Patents by Inventor Marco Passerini

Marco Passerini 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: 11936295
    Abstract: A charge pump circuit is provided, comprising: a first charge pump having an input terminal for receiving a supply voltage and configured to boost the received supply voltage to provide at an output terminal of the first charge pump a first charge pump voltage; a second charge pump having an input terminal coupled to the output terminal of the first charge pump for receiving the first charge pump voltage and configured to boost the received first charge pump voltage to provide at an output terminal of the second charge pump a second charge pump voltage, and a voltage drop sensing device configured to detect drops in the first charge pump voltage and to deactivate second transistors of bypass units associated to the disabled charge pump stages when a drop in the first charge pump voltage is detected.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 17, 2023
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2024
    Assignee: SK hynix Inc.
    Inventors: Giovanni Bellotti, Miriam Sangalli, Lorenzo Bonuccelli, Marco Passerini
  • Publication number: 20230402916
    Abstract: A charge pump circuit is provided, comprising: a first charge pump having an input terminal for receiving a supply voltage and configured to boost the received supply voltage to provide at an output terminal of the first charge pump a first charge pump voltage; a second charge pump having an input terminal coupled to the output terminal of the first charge pump for receiving the first charge pump voltage and configured to boost the received first charge pump voltage to provide at an output terminal of the second charge pump a second charge pump voltage, and a voltage drop sensing device configured to detect drops in the first charge pump voltage and to deactivate second transistors of bypass units associated to the disabled charge pump stages when a drop in the first charge pump voltage is detected.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 17, 2023
    Publication date: December 14, 2023
    Applicant: SK hynix Inc.
    Inventors: Giovanni BELLOTTI, Miriam SANGALLI, Lorenzo BONUCCELLI, Marco PASSERINI
  • Patent number: 11829174
    Abstract: Disclosed herein is a regulator for a non-volatile memory. The regulator comprises a high voltage supply terminal, a low voltage supply terminal, an output terminal, a ground terminal and an internal node. The regulator further comprises an input amplifier inserted between the low voltage supply terminal and the ground terminal and outputting a first output voltage at a first intermediate output node according to a reference voltage and a feedback voltage provided at its negative and positive input terminals, respectively; a mirror circuit forming two current paths between the internal node and the ground terminal and between the internal node and a second intermediate output node respectively; and a cascode block coupled between the high voltage supply terminal and the internal node and operating in response to a voltage at the second intermediate output node of the regulator where the two current path is formed by the mirror circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 5, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 28, 2023
    Assignee: SK hynix Inc.
    Inventors: Andrea Grande, Marco Passerini, Stefano Malacrida
  • Patent number: 11797039
    Abstract: A non-volatile memory device comprises memory cells, a first regulator, a second regulator, a first switch, a second switch and capacitor coupling switches. The first regulator comprises a first capacitor, and generates a first voltage at a first node connected to a first subset of the memory cells, to provide the first voltage to the first subset. The second regulator comprises a second capacitor, and generates a second voltage at a second node. The first switch selectively couples the second node to a second subset of the memory cells, to provide the second voltage to the second subset. The second switch selectively couples the first node to the second subset to also provide the first voltage to the second subset. The capacitor coupling switches selectively couple the second capacitor in parallel to the first capacitor when the first switch is deactivated, and the second switch is activated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 29, 2022
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2023
    Assignee: SK hynix Inc.
    Inventors: Giovanni Bellotti, Marco Passerini
  • Publication number: 20230176601
    Abstract: A memory device comprises memory cells, a first regulator, a second regulator, a first switch, a second switch and capacitor coupling switches. The first regulator comprises a first capacitor, and generates a first voltage at a first node connected to a first subset of the memory cells, to provide the first voltage to the first subset. The second regulator comprises a second capacitor, and generates a second voltage at a second node. The first switch selectively couples the second node to a second subset of the memory cells, to provide the second voltage to the second subset. The second switch selectively couples the first node to the second subset to also provide the first voltage to the second subset. The capacitor coupling switches selectively couple the second capacitor in parallel to the first capacitor when the first switch is deactivated, and the second switch is activated.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 29, 2022
    Publication date: June 8, 2023
    Inventors: Giovanni BELLOTTI, Marco PASSERINI
  • Patent number: 11437907
    Abstract: Disclosed herein is a charge pump architecture in which boosting capacitors of adjacent stages are connected only by NMOS type transistors and comprising a first stage receiving a first voltage and outputting an internal voltage; a second stage receiving the internal voltage and outputting a second voltage at an output terminal, and an auxiliary stage connected to the output terminal, the first stage and second stage including a first type of MOS transistors transferring the voltage from input node internal boosting nodes and being cross-coupled; a second type of MOS transistors with their gate biased by a third type of MOS transistors and fourth type of MOS transistors; the third type of MOS transistors connecting the gate of the second type of MOS transistors; and the fourth type of MOS transistors connecting the gate of the second type of MOS transistors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2021
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2022
    Assignee: SK hynix Inc.
