Patents by Inventor Lionel Cimaz
Lionel Cimaz 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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Patent number: 9414176Abstract: The presence and/or state of an accessory having a connector of a first type (e.g. male connector) adapted to be plug into a connector of a second type (e.g. female connector) of an electronic device is detected based on an analysis of an electrical line coupled to the female connector of the device, wherein the electrical line analysis is started only when it is determined that the connector of the accessory is completely inserted into the connector of the device.Type: GrantFiled: September 15, 2014Date of Patent: August 9, 2016Assignee: STMICROELECTRONICS INTERNATIONAL N.V.Inventors: Lionel Cimaz, Stephane Le Coq
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Patent number: 9392361Abstract: Described herein is a microphone assembly for an electronic device incorporating a microphone. The microphone assembly includes a microphone interface that enables direct coupling of inputs from the microphone to a preamplifier. For the purpose, the microphone interface includes a DC servo loop. The DC servo loop provides a DC path for supplying a DC bias current to the microphone and an AC path to receive the AC output obtained from the microphone. The AC path and the DC path allow separation of the AC output of the microphone from the DC bias current. The microphone interface is implemented using reduced number of IC pin interfaces and external components to achieve compactness of the device.Type: GrantFiled: October 20, 2010Date of Patent: July 12, 2016Assignee: ST-Ericsson SAInventors: Rishi C. Agarwal, Shyam S. Somayajula, Lionel Cimaz
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Patent number: 9385593Abstract: A device may be associated with a power source. The device may include a charge pump configured to output a pulse-width modulated voltage based upon an input voltage from the power source, with the pulse-width modulated voltage varying between a first voltage and a second voltage. The device may also include a low-pass filter comprising an output capacitor, with the output capacitor being configured to average the pulsed-width modulated voltage and to output a filtered voltage having a value different than that of the input voltage. The device may further include a controller configured to selectively decouple the charge pump from the power source when a load imposed on the low-pass filter is below a threshold load.Type: GrantFiled: September 10, 2014Date of Patent: July 5, 2016Assignee: STMicroelectronics International N.V.Inventors: Shyam Somayajula, Sri Ram Gupta, Lionel Cimaz
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Patent number: 9277315Abstract: Systems and methods for suppressing pop-up noise in an audio signal are disclosed. The system includes a driver circuit shared by a pin interface and a complementary pin interface. A control unit is coupled to the pin interface and the complementary pin interface. To activate the pin interface, the control unit is configured to first activate the driver output at the complementary pin interface. Once the complementary pin interface achieves a preset voltage, the driver output is switched to the pin interface by the control unit. In addition, the driver circuit can be calibrated for a DC offset on the complementary pin interface by re-using calibration data calculated at the pin interface. Further, DC correction signals can be provided from a pre-biasing circuit based on the calibration data of the driver circuit.Type: GrantFiled: June 10, 2014Date of Patent: March 1, 2016Assignee: ST-Ericsson SAInventors: Sanjeev Ranganathan, Shyam Somayajula, Srinath Sridharan, Lionel Cimaz
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Publication number: 20150078577Abstract: The presence and/or state of an accessory having a connector of a first type (e.g. male connector) adapted to be plug into a connector of a second type (e.g. female connector) of an electronic device is detected based on an analysis of an electrical line coupled to the female connector of the device, wherein the electrical line analysis is started only when it is determined that the connector of the accessory is completely inserted into the connector of the device.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 15, 2014Publication date: March 19, 2015Applicant: STMICROELECTRONICS INTERNATIONAL N.V.Inventors: Lionel Cimaz, Stephane Le Coq
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Publication number: 20150070090Abstract: A device may be associated with a power source. The device may include a charge pump configured to output a pulse-width modulated voltage based upon an input voltage from the power source, with the pulse-width modulated voltage varying between a first voltage and a second voltage. The device may also include a low-pass filter comprising an output capacitor, with the output capacitor being configured to average the pulsed-width modulated voltage and to output a filtered voltage having a value different than that of the input voltage. The device may further include a controller configured to selectively decouple the charge pump from the power source when a load imposed on the low-pass filter is below a threshold load.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 10, 2014Publication date: March 12, 2015Applicant: STMicroelectronics International N.V.Inventors: Shyam Somayajula, Sri Ram Gupta, Lionel Cimaz
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Patent number: 8917864Abstract: A full duplex audio communication terminal (100) comprises a noise attenuation module (4) arranged on a transmission path of the terminal. The noise attenuation module comprises two activation thresholds, which are respectively intended to be adjusted above a noise level and above an echo level of transmission signals (TC) produced by the terminal. The first or the second activation threshold is selected as a function of the detection of signals (R) received by said terminal. An improvement to the suppression in the transmission signals of echoes from received signals is thus obtained which is compatible with the principle of full duplex communication. Preferably, the noise attenuation module processes transmission signals which are produced by an echo compensator (2). Residual echo still present in the transmission signals already processed by the echo compensator is thus further reduced.Type: GrantFiled: May 11, 2010Date of Patent: December 23, 2014Assignees: St-Ericsson SA, St-Ericsson (France) SASInventor: Lionel Cimaz
