Abstract: The invention relates to an electronic memory system, and more specifically, to a system for providing voltage supply protection in a memory device, and a method for providing voltage supply protection in a memory device. According to an embodiment, a system for providing voltage supply protection in a memory device is provided, the system including a memory array including a plurality of memory cells arranged in a plurality of groups of memory cells, and a plurality of current limiting elements, wherein each group of memory cells is associated with at least one current limiting element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 6, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 2, 2016
    Assignee: Infineon Technologies AG
    Inventors: Jan Otterstedt, Wolf Allers, Mihail Jefremow, Edvin Paparisto, Leonardo Castro, Thomas Kern
  • Patent number: 9190149
    Abstract: Embodiments relate to systems and methods including a step of switching between two or more erase operations and/or two or more write operations for erasing of and/or writing to least one memory cell of a nonvolatile memory enabling to select a most suitable erase and/or write operation for a particular erase and/or write operation within the memory.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 24, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 17, 2015
    Assignee: Infineon Technologies AG
    Inventors: Jan Otterstedt, Wolf Allers, Mihail Jefremow, Edvin Paparisto, Leonardo Castro, Christian Peters
  • Patent number: 9032140
    Abstract: The disclosure relates to an electronic memory system, and more specifically, to a system for adaptive bit rate programming of a memory device, and a method for adaptive bit rate programming of a memory device. According to an embodiment, a system for adaptive bit rate programming of a memory device including a plurality of memory cells is provided, wherein the memory cells are configured to be electrically programmable by application of a current supplied by a current source, the system including selection devices for selecting memory cells for programming based on availability of current from the current source.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 12, 2015
    Assignee: Infineon Technologies AG
    Inventors: Wolf Allers, Jan Otterstedt, Mihail Jefremow, Edvin Paparisto, Leonardo Castro
  • Publication number: 20140215124
    Abstract: The disclosure relates to an electronic memory system, and more specifically, to a system for adaptive bit rate programming of a memory device, and a method for adaptive bit rate programming of a memory device. According to an embodiment, a system for adaptive bit rate programming of a memory device including a plurality of memory cells is provided, wherein the memory cells are configured to be electrically programmable by application of a current supplied by a current source, the system including selection devices for selecting memory cells for programming based on availability of current from the current source.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 28, 2013
    Publication date: July 31, 2014
    Applicant: Infineon Technologies AG
    Inventors: Wolf Allers, Jan Otterstedt, Mihail Jefremow, Edvin Paparisto, Leonardo Castro
  • Publication number: 20140064011
    Abstract: The invention relates to an electronic memory system, and more specifically, to a system for providing voltage supply protection in a memory device, and a method for providing voltage supply protection in a memory device. According to an embodiment, a system for providing voltage supply protection in a memory device is provided, the system including a memory array including a plurality of memory cells arranged in a plurality of groups of memory cells, and a plurality of current limiting elements, wherein each group of memory cells is associated with at least one current limiting element.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 6, 2012
    Publication date: March 6, 2014
    Applicant: Infineon Technologies AG
    Inventors: Jan Otterstedt, Wolf Allers, Mihail Jefremow, Edvin Paparisto, Leonardo Castro, Thomas Kern
  • Publication number: 20140056079
    Abstract: Embodiments relate to systems and methods including a step of switching between two or more erase operations and/or two or more write operations for erasing of and/or writing to least one memory cell of a nonvolatile memory enabling to select a most suitable erase and/or write operation for a particular erase and/or write operation within the memory.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 24, 2012
    Publication date: February 27, 2014
    Applicant: Infineon Technologies AG
    Inventors: Jan Otterstedt, Wolf Allers, Mihail Jefremow, Edvin Paparisto, Leonardo Castro, Christian Peters