Patents by Inventor Roberto CARDU

Roberto CARDU 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: 10250150
    Abstract: A driving module of a resonant converter receives an enabling signal and a voltage across a switch of a secondary side, and generates a control signal for first and second switches of the secondary side. The driving module cyclically controls switches of a primary full-bridge switching stage and both switches of the secondary side. After a fixed time, the driving module turns off the low-side switch and turns on the high-side switch, waits for a rising edge of the enabling signal, waits for zero current in the secondary side switches, turns off the first switch via the control signal after a variable delay relative to the rising edge of the enabling signal, keeps the second switch on, waits for zero voltage across the first switch, switches back on the first switch via the control signal when the voltage measured across the first switch drops below a variable threshold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 9, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2019
    Assignee: STMicroelectronics S.r.l.
    Inventors: Roberto Cardu, Massimiliano Picca, Lorenzo Trevisan, Cristian Porta
  • Patent number: 10084385
    Abstract: A resonant converter includes a primary switching circuit including a primary winding and upper and lower switching half-bridge circuits alternately activated during switching cycles of the resonant converter responsive to switching control signals. The switching half-bridge circuits each include a phase node to drive the primary winding. A resonance inductor is coupled to the primary winding. A secondary resonant circuit has a secondary winding magnetically coupled to the primary winding and a resonance capacitor electrically coupled to the secondary winding. A driving circuit generates the switching control signals and senses if a voltage on the phase node of one of the upper and lower switching half-bridge circuits is a negative voltage. The driving circuit adjusts the switching control signals for the switching half-bridge circuit to be activated next switching cycle by a shift time reduced each switching cycle until the negative voltage is less than a negligible under-voltage value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 23, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 25, 2018
    Assignee: STMicroelectronics S.r.l.
    Inventors: Lorenzo Trevisan, Massimiliano Picca, Roberto Cardu, Cristian Porta
  • Publication number: 20180131287
    Abstract: A driving module of a resonant converter receives an enabling signal and a voltage across a switch of a secondary side, and generates a control signal for first and second switches of the secondary side. The driving module cyclically controls switches of a primary full-bridge switching stage and both switches of the secondary side. After a fixed time, the driving module turns off the low-side switch and turns on the high-side switch, waits for a rising edge of the enabling signal, waits for zero current in the secondary side switches, turns off the first switch via the control signal after a variable delay relative to the rising edge of the enabling signal, keeps the second switch on, waits for zero voltage across the first switch, switches back on the first switch via the control signal when the voltage measured across the first switch drops below a variable threshold.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 9, 2018
    Publication date: May 10, 2018
    Inventors: Roberto Cardu, Massimiliano Picca, Lorenzo Trevisan, Cristian Porta
  • Patent number: 9882501
    Abstract: A driving module of a resonant converter receives an enabling signal and a voltage across a switch of a secondary side, and generates a control signal for first and second switches of the secondary side. The driving module cyclically controls switches of a primary full-bridge switching stage and both switches of the secondary side. After a fixed time, the driving module turns off the low-side switch and turns on the high-side switch, waits for a rising edge of the enabling signal, waits for zero current in the secondary side switches, turns off the first switch via the control signal after a variable delay relative to the rising edge of the enabling signal, keeps the second switch on, waits for zero voltage across the first switch, switches back on the first switch via the control signal when the voltage measured across the first switch drops below a variable threshold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2018
    Assignee: STMICROELECTRONICS S.R.L.
