Patents by Inventor Marco Pamato
Marco Pamato 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: 11523484Abstract: A controller circuit for a set of light emitting diodes (LEDs) includes a linear current source, channel circuitry, and supervisor circuitry. The linear current source is configured to regulate a first current from a supply along a first series path to the set of LEDs. The channel circuitry is configured to control a second current from the supply along a second series path to the set of LEDs, the second series path being in parallel with the first series path and the second series path comprising a drop element coupled in series with the supply and the set of LEDs. The supervisor circuitry is configured to regulate a total current supplied to the set of LEDs using the linear current source and the channel circuitry, the total current comprising the first current and the second current.Type: GrantFiled: January 15, 2020Date of Patent: December 6, 2022Assignee: Infineon Technologies AGInventors: Franco Mignoli, Marco Pamato, Maurizio Galvano, Hans-Peter Kreuter
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Patent number: 11452190Abstract: This disclosure includes systems, methods, and techniques for detecting one or more short connections in a plurality of light-emitting diode (LED) channels. For example, a circuit includes processing circuitry configured to control a plurality of driving devices in order to cause a pair of LED channels of the plurality of LED channels to operate in a first state during a first period of time and operate in a second state during a second period of time. Additionally, the processing circuitry is configured to compare a first electrical signal corresponding to the first state of the pair of LED channels and a second electrical signal corresponding to the second state of the pair of LED channels and determine, based on the comparison of the first electrical signal and the second electrical signal, if a short connection exists between the pair of LED channels.Type: GrantFiled: July 31, 2020Date of Patent: September 20, 2022Assignee: Infineon Technologies AGInventors: Franco Mignoli, Hans-Peter Kreuter, Alfonso Nasciuti, Marco Pamato, Damiano Sartori
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Publication number: 20220039237Abstract: This disclosure includes systems, methods, and techniques for detecting one or more short connections in a plurality of light-emitting diode (LED) channels. For example, a circuit includes processing circuitry configured to control a plurality of driving devices in order to cause a pair of LED channels of the plurality of LED channels to operate in a first state during a first period of time and operate in a second state during a second period of time. Additionally, the processing circuitry is configured to compare a first electrical signal corresponding to the first state of the pair of LED channels and a second electrical signal corresponding to the second state of the pair of LED channels and determine, based on the comparison of the first electrical signal and the second electrical signal, if a short connection exists between the pair of LED channels.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 31, 2020Publication date: February 3, 2022Inventors: Franco Mignoli, Hans-Peter Kreuter, Alfonso Nasciuti, Marco Pamato, Damiano Sartori
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Patent number: 11076473Abstract: A method and an electronic circuit are disclosed. The method includes detecting at least one operating parameter in an electronic circuit that includes a monitored LED string; adjusting a voltage threshold based on the at least one detected operating parameter; detecting a string voltage across the monitored LED string; comparing the string voltage with the voltage threshold; and detecting a defect in the LED string based on the comparing.Type: GrantFiled: November 26, 2019Date of Patent: July 27, 2021Assignee: INFINEON TECHNOLOGIES AGInventors: Marco Pamato, Damiano Sartori, Gernot Unterweger
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Patent number: 10939528Abstract: An electronic circuit and a method are disclosed. The electronic circuit includes an LED circuit, wherein the LED circuit (1) includes: an input (11, 12) configured to receive an input voltage (VIN); a drive circuit (2A) connected to the input (11, 12); and an LED module (3A) connected to the drive circuit (2A) and comprising an LED string (41) with at least one LED. The drive circuit (2A) is configured to monitor the LED module (3A) for the occurrence of an LED short in the LED string (41) and to change from a normal mode to a defect mode upon detection of the LED short, and the drive circuit (2A) is configured, in the defect mode, to operate the LED string (41) in at least one defect cycle that includes deactivating the LED string (41) for a deactivation period, activating the LED string for an activation period, and checking for the persistence of the LED short in the activation period.Type: GrantFiled: September 10, 2019Date of Patent: March 2, 2021Assignee: Infineon Technologies AGInventors: Damiano Sartori, Fabrizio Cortigiani, Marco Pamato, Gernot Unterweger
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Publication number: 20200236762Abstract: A controller circuit for a set of light emitting diodes (LEDs) includes a linear current source, channel circuitry, and supervisor circuitry. The linear current source is configured to regulate a first current from a supply along a first series path to the set of LEDs. The channel circuitry is configured to control a second current from the supply along a second series path to the set of LEDs, the second series path being in parallel with the first series path and the second series path comprising a drop element coupled in series with the supply and the set of LEDs. The supervisor circuitry is configured to regulate a total current supplied to the set of LEDs using the linear current source and the channel circuitry, the total current comprising the first current and the second current.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 15, 2020Publication date: July 23, 2020Inventors: Franco Mignoli, Marco Pamato, Maurizio Galvano, Hans-Peter Kreuter
