Patents by Inventor Maurizio Foresta
Maurizio Foresta 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: 11817791Abstract: A synchronous rectifier driver circuit is configured to drive a synchronous rectifier FET and includes a first terminal configured to be connected to a source terminal of the synchronous rectifier FET. A second terminal is configured to be connected to a drain terminal of the synchronous rectifier FET, and a third terminal is configured to be connected to a gate terminal of the synchronous rectifier FET. The synchronous rectifier driver circuit is configured to measure the voltage between the second terminal and the first terminal, and detect a switch-on instant in which the measured voltage reaches a first threshold value and a switch-off instant in which the measured voltage reaches a second threshold value. The synchronous rectifier driver circuit generates a drive signal between the third terminal and the first terminal as a function of the measured voltage.Type: GrantFiled: September 30, 2021Date of Patent: November 14, 2023Assignees: STMicroelectronics S.r.l., STMicroelectronics Design and Application S.R.O.Inventors: Alberto Iorio, Maurizio Foresta, Emilio Volpi, Jan Novotny
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Publication number: 20220109375Abstract: A synchronous rectifier driver circuit is configured to drive a synchronous rectifier FET and includes a first terminal configured to be connected to a source terminal of the synchronous rectifier FET. A second terminal is configured to be connected to a drain terminal of the synchronous rectifier FET, and a third terminal is configured to be connected to a gate terminal of the synchronous rectifier FET. The synchronous rectifier driver circuit is configured to measure the voltage between the second terminal and the first terminal, and detect a switch-on instant in which the measured voltage reaches a first threshold value and a switch-off instant in which the measured voltage reaches a second threshold value. The synchronous rectifier driver circuit generates a drive signal between the third terminal and the first terminal as a function of the measured voltage.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 30, 2021Publication date: April 7, 2022Applicants: STMicroelectronics S.r.l., STMicroelectronics Design and Application S.R.O.Inventors: Alberto IORIO, Maurizio FORESTA, Emilio VOLPI, Jan NOVOTNY
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Patent number: 10686361Abstract: Various embodiments provide a resonant converter that includes a synchronous rectifier driver. The synchronous rectifier driver reduces voltage spikes on drains of transistors within the resonant converter by placing an active clamp between the drains of the transistors and an output terminal of the resonant converter. The active clamp reduces the voltage spikes by sinking current at the drains of the transistors to an output capacitor. By sinking the current to the output terminal, power loss is minimized and efficiency of the resonant converter is improved.Type: GrantFiled: March 15, 2019Date of Patent: June 16, 2020Assignee: STMICROELECTRONICS S.R.L.Inventors: Alberto Iorio, Maurizio Foresta
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Publication number: 20190214898Abstract: Various embodiments provide a resonant converter that includes a synchronous rectifier driver. The synchronous rectifier driver reduces voltage spikes on drains of transistors within the resonant converter by placing an active clamp between the drains of the transistors and an output terminal of the resonant converter. The active clamp reduces the voltage spikes by sinking current at the drains of the transistors to an output capacitor. By sinking the current to the output terminal, power loss is minimized and efficiency of the resonant converter is improved.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 15, 2019Publication date: July 11, 2019Inventors: Alberto IORIO, Maurizio FORESTA
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Patent number: 10277107Abstract: Various embodiments provide a resonant converter that includes a synchronous rectifier driver. The synchronous rectifier driver reduces voltage spikes on drains of transistors within the resonant converter by placing an active clamp between the drains of the transistors and an output terminal of the resonant converter. The active clamp reduces the voltage spikes by sinking current at the drains of the transistors to an output capacitor. By sinking the current to the output terminal, power loss is minimized and efficiency of the resonant converter is improved.Type: GrantFiled: December 27, 2017Date of Patent: April 30, 2019Assignee: STMICROELECTRONICS S.R.L.Inventors: Alberto Iorio, Maurizio Foresta
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Patent number: 10224824Abstract: A driver includes a high-side driver transistor coupled between supply voltage and the gate drive nodes and provides a first charge current to a high side gate node of the high-side driver transistor until the gate drive node reaches a first gate drive threshold. Then a second charge current is provided to the high side gate node that is less than the first charge current. The gate drive node is limited to a first clamped threshold for a delay time. A gate drive current rise signal sets the value of the second charge current that charges the high side gate node and after the delay time the gate drive voltage is limited to a second clamped threshold greater than the first clamped threshold but less than the supply voltage. A gate drive programmable control signal sets the value of the second clamped threshold.Type: GrantFiled: March 19, 2018Date of Patent: March 5, 2019Assignee: STMicroelectronics S.R.L.Inventors: Alberto Iorio, Maurizio Foresta
