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: 9354112
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: November 22, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 31, 2016
    Assignee: SOCIETE FRANCAISE DE DETECTEURS INFRAROUGES—SOFRADIR
    Inventors: Laurent Rubaldo, Nicolas Ricard
  • Patent number: 9291498
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: November 22, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2016
    Assignee: SOCIETE FRANCAISE DE DETECTEURS INFRAROUGES—SOFRADIR
    Inventor: Nicolas Ricard
  • Publication number: 20150233759
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: November 22, 2011
    Publication date: August 20, 2015
    Applicant: SOCIÉTÉ FRANÇAISE DE DÉTECTEURS INFRAROUGES - SOFRADIR
    Inventors: Laurent Rubaldo, Nicolas Ricard
  • Patent number: 8921755
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: November 28, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 30, 2014
    Assignee: Societe Francaise de Detecteurs Infrarouges—Sofradir
    Inventors: Nicolas Ricard, Frederic Salvetti
  • Publication number: 20120132789
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: November 28, 2011
    Publication date: May 31, 2012
    Applicant: SOCIETE FRANCAISE DE DETECTEURS INFRAROUGES - SOFRADIR
    Inventors: Nicolas RICARD, Frédéric SALVETTI
  • Publication number: 20120126101
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: November 22, 2011
    Publication date: May 24, 2012
    Applicant: SOCIETE FRANCAISE DE DETECTEURS INFRAROUGES - SOFRADIR
    Inventor: Nicolas RICARD
  • Patent number: 7902859
    Abstract: 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 wher
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 15, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 8, 2011
    Assignee: STMicroelectronics S.A.
    Inventors: Nicolas Ricard, Laurent Jean Garcia
  • Publication number: 20100097093
    Abstract: 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 wher
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 15, 2009
    Publication date: April 22, 2010
    Applicant: STMicroelectronics S.A.
    Inventors: Nicolas Ricard, Laurent Jean Garcia
  • Patent number: 7466184
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: May 30, 2007
    Date of Patent: December 16, 2008
    Assignee: STMicroelectronics S.A.
    Inventors: Nicolas Ricard, Jean-Luc Moro
  • Publication number: 20080007314
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: May 30, 2007
    Publication date: January 10, 2008
    Applicant: STMicroelectronics SA
    Inventors: Nicolas Ricard, Jean-Luc Moro