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Patent number: 8904202Abstract: A component of an electronic circuit, the component comprising: a node (REG_ENB; DO) selectively configurable as an output node for providing an output signal to an external component or as an input node for providing an input signal to an internal component; a capacitor (C) selectively coupled to the node (REG_ENB; DO) to influence the time for the node (REG_ENB; DO) to transition between a low state and a high state; and a timer for measuring the time for the node to transition between a low state and a high state to provide a first information input signal, the state of the first information signal depending on the time for the node to transition between the low state and the high state and being indicative of a first information. A method of node management is also described.Type: GrantFiled: August 19, 2010Date of Patent: December 2, 2014Assignees: ST-Ericsson SA, ST-Ericsson (France) SASInventor: Lionel Cimaz
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Publication number: 20140341386Abstract: An apparatus comprising a controller, a first acoustic sensor and a second acoustic sensor, wherein said first acoustic sensor is arranged remote from said second acoustic sensor, and wherein said controller is configured to receive a main signal from said first acoustic sensor, receive a probe signal from said second acoustic sensor, generate a noise signal by subtracting with a first filter filtered said main signal from said probe signal, and generate a noise reduced voice signal by subtracting with a second filter filtered noise signal from said main signal, wherein said first filter is adapted based on a voice component of the main signal and the probe signal in the absence or near absence of noise and said second filter is adapted based on the noise components of said main signal and said probe signal when no voice input is present.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 20, 2014Publication date: November 20, 2014Inventor: LIONEL CIMAZ
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Publication number: 20140334632Abstract: Systems and methods for suppressing pop-up noise in an audio signal are disclosed. The system includes a driver circuit shared by a pin interface and a complementary pin interface. A control unit is coupled to the pin interface and the complementary pin interface. To activate the pin interface, the control unit is configured to first activate the driver output at the complementary pin interface. Once the complementary pin interface achieves a preset voltage, the driver output is switched to the pin interface by the control unit. In addition, the driver circuit can be calibrated for a DC offset on the complementary pin interface by re-using calibration data calculated at the pin interface. Further, DC correction signals can be provided from a pre-biasing circuit based on the calibration data of the driver circuit.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 10, 2014Publication date: November 13, 2014Inventors: SANJEEV RANGANATHAN, SHYAM SOMAYAJULA, SRINATH SRIDHARAN, LIONEL CIMAZ
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Patent number: 8787588Abstract: Systems and methods for a low pin architecture to couple speakers with integrated circuits are disclosed herein. In an implementation, the low pin architecture facilitates in reducing the required pin interfaces to couple a low power speaker, a high power speaker, and earphone speakers with integrated circuits (ICs). For this, the high power speaker can be cross-coupled between the pin interfaces that are coupled to the low power speaker and the earphone speakers. These pin interfaces are driven by corresponding driver circuits. In said implementation, some of the driver circuits can be shared to drive multiple pin interfaces. These shared driver circuits include a combined cascode circuit having a first cascode circuit integrated with a second cascode circuit to reliably and selectively drive one or more of the pin interfaces.Type: GrantFiled: February 25, 2010Date of Patent: July 22, 2014Assignees: ST-Ericsson SA, ST-Ericsson PVT. Ltd.Inventors: Sanjeev Ranganathan, Shyam Somayajula, Srinath Sridharan, Arnold D'Souza, Ramkishore Ganti, Lionel Cimaz
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Patent number: 8787597Abstract: Systems and methods for suppressing pop-up noise in an audio signal are disclosed. The system includes a driver circuit shared by a pin interface and a complementary pin interface. A control unit is coupled to the pin interface and the complementary pin interface. To activate the pin interface, the control unit is configured to first activate the driver output at the complementary pin interface. Once the complementary pin interface achieves a preset voltage, the driver output is switched to the pin interface by the control unit. In addition, the driver circuit can be calibrated for a DC offset on the complementary pin interface by re-using calibration data calculated at the pin interface. Further, DC correction signals can be provided from a pre-biasing circuit based on the calibration data of the driver circuit.Type: GrantFiled: February 25, 2010Date of Patent: July 22, 2014Assignees: St-Ericsson India Pvt. Ltd., St-Ericsson SAInventors: Sanjeev Ranganathan, Shyam Somayajula, Srinath Sridharan, Lionel Cimaz
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Patent number: 8682268Abstract: The present invention relates to a method of suppressing noise in a communication device. The idea consists in forwarding to a noise suppression module some information regarding the radio transmission in terms of radio activity and/or in terms of radio transmission power. The module then advantageously uses this information to suppress radio path noise.Type: GrantFiled: April 14, 2010Date of Patent: March 25, 2014Assignee: Ericsson Modems SAInventor: Lionel Cimaz