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Publication number: 20180212524Abstract: A driver includes a high-side driver transistor coupled between supply voltage and the gate drive nodes and provides a first charge current to a high side gate node of the high-side driver transistor until the gate drive node reaches a first gate drive threshold. Then a second charge current is provided to the high side gate node that is less than the first charge current. The gate drive node is limited to a first clamped threshold for a delay time. A gate drive current rise signal sets the value of the second charge current that charges the high side gate node and after the delay time the gate drive voltage is limited to a second clamped threshold greater than the first clamped threshold but less than the supply voltage. A gate drive programmable control signal sets the value of the second clamped threshold.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 19, 2018Publication date: July 26, 2018Inventors: Alberto Iorio, Maurizio Foresta
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Patent number: 9960692Abstract: A driver includes a high-side driver transistor coupled between supply voltage and the gate drive nodes and provides a first charge current to a high side gate node of the high-side driver transistor until the gate drive node reaches a first gate drive threshold. Then a second charge current is provided to the high side gate node that is less than the first charge current. The gate drive node is limited to a first clamped threshold for a delay time. A gate drive current rise signal sets the value of the second charge current that charges the high side gate node and after the delay time the gate drive voltage is limited to a second clamped threshold greater than the first clamped threshold but less than the supply voltage. A gate drive programmable control signal sets the value of the second clamped threshold.Type: GrantFiled: September 30, 2016Date of Patent: May 1, 2018Assignee: STMicroelectronics S.r.l.Inventors: Alberto Iorio, Maurizio Foresta
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Publication number: 20180097447Abstract: A driver includes a high-side driver transistor coupled between supply voltage and the gate drive nodes and provides a first charge current to a high side gate node of the high-side driver transistor until the gate drive node reaches a first gate drive threshold. Then a second charge current is provided to the high side gate node that is less than the first charge current. The gate drive node is limited to a first clamped threshold for a delay time. A gate drive current rise signal sets the value of the second charge current that charges the high side gate node and after the delay time the gate drive voltage is limited to a second clamped threshold greater than the first clamped threshold but less than the supply voltage. A gate drive programmable control signal sets the value of the second clamped threshold.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 30, 2016Publication date: April 5, 2018Inventors: Alberto Iorio, Maurizio Foresta
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Patent number: 9929659Abstract: A driver circuit for synchronous rectifier electronic switches, such as SR MOSFETs in resonant converters controls a pair of synchronous rectifier electronic switches to apply thereto a drive voltage to switch the synchronous rectifier electronic switches on and off synchronously with a converter current. The driver circuit includes a programming module to produce a first signal indicative of the figure of merit of the synchronous rectifier electronic switches, and, optionally, a current sensing module to produce a second signal indicative of the output current of the synchronous rectifier electronic switches. An output module is included to generate a value for the drive voltage which is a function of the first signal indicative of the figure of merit and, optionally, of the second signal indicative of the output current of the synchronous rectifier electronic switches.Type: GrantFiled: March 10, 2016Date of Patent: March 27, 2018Assignee: STMicroelectronics S.r.l.Inventors: Maurizio Foresta, Alberto Iorio
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Publication number: 20170085188Abstract: A driver circuit for synchronous rectifier electronic switches, such as SR MOSFETs in resonant converters controls a pair of synchronous rectifier electronic switches to apply thereto a drive voltage to switch the synchronous rectifier electronic switches on and off synchronously with a converter current. The driver circuit includes a programming module to produce a first signal indicative of the figure of merit of the synchronous rectifier electronic switches, and, optionally, a current sensing module to produce a second signal indicative of the output current of the synchronous rectifier electronic switches. An output module is included to generate a value for the drive voltage which is a function of the first signal indicative of the figure of merit and, optionally, of the second signal indicative of the output current of the synchronous rectifier electronic switches.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 10, 2016Publication date: March 23, 2017Inventors: Maurizio Foresta, Alberto Iorio
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Patent number: 9356535Abstract: A control device for a transistor of a switching converter rectifier generates a control signal of the transistor and includes a circuit to measure the conduction time of the body diode of the transistor cycle by cycle. When the conduction time is greater than a first threshold, the off time instant of the transistor is delayed by a first quantity in the next cycles, until the conduction time is less than the first threshold and greater than a second threshold. When the conduction time is between the first and second thresholds, the off time instant is delayed by a fixed second quantity in the next cycles until the conduction time is lower than the second threshold, with the second quantity less than the first quantity. When the conduction time is lower than the second threshold, the off time instant is advanced by the second quantity in the next cycle.Type: GrantFiled: August 12, 2014Date of Patent: May 31, 2016Assignee: STMicroelectronics S.r.l.Inventors: Alberto Iorio, Giuseppe Scappatura, Alberto Bianco, Claudio Adragna, Silvio De Simone, Maurizio Foresta