    Inventors: Onur Aker, Marco Passerini
  • Patent number: 11430519
    Abstract: A switching architecture provides input voltage signals from input voltage lines to a plurality of global word lines connected to word lines of a memory array in a memory device. The switching architecture includes a first switching block receiving a first set of positive voltages used to bias unselected word lines and being connected to a first output line providing a first output bias voltage, and a second switching block receiving a second set of positive voltages and a third set of negative voltages used to bias selected word lines and being connected to a second output line providing a second output bias voltage. A plurality of final switches are input connected to the first and second output lines and are output connected to a respective global word line.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 9, 2021
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2022
    Assignee: SK hynix Inc.
    Inventors: Marco Passerini, Giulio Maria Iadicicco, Yong Tae Kim, Moon Soo Sung, Dario Melchionni, Miriam Sangalli
  • Publication number: 20220253083
    Abstract: Disclosed herein is a regulator for a non-volatile memory. The regulator comprises a high voltage supply terminal, a low voltage supply terminal, an output terminal, a ground terminal and an internal node. The regulator further comprises an input amplifier inserted between the low voltage supply terminal and the ground terminal and outputting a first output voltage at a first intermediate output node according to a reference voltage and a feedback voltage provided at its negative and positive input terminals, respectively; a mirror circuit forming two current paths between the internal node and the ground terminal and between the internal node and a second intermediate output node respectively; and a cascode block coupled between the high voltage supply terminal and the internal node and operating in response to a voltage at the second intermediate output node of the regulator where the two current path is formed by the mirror circuit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 5, 2021
    Publication date: August 11, 2022
    Inventors: Andrea GRANDE, Marco PASSERINI, Stefano MALACRIDA
  • Publication number: 20220255423
    Abstract: Disclosed herein is a charge pump architecture in which boosting capacitors of adjacent stages are connected only by NMOS type transistors and comprising a first stage receiving a first voltage and outputting an internal voltage; a second stage receiving the internal voltage and outputting a second voltage at an output terminal, and an auxiliary stage connected to the output terminal, the first stage and second stage including a first type of MOS transistors transferring the voltage from input node internal boosting nodes and being cross-coupled; a second type of MOS transistors with their gate biased by a third type of MOS transistors and fourth type of MOS transistors; the third type of MOS transistors connecting the gate of the second type of MOS transistors; and the fourth type of MOS transistors connecting the gate of the second type of MOS transistors
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 30, 2021
    Publication date: August 11, 2022
    Inventors: Onur AKER, Marco PASSERINI
  • Publication number: 20210287747
    Abstract: A switching architecture provides input voltage signals from input voltage lines to a plurality of global word lines connected to word lines of a memory array in a memory device. The switching architecture includes a first switching block receiving a first set of positive voltages used to bias unselected word lines and being connected to a first output line providing a first output bias voltage, and a second switching block receiving a second set of positive voltages and a third set of negative voltages used to bias selected word lines and being connected to a second output line providing a second output bias voltage. A plurality of final switches are input connected to the first and second output lines and are output connected to a respective global word line.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 9, 2021
    Publication date: September 16, 2021
    Applicant: SK hynix Inc.
    Inventors: Marco Passerini, Giulio Maria Iadicicco, Yong Tae KIM, Moon Soo SUNG, Dario Melchionni, Miriam Sangalli
  • Patent number: 10171098
    Abstract: Disclosed herein is an analog-to-digital converter (ADC) for converting an input analog voltage to an output digital code, the ADC comprising a first node of the input analog voltage; nodes of a plurality of reference voltages; a plurality of comparators, inputs of each comparator being coupled to the first node and a node of a corresponding reference voltage of the plurality of reference voltages; a logic circuit block for receiving outputs of the plurality of comparators and generating the output digital code; and a voltage stabilizer, terminals of the voltage stabilizer being coupled with the first node and a node of a first reference voltage among the plurality of reference voltages.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 20, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 1, 2019
    Assignee: SK Hynix Inc.
    Inventors: Luigi Paone, Marco Passerini
  • Publication number: 20180145698
    Abstract: Disclosed herein is an analog-to-digital converter (ADC) for converting an input analog voltage to an output digital code, the ADC comprising a first node of the input analog voltage: nodes of a plurality of reference voltages; a plurality of comparators, inputs of each comparator being coupled to the first node and a node of a corresponding reference voltage of the plurality of reference voltages; a logic circuit block for receiving outputs of the plurality of comparators and generating the output digital code; and a voltage stabilizer, terminals of the voltage stabilizer being coupled with the first node and a node of a first reference voltage among the plurality of reference voltages.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 20, 2017
    Publication date: May 24, 2018
    Inventors: Luigi PAONE, Marco PASSERINI
  • Patent number: 9909931
    Abstract: A temperature sensor includes a first current generating circuit configured to generate a first current being constant regardless of temperature changes, a cascode circuit configured to generate a cascode voltage, a second current generating circuit configured to generate a second current being in inverse proportion to temperature, and a compensated voltage output circuit configured to output a compensated voltage having various temperature coefficients in response to the first current and the second current.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 6, 2018
    Assignee: SK HYNIX INC.