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Publication number: 20120308052Abstract: Described herein is a microphone assembly for an electronic device incorporating a microphone. The microphone assembly includes a microphone interface that enables direct coupling of inputs from the microphone to a preamplifier. For the purpose, the microphone interface includes a DC servo loop. The DC servo loop provides a DC path for supplying a DC bias current to the microphone and an AC path to receive the AC output obtained from the microphone. The AC path and the DC path allow separation of the AC output of the microphone from the DC bias current. The microphone interface is implemented using reduced number of IC pin interfaces and external components to achieve compactness of the device.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 20, 2010Publication date: December 6, 2012Inventors: Rishi C. Agarwal, Shyam S. Somayajula, Lionel Cimaz
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Publication number: 20120171974Abstract: The present invention relates to a method of suppressing noise in a communication device. The idea consists in forwarding to a noise suppression module some information regarding the radio transmission in terms of radio activity and/or in terms of radio transmission power. The module then advantageously uses this information to suppress radio path noise.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 14, 2010Publication date: July 5, 2012Applicants: ST-ERICSSON (FRANCE) SAS, ST-ERICSSON SAInventor: Lionel Cimaz
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Publication number: 20120159213Abstract: A component of an electronic circuit, the component comprising: a node (REG_ENB; DO) selectively configurable as an output node for providing an output signal to an external component or as an input node for providing an input signal to an internal component; a capacitor (C) selectively coupled to the node (REG_ENB; DO) to influence the time for the node (REG_ENB; DO) to transition between a low state and a high state; and a timer for measuring the time for the node to transition between a low state and a high state to provide a first information input signal, the state of the first information signal depending on the time for the node to transition between the low state and the high state and being indicative of a first information. A method of node management is also described.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 19, 2010Publication date: June 21, 2012Applicants: ST-ERICSSON SA, ST-ERICSSON (FRANCE) SASInventor: Lionel Cimaz
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Publication number: 20120114115Abstract: A full duplex audio communication terminal (100) comprises a noise attenuation module (4) arranged on a transmission path of the terminal. The noise attenuation module comprises two activation thresholds, which are respectively intended to be adjusted above a noise level and above an echo level of transmission signals (TC) produced by the terminal. The first or the second activation threshold is selected as a function of the detection of signals (R) received by said terminal. An improvement to the suppression in the transmission signals of echoes from received signals is thus obtained which is compatible with the principle of full duplex communication. Preferably, the noise attenuation module processes transmission signals which are produced by an echo compensator (2). Residual echo still present in the transmission signals already processed by the echo compensator is thus further reduced.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 11, 2010Publication date: May 10, 2012Inventor: Lionel Cimaz
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Publication number: 20100220875Abstract: Systems and methods for suppressing pop-up noise in an audio signal are disclosed. The system includes a driver circuit shared by a pin interface and a complementary pin interface. A control unit is coupled to the pin interface and the complementary pin interface. To activate the pin interface, the control unit is configured to first activate the driver output at the complementary pin interface. Once the complementary pin interface achieves a preset voltage, the driver output is switched to the pin interface by the control unit. In addition, the driver circuit can be calibrated for a DC offset on the complementary pin interface by re-using calibration data calculated at the pin interface. Further, DC correction signals can be provided from a pre-biasing circuit based on the calibration data of the driver circuit.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 25, 2010Publication date: September 2, 2010Applicants: ST-Ericsson India Pvt. Ltd., ST-Ericsson SAInventors: Sanjeev Ranganathan, Shyam Somayajula, Srinath Sridharan, Lionel Cimaz
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Publication number: 20100220868Abstract: Systems and methods for a low pin architecture to couple speakers with integrated circuits are disclosed herein. In an implementation, the low pin architecture facilitates in reducing the required pin interfaces to couple a low power speaker, a high power speaker, and earphone speakers with integrated circuits (ICs). For this, the high power speaker can be cross-coupled between the pin interfaces that are coupled to the low power speaker and the earphone speakers. These pin interfaces are driven by corresponding driver circuits. In said implementation, some of the driver circuits can be shared to drive multiple pin interfaces. These shared driver circuits include a combined cascode circuit having a first cascode circuit integrated with a second cascode circuit to reliably and selectively drive one or more of the pin interfaces.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 25, 2010Publication date: September 2, 2010Applicants: ST-Ericsson India Pvt. Ltd, ST-Ericsson SAInventors: Sanjeev Ranganathan, Shyam Somayajula, Srinath Sridharan, Arnold D'Souza, Ramkishore Ganti, Lionel Cimaz
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Patent number: 7671560Abstract: In one embodiment, the present invention includes a method for performing a test on a rechargeable battery to indirectly determine a state of protection circuitry associated with the battery. The method may discharge the battery by controlling a pull-down current into a system, determine if the battery voltage falls below a first threshold level within a predetermined amount of time, and if so provide a pre-charge current to the battery.Type: GrantFiled: September 22, 2006Date of Patent: March 2, 2010Assignee: ST-Ericsson SAInventors: Russell Croman, G. Diwakar Vishakhadatta, Lionel Cimaz