Patents by Inventor Nicolas Ricard
Nicolas Ricard 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: 9354112Abstract: The detection circuit comprises a switch connected between a photodiode and an integrator. It further comprises means for alternately switching bias conditions of the photodiode between a reverse bias and another state. The electronic traps in the photodiode are regularly passivated during the other state.Type: GrantFiled: November 22, 2011Date of Patent: May 31, 2016Assignee: SOCIETE FRANCAISE DE DETECTEURS INFRAROUGES—SOFRADIRInventors: Laurent Rubaldo, Nicolas Ricard
-
Patent number: 9291498Abstract: The detection circuit comprises a photodiode connected to a readout circuitry. The photodiode and readout circuitry are connected by means of a transistor arranged to operate as a closed switch when the readout circuitry biases the photodiode in a predefined range and to operate as an open switch in the other cases.Type: GrantFiled: November 22, 2011Date of Patent: March 22, 2016Assignee: SOCIETE FRANCAISE DE DETECTEURS INFRAROUGES—SOFRADIRInventor: Nicolas Ricard
-
Publication number: 20150233759Abstract: The detection circuit comprises a switch connected between a photodiode and an integrator. It further comprises means for alternately switching bias conditions of the photodiode between a reverse bias and another state. The electronic traps in the photodiode are regularly passivated during the other state.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 22, 2011Publication date: August 20, 2015Applicant: SOCIÉTÉ FRANÇAISE DE DÉTECTEURS INFRAROUGES - SOFRADIRInventors: Laurent Rubaldo, Nicolas Ricard
-
Patent number: 8921755Abstract: The detection circuit with correlated double sampling comprises two transimpedance amplifiers connected by means of a sampling capacitor. A photodiode is connected to the input of the first transimpedance amplifier. The circuit comprises an anti-blooming circuit connected between the input and output of the first transimpedance amplifier. The anti-blooming circuit comprises means for comparing the output voltage of the first transimpedance amplifier with a setpoint voltage defined by means of the output voltage of the second transimpedance amplifier. The means for comparing are connected to means for applying a feedback current to the input of the first transimpedance amplifier when the difference between the output voltage and the setpoint voltage reaches a limit value.Type: GrantFiled: November 28, 2011Date of Patent: December 30, 2014Assignee: Societe Francaise de Detecteurs Infrarouges—SofradirInventors: Nicolas Ricard, Frederic Salvetti
-
Publication number: 20120132789Abstract: The detection circuit with correlated double sampling comprises two transimpedance amplifiers connected by means of a sampling capacitor. A photodiode is connected to the input of the first transimpedance amplifier. The circuit comprises an anti-blooming circuit connected between the input and output of the first transimpedance amplifier. The anti-blooming circuit comprises means for comparing the output voltage of the first transimpedance amplifier with a setpoint voltage defined by means of the output voltage of the second transimpedance amplifier. The means for comparing are connected to means for applying a feedback current to the input of the first transimpedance amplifier when the difference between the output voltage and the setpoint voltage reaches a limit value.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 28, 2011Publication date: May 31, 2012Applicant: SOCIETE FRANCAISE DE DETECTEURS INFRAROUGES - SOFRADIRInventors: Nicolas RICARD, Frédéric SALVETTI
-
Publication number: 20120126101Abstract: The detection circuit comprises a photodiode connected to a readout circuitry. The photodiode and readout circuitry are connected by means of a transistor arranged to operate as a closed switch when the readout circuitry biases the photodiode in a predefined range and to operate as an open switch in the other cases.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 22, 2011Publication date: May 24, 2012Applicant: SOCIETE FRANCAISE DE DETECTEURS INFRAROUGES - SOFRADIRInventor: Nicolas RICARD
-
Patent number: 7902859Abstract: Circuitry including an output circuit having a first variable resistance block coupled between a first supply voltage and an output node, the first variable resistance block having a plurality of selectable resistive elements coupled in series with at least one resistor between the first supply voltage and the output node, the output circuit having an output impedance determined by the resistance of the first variable resistance block; and a compensation circuit for regulating the impedance of the first variable resistance block of the output circuit, the compensation circuit having a second variable resistance block coupled between the first supply voltage and the first node of an external resistor, the second node of the external resistor being coupled to a second supply voltage, wherein the second variable resistance block comprises a plurality of selectable resistive elements coupled in series with at least one resistor between the first supply voltage and the first node of the external resistor, and wherType: GrantFiled: October 15, 2009Date of Patent: March 8, 2011Assignee: STMicroelectronics S.A.Inventors: Nicolas Ricard, Laurent Jean Garcia
-
Publication number: 20100097093Abstract: Circuitry including an output circuit having a first variable resistance block coupled between a first supply voltage and an output node, the first variable resistance block having a plurality of selectable resistive elements coupled in series with at least one resistor between the first supply voltage and the output node, the output circuit having an output impedance determined by the resistance of the first variable resistance block; and a compensation circuit for regulating the impedance of the first variable resistance block of the output circuit, the compensation circuit having a second variable resistance block coupled between the first supply voltage and the first node of an external resistor, the second node of the external resistor being coupled to a second supply voltage, wherein the second variable resistance block comprises a plurality of selectable resistive elements coupled in series with at least one resistor between the first supply voltage and the first node of the external resistor, and wherType: ApplicationFiled: October 15, 2009Publication date: April 22, 2010Applicant: STMicroelectronics S.A.Inventors: Nicolas Ricard, Laurent Jean Garcia
-
Patent number: 7466184Abstract: A device for shifting the level of a first signal of relatively low amplitude which is a function of a first supply voltage to a second signal of relatively high amplitude which is a function of a second supply voltage, comprising, between a first terminal of application of the second supply voltage and a first input terminal, a branch of two transistors of opposite types in series, having their junction point defining an output terminal, the respective control terminals of the transistors being connected to terminals of application of relatively high and low bias voltages by first resistive elements, a second input terminal, receiving the inverse of the signal applied on the first terminal, being connected to each of the control terminals of the transistors by first capacitive elements and the first input terminal being connected to each of the terminals of application of the bias voltages by second capacitive elements in series with second resistive elements.Type: GrantFiled: May 30, 2007Date of Patent: December 16, 2008Assignee: STMicroelectronics S.A.Inventors: Nicolas Ricard, Jean-Luc Moro
-
Publication number: 20080007314Abstract: A device for shifting the level of a first signal of relatively low amplitude which is a function of a first supply voltage to a second signal of relatively high amplitude which is a function of a second supply voltage, comprising, between a first terminal of application of the second supply voltage and a first input terminal, a branch of two transistors of opposite types in series, having their junction point defining an output terminal, the respective control terminals of the transistors being connected to terminals of application of relatively high and low bias voltages by first resistive elements, a second input terminal, receiving the inverse of the signal applied on the first terminal, being connected to each of the control terminals of the transistors by first capacitive elements and the first input terminal being connected to each of the terminals of application of the bias voltages by second capacitive elements in series with second resistive elements.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 30, 2007Publication date: January 10, 2008Applicant: STMicroelectronics SAInventors: Nicolas Ricard, Jean-Luc Moro