    Inventors: Kyu Tae Park, Marco Passerini
  • Patent number: 9571092
    Abstract: Devices and circuits for high voltage switch (HVS) configurations. HVS may pass high voltage without suffering voltage drops. HVS may also guarantee safe operations for p-mos transistors. HVS may not sink current in its steady state. Further, HVS may select between two or more different voltage values to be passed onto the output node even after the high voltage has already been fully developed on the high voltage supply line.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 3, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2017
    Assignee: Longitude Semiconductor S.a.r.l.
    Inventors: Marco Passerini, Nicola Maglione
  • Publication number: 20160146677
    Abstract: A temperature sensor includes a first current generating circuit configured to generate a first current being constant regardless of temperature changes, a cascode circuit configured to generate a cascode voltage, a second current generating circuit configured to generate a second current being in inverse proportion to temperature, and a compensated voltage output circuit configured to output a compensated voltage having various temperature coefficients in response to the first current and the second current.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 24, 2015
    Publication date: May 26, 2016
    Inventors: Kyu Tae PARK, Marco PASSERINI
  • Patent number: 8884666
    Abstract: Disclosed herein is a device comprising a first terminal for a first clock signal, a second terminal for a second clock signal substantially complementary to the first clock signal, a third terminal for a third clock signal, a fourth terminal for a fourth clock signal substantially complementary to the third clock signal, a first logic gate to produce a first intermediate signal, a second logic gate to produce a second intermediate signal, a first delay circuit to produce a third intermediate signal, and a second delay circuit to produce a fourth intermediate signal, and a first output circuit coupled to the first and second delay circuits to produce the third and fourth clock signals respectively at the third and fourth terminals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 2, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 11, 2014
    Assignee: PS4 Luxco S.a.r.l.
    Inventors: Marco Passerini, Stefano Surico
  • Patent number: 8779811
    Abstract: Disclosed herein is a device comprising a first terminal for a first clock signal, a second terminal for a second clock signal substantially complementary to the first clock signal, a third terminal for a third clock signal, a fourth terminal for a fourth clock signal substantially complementary to the third clock signal, a first logic gate to produce a first intermediate signal, a second logic gate to produce a second intermediate signal, a first delay circuit to produce a third intermediate signal, and a second delay circuit to produce a fourth intermediate signal, and a first output circuit coupled to the first and second delay circuits to produce the third and fourth clock signals respectively at the third and fourth terminals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 2, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 15, 2014
    Inventors: Marco Passerini, Stefano Surico
  • Patent number: 8644079
    Abstract: Disclosed here in a method that comprises performing an erase operation on multiple cells in a memory device, the performing comprising applying an erase voltage to the multiple cells, bit lines coupled to the multiple cells being thereby charged up; and discharging the bit lines by coupling the bit lines to a discharging line through a DC path.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 10, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 4, 2014
    Inventors: Marco Passerini, Simone Bartoli, Osama Khouri
  • Publication number: 20130200941
    Abstract: Devices and circuits for high voltage switch (HVS) configurations. HVS may pass high voltage without suffering voltage drops. HVS may also guarantee safe operations for p-mos transistors. HVS may not sink current in its steady state. Further, HVS may select between two or more different voltage values to be passed onto the output node even after the high voltage has already been fully developed on the high voltage supply line.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 3, 2012
    Publication date: August 8, 2013
    Applicant: Elpida Memory, Inc.
    Inventors: Marco Passerini, Nicola Maglione
  • Publication number: 20130193590
    Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a first bonding pad, a second bonding pad, a wire bonded to a selected one of the first and second bonding pads, a power supply line electrically connected to the first bonding pad, and a voltage converter circuit coupled to the second bonding pad, the voltage converter circuit being activated when the wire is bonded to the second pad to produce an internal power voltage, which is different from a voltage received by the voltage converter circuit through the wire and the second bonding pad, and supply the internal power voltage to the power supply line, and the voltage converter circuit being deactivated when the wire is connected to the first bonding pad to allow the power supply line to receive a power voltage through the wire and the first bonding pad.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 31, 2012
    Publication date: August 1, 2013
    Applicant: Elpida Memory, Inc.
    Inventors: Simone Bartoli, Antonino Geraci, Stefano Sivero, Marco Passerini