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Publication number: 20200187323Abstract: A method and an electronic circuit are disclosed. The method includes detecting at least one operating parameter in an electronic circuit that includes a monitored LED string; adjusting a voltage threshold based on the at least one detected operating parameter; detecting a string voltage across the monitored LED string; comparing the string voltage with the voltage threshold; and detecting a defect in the LED string based on the comparing.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 26, 2019Publication date: June 11, 2020Inventors: Marco Pamato, Damiano Sartori, Gernot Unterweger
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Publication number: 20200092962Abstract: An electronic circuit and a method are disclosed. The electronic circuit includes an LED circuit, wherein the LED circuit (1) includes: an input (11, 12) configured to receive an input voltage (VIN); a drive circuit (2A) connected to the input (11, 12); and an LED module (3A) connected to the drive circuit (2A) and comprising an LED string (41) with at least one LED. The drive circuit (2A) is configured to monitor the LED module (3A) for the occurrence of an LED short in the LED string (41) and to change from a normal mode to a defect mode upon detection of the LED short, and the drive circuit (2A) is configured, in the defect mode, to operate the LED string (41) in at least one defect cycle that includes deactivating the LED string (41) for a deactivation period, activating the LED string for an activation period, and checking for the persistence of the LED short in the activation period.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 10, 2019Publication date: March 19, 2020Inventors: Damiano Sartori, Fabrizio Cortigiani, Marco Pamato, Gernot Unterweger
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Patent number: 10542593Abstract: A controller circuit for a set of light emitting diodes (LEDs) includes a linear current source, channel circuitry, and supervisor circuitry. The linear current source is configured to regulate a first current from a supply along a first series path to the set of LEDs. The channel circuitry is configured to control a second current from the supply along a second series path to the set of LEDs, the second series path being in parallel with the first series path and the second series path comprising a drop element coupled in series with the supply and the set of LEDs. The supervisor circuitry is configured to regulate a total current supplied to the set of LEDs using the linear current source and the channel circuitry, the total current comprising the first current and the second current.Type: GrantFiled: January 18, 2019Date of Patent: January 21, 2020Assignee: Infineon Technologies AGInventors: Franco Mignoli, Marco Pamato, Maurizio Galvano, Hans-Peter Kreuter
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Patent number: 10187955Abstract: The disclosure is directed to a circuit that may detect a single short in a chain of loads, such as light emitting diodes (LEDs). The circuit may drive either multiple LED chains or a single LED chain to determine whether one, or more, of the LEDs in the LED chain is no longer working because of a short. The circuit determines whether the LED chain voltage satisfies a threshold based on a single LED voltage drop. Therefore, the same circuit may be used for applications regardless of the number of LEDs in an LED chain. Additionally, the circuit, according to the techniques of this disclosure may use may use no output pins, other than those used to deliver current to LED chains, regardless of the number of LED chains that the circuit drives.Type: GrantFiled: June 27, 2017Date of Patent: January 22, 2019Assignee: Infineon Technologies AGInventors: Marco Pamato, Maurizio Galvano, Roberto Guerra, Aurelio Pellegrini, Damiano Sartori, Enrico Tonazzo
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Publication number: 20180359824Abstract: The disclosure is directed to a circuit that may detect a single short in a chain of loads, such as light emitting diodes (LEDs). The circuit may drive either multiple LED chains or a single LED chain to determine whether one, or more, of the LEDs in the LED chain is no longer working because of a short. The circuit determines whether the LED chain voltage satisfies a threshold based on a single LED voltage drop. Therefore, the same circuit may be used for applications regardless of the number of LEDs in an LED chain. Additionally, the circuit, according to the techniques of this disclosure may use may use no output pins, other than those used to deliver current to LED chains, regardless of the number of LED chains that the circuit drives.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 27, 2017Publication date: December 13, 2018Inventors: Marco Pamato, Maurizio Galvano, Roberto Guerra, Aurelio Pellegrini, Damiano Sartori, Enrico Tonazzo
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Patent number: 9989574Abstract: An embodiment method for short-circuit detection includes determining a set of local reference voltages each associated with a respective load chain in a plurality of load chains, and determining a global reference voltage in accordance with the set of local reference voltages. The method also includes determining, for each load chain in the plurality of load chains, a respective per-chain reference voltage in accordance with the global reference voltage, and comparing, for each load chain in the plurality of load chains, the respective per-chain reference voltage relative to a respective measured voltage across each load chain to determine a respective short-circuit condition.Type: GrantFiled: May 27, 2015Date of Patent: June 5, 2018Assignee: INFINEON TECHNOLOGIES AGInventors: Damiano Sartori, Marco Pamato, Maurizio Galvano
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Publication number: 20170367155Abstract: In one example, a method includes generating, by a current source of a device, a first portion of a power signal that drives one or more load elements. In this example, a second portion of the power signal is generated by one or more components that are external to the device and are in parallel to the current source such that the second portion of the power signal does not flow through the current source.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 30, 2017Publication date: December 21, 2017Inventors: Fabrizio Cortigiani, Andrea Logiudice, Maurizio Galvano, Marco Pamato
