Patents by Inventor Nunzio Spina
Nunzio Spina 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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Publication number: 20230361796Abstract: A method for calibrating the DC operating point of a PWM receiver circuit is disclosed. The PWM receiving circuit includes an envelope detector having a first resistor string, and includes a bias circuit having a second resistor string and a plurality of switches. The second resistor string is coupled between a supply voltage and a reference voltage and functions as a voltage divider. Each switch, when closed, accesses a second voltage at a node of the second resistor string connected to the closed switch. To perform the calibration process, the plurality of switches is closed one at a time, and the second voltage is compared with a first voltage at a first node of the first resistor string. The switch that, when closed, produces the smallest difference between the first voltage and the second voltage remains closed after the calibration process, and is used for demodulating the PWM signal.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 14, 2023Publication date: November 9, 2023Inventors: Nunzio Spina, Giuseppe Palmisano, Alessandro Castorina
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Patent number: 11750234Abstract: A method for calibrating the DC operating point of a PWM receiver circuit is disclosed. The PWM receiving circuit includes an envelop detector having a first resistor string, and includes a bias circuit having a second resistor string and a plurality of switches. The second resistor string is coupled between a supply voltage and a reference voltage and functions as a voltage divider. Each switch, when closed, accesses a second voltage at a node of the second resistor string connected to the closed switch. To perform the calibration process, the plurality of switches is closed one at a time, and the second voltage is compared with a first voltage at a first node of the first resistor string. The switch that, when closed, produces the smallest difference between the first voltage and the second voltage remains closed after the calibration process, and is used for demodulating the PWM signal.Type: GrantFiled: December 3, 2021Date of Patent: September 5, 2023Assignee: STMICROELECTRONICS S.R.L.Inventors: Nunzio Spina, Giuseppe Palmisano, Alessandro Castorina
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Publication number: 20230179244Abstract: A method for calibrating the DC operating point of a PWM receiver circuit is disclosed. The PWM receiving circuit includes an envelop detector having a first resistor string, and includes a bias circuit having a second resistor string and a plurality of switches. The second resistor string is coupled between a supply voltage and a reference voltage and functions as a voltage divider. Each switch, when closed, accesses a second voltage at a node of the second resistor string connected to the closed switch. To perform the calibration process, the plurality of switches is closed one at a time, and the second voltage is compared with a first voltage at a first node of the first resistor string. The switch that, when closed, produces the smallest difference between the first voltage and the second voltage remains closed after the calibration process, and is used for demodulating the PWM signal.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 3, 2021Publication date: June 8, 2023Inventors: Nunzio Spina, Giuseppe Palmisano, Alessandro Castorina
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Patent number: 11611280Abstract: A DC-DC converter includes: an transformer having a primary winding and a secondary winding magnetically coupled to the primary winding; a power oscillator applying an oscillating signal to the primary to transmit a power signal to the secondary winding; a rectifier connected to the secondary winding of the transformer to obtain an output DC voltage by rectification of the power signal; comparison circuitry to generate an error signal representing a difference between the output DC voltage and a reference voltage; a transmitter connected to the secondary winding of the transformer to apply an amplitude modulation to the power signal at the secondary winding of the transformer in response to the error signal to thereby produce an amplitude modulated signal at the primary winding; and a receiver and control circuit connected to the primary winding to control an amplitude of the oscillating signal as a function of the amplitude modulated signal.Type: GrantFiled: August 17, 2021Date of Patent: March 21, 2023Assignee: STMicroelectronics S.r.l.Inventors: Alessandro Parisi, Nunzio Greco, Nunzio Spina, Egidio Ragonese, Giuseppe Palmisano
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Publication number: 20220329207Abstract: A rectifier stage includes a differential input transistor pair coupled between a reference voltage node and an intermediate node, and a load circuit coupled between the intermediate node and a supply voltage node. The differential input transistor pair receives a radio-frequency amplitude modulated signal. A rectified signal indicative of an envelope of the radio-frequency amplitude modulated signal is produced at the intermediate node. An amplifier stage coupled to the intermediate node produces an amplified rectified signal at an output node that is indicative of the envelope of the radio-frequency amplitude modulated signal. The rectifier stage includes a resistive element coupled between the intermediate node and the supply voltage node in parallel to the load circuit.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 25, 2022Publication date: October 13, 2022Applicant: STMicroelectronics S.r.l.Inventors: Nunzio SPINA, Egidio RAGONESE, Giuseppe PALMISANO
