Patents by Inventor Pedro Miguel Ferreira de Figueiredo

Pedro Miguel Ferreira de Figueiredo 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: 10038454
    Abstract: Analog-digital converter configured for conversion of an input voltage, represented by a pair of input potentials, into a binary code using successive approximation. The analog-digital converter comprises a reference voltage generator (RVG) supplying a first pair of reference potentials and a second pair of reference potentials. The analog-digital converter further comprises a switched capacitor array (SCA) configured to receive the first and the second pair of reference potentials as well as a control unit (CTRL) coupled to the switched capacitor array (SCA) and configured to switch capacitors of the switched capacitor array (SCA) either to the first pair of reference potentials or to the second pair of reference potentials depending on a progress of the conversion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 29, 2014
    Date of Patent: July 31, 2018
    Assignee: Synopsys, Inc.
    Inventors: Pedro Miguel Ferreira de Figueiredo, Paulo António Ribeiro Cardoso
  • Patent number: 9906234
    Abstract: An interleaved analog-to-digital converter, ADC, includes a first and a second sub-ADC (ADC1, ADC2) and a timing control unit (TC). The first sub-ADC (ADC1) is configured to convert a first calibration signal (V1cal) into a first calibration code (CC1) depending on a first sub-clock signal (?1). The second sub-ADC (ADC2) includes a programmable delay element (DE2) configured to generate a calibrated second sub-clock signal (?2?) by shifting a phase of a second sub-clock signal (?2) by a delay depending on a control signal. The second sub-ADC (ADC2) is configured to convert a second calibration signal (V2cal) into a second calibration code (CC2) depending on the calibrated second sub-clock signal (?2?). The timing control (TC) unit generates the control signal (CS) comparing the second calibration code (CC2) to the first calibration code (CC1).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2018
    Assignee: Synopsys, Inc.
    Inventor: Pedro Miguel Ferreira de Figueiredo
  • Publication number: 20170134033
    Abstract: An interleaved analog-to-digital converter, ADC, comprises a first and a second sub-ADC (ADC1, ADC2) and a timing control unit (TC). The first sub-ADC (ADC1) is configured to convert a first calibration signal (V1cal) into a first calibration code (CC1) depending on a first sub-clock signal (?1). The second sub-ADC (ADC2) comprises a programmable delay element (DE2) configured to generate a calibrated second sub-clock signal (?2?) by shifting a phase of a second sub-clock signal (?2) by a delay depending on a control signal. The second sub-ADC (ADC2) is configured to convert a second calibration signal (V2cal) into a second calibration code (CC2) depending on the calibrated second sub-clock signal (?2?). The timing control (TC) unit generates the control signal (CS) comparing the second calibration code (CC2) to the first calibration code (CC1).
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 30, 2014
    Publication date: May 11, 2017
    Inventor: Pedro Miguel Ferreira de Figueiredo
  • Publication number: 20170047940
    Abstract: Analog-digital converter configured for conversion of an input voltage, represented by a pair of input potentials, into a binary code using successive approximation. The analog-digital converter comprises a reference voltage generator (RVG) supplying a first pair of reference potentials and a second pair of reference potentials. The analog-digital converter further comprises a switched capacitor array (SCA) configured to receive the first and the second pair of reference potentials as well as a control unit (CTRL) coupled to the switched capacitor array (SCA) and configured to switch capacitors of the switched capacitor array (SCA) either to the first pair of reference potentials or to the second pair of reference potentials depending on a progress of the conversion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 29, 2014
    Publication date: February 16, 2017
    Inventors: Pedro Miguel Ferreira de Figueiredo, Paulo António Ribeiro Cardoso
  • Patent number: 8797196
    Abstract: A connection scheme is used to selectively connect a dither capacitor included in a calibrated stage of a pipeline analog-to-digital converter (ADC) in a way that reduces the output voltage swing of the stage. A first terminal of the dither capacitor is coupled to an input of the amplifier. A second terminal of the dither capacitor is coupled to either a first or second reference voltage dependent on a bit value in a Pseudo-Random Binary Sequence (PRBS) if a voltage received by the stage is within a first voltage range. If the stage received voltage is within a second range, the second terminal is coupled to the first reference voltage independent of the PRBS. If the stage received voltage is within a third range, the second terminal is coupled to the second reference voltage independent of the PRBS.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 23, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 5, 2014
    Assignee: Synopsys, Inc.
    Inventor: Pedro Miguel Ferreira de Figueiredo
  • Patent number: 8742961
    Abstract: A switching scheme is used during a calibration mode for determining calibration coefficients of each calibrated stage of a pipeline analog-to-digital converter (ADC). A calibrated stage of the pipeline ADC includes an amplifier for amplifying a residue voltage of the stage and a sampling capacitor comprising a plurality of sub-capacitors. The plurality of sub-capacitors have a first terminal connected to an input of amplifier and a second terminal connected to one or more switches that selectively couple the second terminal to the input terminal of the stage, a first reference voltage or a second reference voltage lower than the first reference voltage. During foreground calibration, a number of measurements are taken at an output of the amplifier to determine the calibration coefficient of the calibrated stage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 15, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 3, 2014
    Assignee: Synopsys, Inc.
    Inventors: Pedro Miguel Ferreira de Figueiredo, Gonçalo Manuel Tordo Minderico, Carlos Pedro dos Santos Fachada
  • Patent number: 8698538
    Abstract: A level converter circuit is disclosed. The level converter circuit includes a first level converter that generates a first output signal, and a second level converter that generates a second output signal. The level converter circuit further includes an edge selector coupled to the first level converter and the second level converter that selects a rising edge of either the first output signal or the second output signal, and selects a falling edge of either the first output signal or the second output signal to generate an optimized output signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 2, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 15, 2014
    Assignee: Synopsys, Inc
    Inventor: Pedro Miguel Ferreira de Figueiredo
  • Publication number: 20120194255
    Abstract: A level converter circuit is disclosed. The level converter circuit includes a first level converter that generates a first output signal, and a second level converter that generates a second output signal. The level converter circuit further includes an edge selector coupled to the first level converter and the second level converter that selects a rising edge of either the first output signal or the second output signal, and selects a falling edge of either the first output signal or the second output signal to generate an optimized output signal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 2, 2011
    Publication date: August 2, 2012
    Applicant: SYNOPSYS, INC.
    Inventor: Pedro Miguel Ferreira de Figueiredo