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Patent number: 9240728Abstract: A control device detects zero crossings of a current through a rectifier transistor during plural cycles; generates a turn-on signal of the transistor and inserts a turn-on delay equal to a fixed first quantity from the start time of for each cycle. The control device starts counting consecutive cycles after inserting the turn-on delay; detects whether a zero crossing of the current through the transistor after turning on said transistor has occurred; if no zero crossing is detected before counting a number N of consecutive cycles, decreases the turn-on delay by a fixed second quantity for the next cycle; if a zero crossing is detected, maintains turned on the transistor; if the turn-on delay is smaller than first quantity, increases the turn-on delay o for the next switching cycle; and if the turn-on delay is equal to the first quantity, maintains the turn-on delay for the next switching cycle.Type: GrantFiled: August 13, 2014Date of Patent: January 19, 2016Assignee: STMicroelectronics S.r.l.Inventors: Alberto Iorio, Maurizio Foresta, Alberto Bianco
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Patent number: 9209703Abstract: A control device for a rectifier of a switching converter that includes a rectifier with at least one MOS transistor and a control device that is configured to generate a turn on and off signal for the at least one transistor. The control device also includes a measuring circuit to measure the conduction time of the body diode of the at least one transistor during each converter switching half-cycle. The control device is configured to, cycle by cycle: verify if the drain-source voltage of the at least one transistor is greater or less than a voltage threshold, and if the drain-source voltage is greater than the voltage threshold to turn off the at least one transistor, measure the conduction time of the body diode and increase the voltage threshold by a quantity in the next switching cycle.Type: GrantFiled: August 13, 2014Date of Patent: December 8, 2015Assignee: STMicroelectronics S.r.l.Inventors: Alberto Iorio, Maurizio Foresta
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Publication number: 20150049521Abstract: A control device for a rectifier of a switching converter that includes a rectifier with at least one MOS transistor and a control device that is configured to generate a turn on and off signal for the at least one transistor. The control device also includes a measuring circuit to measure the conduction time of the body diode of the at least one transistor during each converter switching half-cycle. The control device is configured to, cycle by cycle: verify if the drain-source voltage of the at least one transistor is greater or less than a voltage threshold, and if the drain-source voltage is greater than the voltage threshold to turn off the at least one transistor, measure the conduction time of the body diode and increase the voltage threshold by a quantity in the next switching cycle.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 13, 2014Publication date: February 19, 2015Inventors: Alberto Iorio, Maurizio Foresta
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Publication number: 20150049529Abstract: A control device for a transistor of a switching converter rectifier generates a control signal of the transistor and comprises a circuit to measure the conduction time of the body diode of the transistor cycle by cycle. When the conduction time is greater than a first threshold, the off time instant of the transistor is delayed by a first quantity in the next cycles, until the conduction time is less than the first threshold and greater than a second threshold. When the conduction time is between the first and second thresholds, the off time instant is delayed by a fixed second quantity in the next cycles until the conduction time is lower than the second threshold, with the second quantity less than the first quantity. When the conduction time is lower than the second threshold, the off time instant is advanced by the second quantity in the next cycle.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 12, 2014Publication date: February 19, 2015Inventors: Alberto Iorio, Giuseppe Scappatura, Alberto Bianco, Claudio Adragna, Silvio De Simone, Maurizio Foresta
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Publication number: 20150049522Abstract: A control device detects zero crossings of a current through a rectifier transistor during plural cycles; generates a turn-on signal of the transistor and inserts a turn-on delay equal to a fixed first quantity from the start time of for each cycle. The control device starts counting consecutive cycles after inserting the turn-on delay; detects whether a zero crossing of the current through the transistor after turning on said transistor has occurred; if no zero crossing is detected before counting a number N of consecutive cycles, decreases the turn-on delay by a fixed second quantity for the next cycle; if a zero crossing is detected, maintains turned on the transistor; if the turn-on delay is smaller than first quantity, increases the turn-on delay o for the next switching cycle; and if the turn-on delay is equal to the first quantity, maintains the turn-on delay for the next switching cycle.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 13, 2014Publication date: February 19, 2015Inventors: Alberto Iorio, Maurizio Foresta, Alberto Bianco