Patents by Inventor Matteo Maria VIGNETTI

Matteo Maria VIGNETTI 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: 11895417
    Abstract: The present description describes an image sensor including an array of pixels arranged inside and on top of a region of a semiconductor substrate electrically insulated from the rest of the substrate by insulating trenches crossing the substrate, each pixel including a photoconversion area and at least two assemblies, each including a memory area and a transfer gate coupling the memory area to the photoconversion area, and a circuit configured to apply, for each pixel and at least during each integration phase, a bias voltage different from ground to a portion of the substrate having the pixel arranged inside and on top of it.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 8, 2022
    Date of Patent: February 6, 2024
    Assignees: STMicroelectronics France, STMicroelectronics (Grenoble 2) SAS, STMicroelectronics (Crolles 2) SAS
    Inventors: Celine Mas, Matteo Maria Vignetti, Francois Agut
  • Publication number: 20220308190
    Abstract: An indirect time-of-flight (iTOF) includes a pixel with a photoconversion area, a readout circuit and at least two circuit sets. Each circuit set includes: a capacitive element connected to a first node of the circuit set; a controllable charge transfer device connected between a first electrode of the photoconversion area and the first node; and a first transistor having a gate connected to the first node, a source connected to the readout circuit and a drain configured to receive a bias potential. The capacitive element is configured to store a voltage in response to charges generated by the photoconversion area.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 25, 2022
    Publication date: September 29, 2022
    Applicant: STMicroelectronics (Crolles 2) SAS
    Inventors: Matteo Maria VIGNETTI, Pierre MALINGE
  • Publication number: 20220276356
    Abstract: The present description concerns a sensor and method. Each pixel of the sensor comprises assemblies each including a memory area and a transfer device coupling the memory area to a photoconversion area, and a device for resetting the memory areas. The sensor includes a first circuit controlling the transfer devices and a second circuit controlling the reset devices. During each integration phase, the second circuit orders the end of a phase of reset of the memory areas of first pixels at the beginning of the integration phase and the end of a phase of reset of the memory areas of second pixels at a time subsequent to the beginning of the integration phase.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 23, 2022
    Publication date: September 1, 2022
    Inventors: Cedric Tubert, Pierre Malinge, Matteo Maria Vignetti
  • Publication number: 20220272291
    Abstract: The present description describes an image sensor including an array of pixels arranged inside and on top of a region of a semiconductor substrate electrically insulated from the rest of the substrate by insulating trenches crossing the substrate, each pixel including a photoconversion area and at least two assemblies, each including a memory area and a transfer gate coupling the memory area to the photoconversion area, and a circuit configured to apply, for each pixel and at least during each integration phase, a bias voltage different from ground to a portion of the substrate having the pixel arranged inside and on top of it.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 8, 2022
    Publication date: August 25, 2022
    Inventors: Celine Mas, Matteo Maria Vignetti, Francois Agut
  • Patent number: 11336853
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a device that includes a photodiode having a first terminal that is coupled by a resistor to a first rail configured to receive a high supply potential and a second terminal that is coupled by a switch to a second rail configured to receive a reference potential. A read circuit is configured to provide a pulse when the photodiode enters into avalanche, and a control circuit is configured to control an opening of the switch in response to a beginning of the pulse and to control a closing of the switch in response to an end of the pulse.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 5, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 17, 2022
    Assignees: STMicroelectronics (Crolles 2) SAS, STMicroelectronics (Research & Development) Limited
    Inventors: Raul Andres Bianchi, Matteo Maria Vignetti, Bruce Rae
  • Publication number: 20210105427
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a device that includes a photodiode having a first terminal that is coupled by a resistor to a first rail configured to receive a high supply potential and a second terminal that is coupled by a switch to a second rail configured to receive a reference potential. A read circuit is configured to provide a pulse when the photodiode enters into avalanche, and a control circuit is configured to control an opening of the switch in response to a beginning of the pulse and to control a closing of the switch in response to an end of the pulse.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 5, 2020
    Publication date: April 8, 2021
    Applicants: STMicroelectronics (Crolles 2) SAS, STMicroelectronics (Research & Development) Limited
    Inventors: Raul Andres BIANCHI, Matteo Maria VIGNETTI, Bruce RAE