Patents by Inventor Renaud Dura

Renaud Dura 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: 8223056
    Abstract: Some embodiments include apparatus and methods having an amplifier, a capacitor network coupled to the amplifier, and switching circuitry coupled to the amplifier and the capacitor network. The switching circuit is configured to successively apply a selected reference voltage selected from among a first reference voltage, a second reference voltage, and a third reference voltage to the capacitor network in response to a digital input code to generate an output voltage. Additional embodiments are disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 6, 2009
    Date of Patent: July 17, 2012
    Assignee: Atmel Corporation
    Inventors: Renaud Dura, Joao P. Carreira, Sebastien Fievet
  • Patent number: 8031547
    Abstract: A differential sense amplifier can perform data sensing using a very low supply voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 8, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 4, 2011
    Assignee: Atmel Corporation
    Inventors: Jimmy Fort, Renaud Dura, Thierry Soude
  • Publication number: 20110026347
    Abstract: A differential sense amplifier can perform data sensing using a very low supply voltage.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 8, 2010
    Publication date: February 3, 2011
    Applicant: ATMEL Corporation
    Inventors: Jimmy Fort, Renaud Dura, Thierry Soude
  • Patent number: 7855671
    Abstract: The present invention is related to a pipelined analog-to-digital converter (ADC) utilizing a power distribution scheme selectively delivering both constant and variable reference currents in selected proportions to a plurality of stages and operational transconductive amplifiers (OTAs). This permits the ADC to maintain an optimized speed over power consumption ratio over a wide data rate range. Since the invention is capable of supporting a large operating range while maintaining very low power consumption relative to the data rate, the pipelined ADC in accordance with the present invention is particularly adaptable to a large number of applications.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 3, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 21, 2010
    Assignee: Atmel Corporation
    Inventors: Renaud Dura, Caroline Tarnand
  • Patent number: 7843232
    Abstract: A dual mode, single ended to fully differential converter structure is incorporated into a fully differential sample and hold structure which can be coupled with an ADC as a front end for mixed mode applications. The structure incorporates additional switches which allow negative and positive charges to be sampled on both negative and positive sides of the structure. By inverting the sampled charge on one side, single ended to fully differential conversion is obtained. The structure can be implemented in a compact, generic block which performs single ended to fully differential conversions as well as sample and hold functions, without compromising speed and accuracy in either mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 2009
    Date of Patent: November 30, 2010
    Assignee: ATMEL Corporation
    Inventors: Bilal Farhat, Renaud Dura, Daniel Payrard
  • Publication number: 20100283651
    Abstract: Some embodiments include apparatus and methods having an amplifier, a capacitor network coupled to the amplifier, and switching circuitry coupled to the amplifier and the capacitor network. The switching circuit is configured to successively apply a selected reference voltage selected from among a first reference voltage, a second reference voltage, and a third reference voltage to the capacitor network in response to a digital input code to generate an output voltage. Additional embodiments are disclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 6, 2009
    Publication date: November 11, 2010
    Applicant: Atmel Corporation
    Inventors: Renaud Dura, Joao Pedro Carreira, Sebastien Fievet
  • Patent number: 7813201
    Abstract: A differential sense amplifier can perform data sensing using a very low supply voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 8, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 12, 2010
    Assignee: ATMEL Corporation
    Inventors: Jimmy Fort, Renaud Dura, Thierry Soude
  • Publication number: 20100219864
    Abstract: A dual mode, single ended to fully differential converter structure is incorporated into a fully differential sample and hold structure which can be coupled with an ADC as a front end for mixed mode applications. The structure incorporates additional switches which allow negative and positive charges to be sampled on both negative and positive sides of the structure. By inverting the sampled charge on one side, single ended to fully differential conversion is obtained. The structure can be implemented in a compact, generic block which performs single ended to fully differential conversions as well as sample and hold functions, without compromising speed and accuracy in either mode.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 27, 2009
    Publication date: September 2, 2010
    Applicant: ATMEL Corporation
    Inventors: Bilal Farhat, Renaud Dura, Daniel Payrard
  • Patent number: 7652612
    Abstract: Some embodiments include apparatus and methods having a first module with a capacitor network configured to receive a sample of an analog input signal and an amplifier configured to couple to the capacitor network in a plurality of arrangements to successively generate a plurality of residue signals at an amplifier output node of the amplifier without resetting the amplifier between generation of least two of the plurality of residue signals, and a second module configured to generate a digital signal based on a plurality of intermediate codes generated from the sample signal and the plurality of residue signals, the digital signal including a digital value of the sample.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 10, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 26, 2010
    Assignee: Atmel Corporation
    Inventor: Renaud Dura
  • Publication number: 20100008159
    Abstract: A differential sense amplifier can perform data sensing using a very low supply voltage.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 8, 2008
    Publication date: January 14, 2010
    Applicant: ATMEL CORPORATION
    Inventors: Jimmy Fort, Renaud Dura, Thierry Soude
  • Publication number: 20090224951
    Abstract: Some embodiments include apparatus and methods having a first module with a capacitor network configured to receive a sample of an analog input signal and an amplifier configured to couple to the capacitor network in a plurality of arrangements to successively generate a plurality of residue signals at an amplifier output node of the amplifier without resetting the amplifier between generation of least two of the plurality of residue signals, and a second module configured to generate a digital signal based on a plurality of intermediate codes generated from the sample signal and the plurality of residue signals, the digital signal including a digital value of the sample.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 10, 2008
    Publication date: September 10, 2009
    Applicant: Atmel Corporation
    Inventor: Renaud Dura
  • Publication number: 20080238753
    Abstract: The present invention is related to a pipelined analog-to-digital converter (ADC) utilizing a power distribution scheme selectively delivering both constant and variable reference currents in selected proportions to a plurality of stages and operational transconductive amplifiers (OTAs). This permits the ADC to maintain an optimized speed over power consumption ratio over a wide data rate range. Since the invention is capable of supporting a large operating range while maintaining very low power consumption relative to the data rate, the pipelined ADC in accordance with the present invention is particularly adaptable to a large number of applications.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 3, 2008
    Publication date: October 2, 2008
    Inventors: Renaud Dura, Caroline Tarnand
  • Patent number: 7382307
    Abstract: The present invention is related to a pipelined analog-to-digital converter (ADC) utilizing a power distribution scheme selectively delivering both constant and variable reference currents in selected proportions to a plurality of stages and operational transconductive amplifiers (OTAs). This permits the ADC to maintain an optimized speed over power consumption ratio over a wide data rate range. Since the invention is capable of supporting a large operating range while maintaining very low power consumption relative to the data rate, the pipelined ADC in accordance with the present invention is particularly adaptable to a large number of applications.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 3, 2006
    Date of Patent: June 3, 2008
    Assignee: Atmel Corpporation
    Inventors: Renaud Dura, Caroline Tarnand
  • Publication number: 20080079622
    Abstract: The present invention is related to a pipelined analog-to-digital converter (ADC) utilizing a power distribution scheme selectively delivering both constant and variable reference currents in selected proportions to a plurality of stages and operational transconductive amplifiers (OTAs). This permits the ADC to maintain an optimized speed over power consumption ratio over a wide data rate range. Since the invention is capable of supporting a large operating range while maintaining very low power consumption relative to the data rate, the pipelined ADC in accordance with the present invention is particularly adaptable to a large number of applications.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 3, 2006
    Publication date: April 3, 2008
    Applicant: ATMEL CORPORATION
    Inventors: Renaud Dura, Caroline Tarnand