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Publication number: 20210376735Abstract: A DC-DC converter includes: an transformer having a primary winding and a secondary winding magnetically coupled to the primary winding; a power oscillator applying an oscillating signal to the primary to transmit a power signal to the secondary winding; a rectifier connected to the secondary winding of the transformer to obtain an output DC voltage by rectification of the power signal; comparison circuitry to generate an error signal representing a difference between the output DC voltage and a reference voltage; a transmitter connected to the secondary winding of the transformer to apply an amplitude modulation to the power signal at the secondary winding of the transformer in response to the error signal to thereby produce an amplitude modulated signal at the primary winding; and a receiver and control circuit connected to the primary winding to control an amplitude of the oscillating signal as a function of the amplitude modulated signal.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 17, 2021Publication date: December 2, 2021Applicant: STMicroelectronics S.r.l.Inventors: Alessandro PARISI, Nunzio GRECO, Nunzio SPINA, Egidio RAGONESE, Giuseppe PALMISANO
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Patent number: 11128221Abstract: A DC-DC converter includes a transformer having primary and secondary windings, a power oscillator applying an oscillating signal to the primary winding to transmit a power signal to the secondary winding, a rectifier obtaining an output DC voltage by rectifying the power signal at the secondary winding, and comparison circuitry generating an error signal representing a difference between the output DC voltage and a reference voltage value. A transmitter connected to the secondary winding performs an amplitude modulation of the power signal at the secondary winding to transmit an amplitude modulated power signal to the primary winding, the amplitude modulation based upon the error signal and modulating a stream of data to the primary winding. A receiver coupled to the primary winding demodulates the amplitude modulated power signal to recover the error signal and the stream of data. An amplitude of the oscillating signal is controlled by the error signal.Type: GrantFiled: January 21, 2020Date of Patent: September 21, 2021Assignee: STMicroelectronics S.r.l.Inventors: Alessandro Parisi, Nunzio Greco, Nunzio Spina, Egidio Ragonese, Giuseppe Palmisano
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Patent number: 10917091Abstract: An oscillator is coupled to a first side of a galvanic barrier for supplying thereto an electric supply signal. The oscillator is configured to be alternatively turned on and off as a function of a PWM drive signal applied thereto. A receiver circuit coupled to the galvanic barrier receives therefrom a PWM power control signal. A signal reconstruction circuit coupled between the receiver circuit block and the oscillator provides to the oscillator a PWM drive signal reconstructed from the PWM power control signal. The signal reconstruction circuit includes a PLL circuit coupled to the receiver circuit block and configured to lock to the PWM control signal from the receiver circuit block. A PLL loop within the PLL circuit is sensitive to the PWM drive signal applied to the oscillator. The PLL loop is configured to be opened as a result of the power supply oscillator being turned off.Type: GrantFiled: April 1, 2019Date of Patent: February 9, 2021Assignee: STMicroelectronics S.r.l.Inventors: Alessandro Parisi, Nunzio Greco, Nunzio Spina, Egidio Ragonese, Giuseppe Palmisano
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Publication number: 20200161980Abstract: A DC-DC converter includes a transformer having primary and secondary windings, a power oscillator applying an oscillating signal to the primary winding to transmit a power signal to the secondary winding, a rectifier obtaining an output DC voltage by rectifying the power signal at the secondary winding, and comparison circuitry generating an error signal representing a difference between the output DC voltage and a reference voltage value. A transmitter connected to the secondary winding performs an amplitude modulation of the power signal at the secondary winding to transmit an amplitude modulated power signal to the primary winding, the amplitude modulation based upon the error signal and modulating a stream of data to the primary winding. A receiver coupled to the primary winding demodulates the amplitude modulated power signal to recover the error signal and the stream of data. An amplitude of the oscillating signal is controlled by the error signal.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 21, 2020Publication date: May 21, 2020Applicant: STMicroelectronics S.r.l.Inventors: Alessandro PARISI, Nunzio GRECO, Nunzio SPINA, Egidio RAGONESE, Giuseppe PALMISANO
