Patents by Inventor Maurizio Galvano

Maurizio Galvano 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: 7199589
    Abstract: A method and a device is provided for controlling a switching converter comprising a high side switch and a low side switch. The method comprises testing the high side switch for a short circuit, and upon detection of a short circuit in the high side switch, leaving the switching converter in an operationally reliable state or shifting the converter to an operationally reliable state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 4, 2005
    Date of Patent: April 3, 2007
    Assignee: Infineon Technologies AG
    Inventors: Maurizio Galvano, Giovanni Capodivacca, Nicola Florio
  • Publication number: 20070069236
    Abstract: A method is disclosed for controlling a first transistor in a half-bridge circuit which also includes a second transistor. The transistors can be controlled by applying drive voltages to their gates. During a switch-off operation of the second transistor, the amplitude of the drive voltage of the second transistor is compared with a first threshold value and a second threshold value. A switch-on operation for the first transistor is started following a specified first period which begins at a first time when the drive voltage of the second transistor undershoots the first threshold value. The first threshold value is set in accordance with a second period which begins at a second time when the amplitude of the drive voltage of the second transistor undershoots the second threshold value. The second period ends at another time when the first transistor adopts a specified initial operating state during the switch-on operation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 25, 2006
    Publication date: March 29, 2007
    Applicant: Infineon Technologies AG
    Inventors: Giovanni Capodivacca, Nicola Florio, Maurizio Galvano
  • Publication number: 20060197569
    Abstract: A drive circuit is disclosed including a first feedback circuit designed to generate a first feedback signal from a first voltage to be controlled and a first reference voltage. The drive circuit further includes a signal converter designed to generate a second feedback signal from the first feedback signal such that the difference between the first feedback signal and a first amplitude value of a periodic signal approximately matches the difference between the second feedback signal and a second amplitude value of the periodic signal. The drive circuit also includes a first pulse width modulator which receives the first feedback signal and the periodic signal and generates the first pulse width-modulated signal. In addition the drive circuit includes a second pulse width modulator which receives the second feedback signal and the periodic signal and generates the second pulse width-modulated signal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 19, 2006
    Publication date: September 7, 2006
    Applicant: Infineon Technologies AG
    Inventors: Giovanni Capodivacca, Maurizio Galvano
  • Patent number: 7023191
    Abstract: The invention relates to a voltage regulator having an output terminal (AK) for the provision of an output voltage and connection of a load, an output capacitor (20) connected to the output terminal and having an equivalent series resistance (ESR), a converter unit (10) having supply voltage terminals for the application of a supply voltage (Vcc), an output coupled to the output terminal (AK), a feedback signal input for feeding in a feedback signal (Vfb) dependent on the output voltage, a reference signal input for feeding in a reference signal (Vref), and a comparator unit (TA3), which provides a differential signal (Iea) from the reference signal (Vref) and the feedback signal (Vfb), in which case the converter unit (10) provides an output current (Iout), the mean value of which is proportional to the differential signal (Iea), the proportionality factor between this difference and the output current (Iout) being set by means of a control signal at a control input of the converter unit (10) in such a way t
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 19, 2004
    Date of Patent: April 4, 2006
    Assignee: Infineon Technologies AG
    Inventors: Giuseppe Bernacchia, Giorgio Chiozzi, Maurizio Galvano
  • Publication number: 20060055380
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method and a device for controlling a switching converter comprising a high side switch and a low side switch. According to the invention, means are provided which test the high side switch for a short circuit, and means are provided which, upon detection of a short circuit in the high side switch, leave the switching converter in an operationally reliable state or shift the converter to an operationally reliable state.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 4, 2005
    Publication date: March 16, 2006
    Applicant: Infineon Technologies AG
    Inventors: Maurizio Galvano, Giovanni Capodivacca, Nicola Florio
  • Publication number: 20050035746
    Abstract: The invention relates to a voltage regulator having an output terminal (AK) for the provision of an output voltage and connection of a load, an output capacitor (20) connected to the output terminal and having an equivalent series resistance (ESR), a converter unit (10) having supply voltage terminals for the application of a supply voltage (Vcc), an output coupled to the output terminal (AK), a feedback signal input for feeding in a feedback signal (Vfb) dependent on the output voltage, a reference signal input for feeding in a reference signal (Vref), and a comparator unit (TA3), which provides a differential signal (Iea) from the reference signal (Vref) and the feedback signal (Vfb), in which case the converter unit (10) provides an output current (Iout), the mean value of which is proportional to the differential signal (Iea), the proportionality factor between this difference and the output current (Iout) being set by means of a control signal at a control input of the converter unit (10) in such a way t
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 19, 2004
    Publication date: February 17, 2005
    Applicant: Infineon Technologies AG
    Inventors: Giuseppe Bernacchia, Giorgio Chiozzi, Maurizio Galvano