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Publication number: 20170290112Abstract: In one example, a method includes generating, by a current source of a device, a first portion of a power signal that drives one or more load elements. In this example, a second portion of the power signal is generated by one or more components that are external to the device and are in parallel to the current source such that the second portion of the power signal does not flow through the current source.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 31, 2016Publication date: October 5, 2017Inventors: Fabrizio Cortigiani, Andrea Logiudice, Maurizio Galvano, Marco Pamato
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Patent number: 9781788Abstract: In one example, a method includes generating, by a current source of a device, a first portion of a power signal that drives one or more load elements. In this example, a second portion of the power signal is generated by one or more components that are external to the device and are in parallel to the current source such that the second portion of the power signal does not flow through the current source.Type: GrantFiled: March 31, 2016Date of Patent: October 3, 2017Assignee: Infineon Technologies AGInventors: Fabrizio Cortigiani, Andrea Logiudice, Maurizio Galvano, Marco Pamato
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Patent number: 9763305Abstract: Techniques are disclosed for regulating the temperature of a plurality of light-emitting diodes (LEDs) by monitoring the voltage drop across the LEDs. In one example, a driver circuit supplies a constant driver current to the LEDs. A temperature regulation circuit monitors the voltage drop across the LEDs to determine whether the junction temperature of the LEDs exceeds a maximum operating temperature. If the junction temperature of the LEDs exceeds the maximum operating temperature, the temperature regulation circuit uses digital pulse-width modulation (DPWM) to decrease a digital duty cycle of the driver current supplied to the LEDs.Type: GrantFiled: April 15, 2016Date of Patent: September 12, 2017Assignee: Infineon Technologies Austria AGInventors: Marco Pamato, Maurizio Galvano
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Patent number: 9544971Abstract: A method and circuit are described in which a maximum voltage is determined from among a plurality of series load voltages, where each series load voltage of the plurality of series load voltages is a voltage defined by a corresponding series of N loads of a plurality of series of N loads, where N is an integer greater than one. Also, a minimum voltage may be determined from among the plurality of series load voltages. Next, the maximum voltage from among the plurality of series load voltages may be compared with the minimum voltage from among the plurality of series load voltages to make a determination as to whether the maximum voltage from among the plurality of series load voltages exceeds the minimum from among the plurality of series load voltages by a threshold voltage. Then, an indication can be output based on the results of the determination.Type: GrantFiled: October 31, 2014Date of Patent: January 10, 2017Assignee: Infineon Technologies AGInventors: Marco Pamato, Damiano Sartori, Maurizio Galvano
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Publication number: 20160349304Abstract: An embodiment method for short-circuit detection includes determining a set of local reference voltages each associated with a respective load chain in a plurality of load chains, and determining a global reference voltage in accordance with the set of local reference voltages. The method also includes determining, for each load chain in the plurality of load chains, a respective per-chain reference voltage in accordance with the global reference voltage, and comparing, for each load chain in the plurality of load chains, the respective per-chain reference voltage relative to a respective measured voltage across each load chain to determine a respective short-circuit condition.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 27, 2015Publication date: December 1, 2016Inventors: Damiano Sartori, Marco Pamato, Maurizio Galvano
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Patent number: 9502958Abstract: During a start-up phase, each corresponding test current is delivered to a corresponding chain of loads of a plurality of chain of loads. Each chain of loads is coupled between a common node and a corresponding output node. Each chain of loads includes N series-coupled loads, where N is an integer greater than one. A maximum voltage is determined from among the output voltages, where the output voltages are the voltages at the output nodes. Also, a minimum voltage is determined from among the output voltages. The maximum voltage from among the output voltages is compared with the minimum voltage from among the output voltages to make a determination as to whether the maximum voltage exceeds the minimum voltage by a threshold. An indication is output based on a result of the determination.Type: GrantFiled: January 30, 2015Date of Patent: November 22, 2016Assignee: Infineon Technologies AGInventors: Marco Pamato, Damiano Sartori, Maurizio Galvano
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Publication number: 20160226373Abstract: During a start-up phase, each corresponding test current is delivered to a corresponding chain of loads of a plurality of chain of loads. Each chain of loads is coupled between a common node and a corresponding output node. Each chain of loads includes N series-coupled loads, where N is an integer greater than one. A maximum voltage is determined from among the output voltages, where the output voltages are the voltages at the output nodes. Also, a minimum voltage is determined from among the output voltages. The maximum voltage from among the output voltages is compared with the minimum voltage from among the output voltages to make a determination as to whether the maximum voltage exceeds the minimum voltage by a threshold. An indication is output based on a result of the determination.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 30, 2015Publication date: August 4, 2016Inventors: Marco Pamato, Damiano Sartori, Maurizio Galvano