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Patent number: 10637360Abstract: A DC-DC converter includes a power oscillator connected to a first transformer winding, and a channel conveying a data stream through galvanic isolation by power signal modulation. A rectifier rectifies the power signal to produce a DC voltage. A comparator produces an error signal from the DC voltage and a reference voltage. An analog-to-digital converter converts the error signal to a digital power control value. A multiplexer multiplexes the digital power control value with the data stream to obtain a multiplexed bitstream. A transmitter driven by the multiplexed bitstream performs amplitude modulation of the power signal at a second transformer winding. A receiver connected to the first winding demodulates the amplitude modulated power signal. A demultiplexer demultiplexes the data stream and the digital power control value. A digital-to-analog converter converts the digital power control value to an analog control signal for the power oscillator.Type: GrantFiled: January 10, 2019Date of Patent: April 28, 2020Assignee: STMicroelectronics S.r.l.Inventors: Alessandro Parisi, Nunzio Greco, Nunzio Spina, Egidio Ragonese, Giuseppe Palmisano
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Publication number: 20190305775Abstract: An oscillator is coupled to a first side of a galvanic barrier for supplying thereto an electric supply signal. The oscillator is configured to be alternatively turned on and off as a function of a PWM drive signal applied thereto. A receiver circuit coupled to the galvanic barrier receives therefrom a PWM power control signal. A signal reconstruction circuit coupled between the receiver circuit block and the oscillator provides to the oscillator a PWM drive signal reconstructed from the PWM power control signal. The signal reconstruction circuit includes a PLL circuit coupled to the receiver circuit block and configured to lock to the PWM control signal from the receiver circuit block. A PLL loop within the PLL circuit is sensitive to the PWM drive signal applied to the oscillator. The PLL loop is configured to be opened as a result of the power supply oscillator being turned off.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 1, 2019Publication date: October 3, 2019Applicant: STMicroelectronics S.r.l.Inventors: Alessandro PARISI, Nunzio GRECO, Nunzio SPINA, Egidio RAGONESE, Giuseppe PALMISANO
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Publication number: 20190222126Abstract: A DC-DC converter includes a power oscillator connected to a first transformer winding, and a channel conveying a data stream through galvanic isolation by power signal modulation. A rectifier rectifies the power signal to produce a DC voltage. A comparator produces an error signal from the DC voltage and a reference voltage. An analog-to-digital converter converts the error signal to a digital power control value. A multiplexer multiplexes the digital power control value with the data stream to obtain a multiplexed bitstream. A transmitter driven by the multiplexed bitstream performs amplitude modulation of the power signal at a second transformer winding. A receiver connected to the first winding demodulates the amplitude modulated power signal. A demultiplexer demultiplexes the data stream and the digital power control value. A digital-to-analog converter converts the digital power control value to an analog control signal for the power oscillator.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 10, 2019Publication date: July 18, 2019Applicant: STMicroelectronics S.r.l.Inventors: Alessandro Parisi, Nunzio Greco, Nunzio Spina, Egidio Ragonese, Giuseppe Palmisano
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Patent number: 10193581Abstract: A galvanic isolation circuit is formed by a differential transformer having primary and secondary windings for transmission of signals over a carrier between the primary and the secondary windings of the transformer. A galvanic isolation oxide layer is provide between the primary and secondary windings. Each winding includes include a center tap providing a low-impedance paths for dc and low frequency components of common-mode currents through the differential transformer. A pass-band stage is coupled to the secondary winding of the transformer and configured to permit propagation of signals over said carrier through the pass-band amplifier stage while providing for a rejection of common-mode noise.Type: GrantFiled: March 24, 2017Date of Patent: January 29, 2019Assignee: STMicroelectronics S.r.l.Inventors: Egidio Ragonese, Nunzio Spina, Alessandro Parisi, Pierpaolo Lombardo, Nunzio Greco, Giuseppe Palmisano
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Publication number: 20180198372Abstract: A galvanic isolation is provided between a first circuit and a second circuit. A first galvanically isolated link is configured to transfer power from a first circuit to a second circuit across the galvanic isolation. A second galvanically isolated link is configured to feed back an error signal from the second circuit to the first circuit across the galvanic isolation for use in regulating the power transfer and further configured to support bidirectional data communication between the first and second circuits across the galvanic isolation.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 7, 2018Publication date: July 12, 2018Applicant: STMicroelectronics S.r.l.Inventors: Egidio Ragonese, Nunzio Spina, Pierpaolo Lombardo, Nunzio Greco, Alessandro Parisi, Giuseppe Palmisano
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Patent number: 9978511Abstract: A galvanic isolation system includes a first isolation barrier and a second isolation barrier. The first isolation barrier includes a transformer. The second isolation barrier includes an inductive circuit connected to a secondary winding of the transformer. The first and the second isolation barriers are coupled to form an LC resonant network.Type: GrantFiled: May 24, 2016Date of Patent: May 22, 2018Assignee: STMicroelectronics S.r.l.Inventors: Nunzio Spina, Egidio Ragonese, Giuseppe Palmisano, Nunzio Greco
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Patent number: 9948193Abstract: A galvanic isolation is provided between a first circuit and a second circuit. A first galvanically isolated link is configured to transfer power from a first circuit to a second circuit across the galvanic isolation. A second galvanically isolated link is configured to feed back an error signal from the second circuit to the first circuit across the galvanic isolation for use in regulating the power transfer and further configured to support bidirectional data communication between the first and second circuits across the galvanic isolation.Type: GrantFiled: June 10, 2016Date of Patent: April 17, 2018Assignee: STMicroelectronics S.r.l.Inventors: Egidio Ragonese, Nunzio Spina, Pierpaolo Lombardo, Nunzio Greco, Alessandro Parisi, Giuseppe Palmisano
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Publication number: 20180062678Abstract: A galvanic isolation circuit is formed by a differential transformer having primary and secondary windings for transmission of signals over a carrier between the primary and the secondary windings of the transformer. A galvanic isolation oxide layer is provide between the primary and secondary windings. Each winding includes include a center tap providing a low-impedance paths for dc and low frequency components of common-mode currents through the differential transformer. A pass-band stage is coupled to the secondary winding of the transformer and configured to permit propagation of signals over said carrier through the pass-band amplifier stage while providing for a rejection of common-mode noise.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 24, 2017Publication date: March 1, 2018Applicant: STMicroelectronics S.r.l.Inventors: Egidio Ragonese, Nunzio Spina, Alessandro Parisi, Pierpaolo Lombardo, Nunzio Greco, Giuseppe Palmisano
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Publication number: 20170358993Abstract: A galvanic isolation is provided between a first circuit and a second circuit. A first galvanically isolated link is configured to transfer power from a first circuit to a second circuit across the galvanic isolation. A second galvanically isolated link is configured to feed back an error signal from the second circuit to the first circuit across the galvanic isolation for use in regulating the power transfer and further configured to support bidirectional data communication between the first and second circuits across the galvanic isolation.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 10, 2016Publication date: December 14, 2017Applicant: STMicroelectronics S.r.l.Inventors: Egidio Ragonese, Nunzio Spina, Pierpaolo Lombardo, Nunzio Greco, Alessandro Parisi, Giuseppe Palmisano
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Patent number: 9673754Abstract: An oscillator circuit includes first and second oscillators arranged in a series configuration between a supply voltage node and a reference voltage node. The first and second oscillators are configured to receive a synchronizing signal for controlling synchronization in frequency and phase. An electromagnetic network provided to couple the first and the second oscillators includes a transformer with a primary circuit and a secondary circuit. The primary circuit includes a first portion coupled to the first oscillator and second portion coupled to the second oscillator. The first and second portions are connected by a circuit element for reuse of current between the first and second oscillators. The oscillator circuit is fabricated as an integrated circuit device wherein the electromagnetic network is formed in metallization layers of the device. The secondary circuit generates an output power combining power provided from the first and second portions of the primary circuit.Type: GrantFiled: March 2, 2016Date of Patent: June 6, 2017Assignee: STMicroelectronics S.r.l.Inventors: Egidio Ragonese, Vincenzo Fiore, Nunzio Spina, Giuseppe Palmisano
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Publication number: 20170154727Abstract: A galvanic isolation system includes a first isolation barrier and a second isolation barrier. The first isolation barrier includes a transformer. The second isolation barrier includes an inductive circuit connected to a secondary winding of the transformer. The first and the second isolation barriers are coupled to form an LC resonant network.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 24, 2016Publication date: June 1, 2017Applicant: STMicroelectronics S.r.l.Inventors: Nunzio Spina, Egidio Ragonese, Giuseppe Palmisano, Nunzio Greco