    Inventors: Roberto Cardu, Massimiliano Picca, Lorenzo Trevisan, Cristian Porta
  • Publication number: 20170288555
    Abstract: A resonant converter includes a primary switching circuit including a primary winding and upper and lower switching half-bridge circuits alternately activated during switching cycles of the resonant converter responsive to switching control signals. The switching half-bridge circuits each include a phase node to drive the primary winding. A resonance inductor is coupled to the primary winding. A secondary resonant circuit has a secondary winding magnetically coupled to the primary winding and a resonance capacitor electrically coupled to the secondary winding. A driving circuit generates the switching control signals and senses if a voltage on the phase node of one of the upper and lower switching half-bridge circuits is a negative voltage. The driving circuit adjusts the switching control signals for the switching half-bridge circuit to be activated next switching cycle by a shift time reduced each switching cycle until the negative voltage is less than a negligible under-voltage value.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 23, 2017
    Publication date: October 5, 2017
    Inventors: Lorenzo Trevisan, Massimiliano Picca, Roberto Cardu, Cristian Porta
  • Patent number: 9780670
    Abstract: A resonant converter includes a primary switching circuit with a primary winding and a primary full-bridge switching stage that drives the primary winding. A resonance inductor is in series with the primary winding. A secondary resonant circuit has a secondary winding magnetically coupled to the primary winding and a resonance capacitor electrically connected in parallel with the secondary winding. A secondary rectification stage is electrically connected in parallel to the resonance capacitor. A driving module receives a signal representing the voltage measured across an upper or lower switching half-bridge. The drive module detects a negative voltage in the signal. At each cycle, the drive module anticipates a control signal for control of the switches of the lower or upper switching half-bridge that is to be activated the next switching cycle by a shift time that is reduced cycle until the condition of absence of negative voltage in the signal is satisfied.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 28, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2017
    Assignee: STMICROELECTRONICS S.R.L.
    Inventors: Lorenzo Trevisan, Massimiliano Picca, Roberto Cardu, Cristian Porta
  • Publication number: 20170207709
    Abstract: A driving module of a resonant converter receives an enabling signal and a voltage across a switch of a secondary side, and generates a control signal for first and second switches of the secondary side. The driving module cyclically controls switches of a primary full-bridge switching stage and both switches of the secondary side. After a fixed time, the driving module turns off the low-side switch and turns on the high-side switch, waits for a rising edge of the enabling signal, waits for zero current in the secondary side switches, turns off the first switch via the control signal after a variable delay relative to the rising edge of the enabling signal, keeps the second switch on, waits for zero voltage across the first switch, switches back on the first switch via the control signal when the voltage measured across the first switch drops below a variable threshold.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 31, 2017
    Publication date: July 20, 2017
    Inventors: Roberto Cardu, Massimiliano Picca, Lorenzo Trevisan, Cristian Porta
  • Patent number: 9647565
    Abstract: A driving module of a resonant converter receives an enabling signal and a voltage across a switch of a secondary side, and generates a control signal for first and second switches of the secondary side. The driving module cyclically controls switches of a primary full-bridge switching stage and both switches of the secondary side. After a fixed time, the driving module turns off the low-side switch and turns on the high-side switch, waits for a rising edge of the enabling signal, waits for zero current in the secondary side switches, turns off the first switch via the control signal after a variable delay relative to the rising edge of the enabling signal, keeps the second switch on, waits for zero voltage across the first switch, switches back on the first switch via the control signal when the voltage measured across the first switch drops below a variable threshold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 28, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 9, 2017
    Assignee: STMICROELECTRONICS S.R.L.
    Inventors: Roberto Cardu, Massimiliano Picca, Lorenzo Trevisan, Cristian Porta
  • Publication number: 20170099001
    Abstract: A driving module of a resonant converter receives an enabling signal and a voltage across a switch of a secondary side, and generates a control signal for first and second switches of the secondary side. The driving module cyclically controls switches of a primary full-bridge switching stage and both switches of the secondary side. After a fixed time, the driving module turns off the low-side switch and turns on the high-side switch, waits for a rising edge of the enabling signal, waits for zero current in the secondary side switches, turns off the first switch via the control signal after a variable delay relative to the rising edge of the enabling signal, keeps the second switch on, waits for zero voltage across the first switch, switches back on the first switch via the control signal when the voltage measured across the first switch drops below a variable threshold.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 28, 2016
    Publication date: April 6, 2017
    Inventors: Roberto Cardu, Massimiliano Picca, Lorenzo Trevisan, Cristian Porta
  • Publication number: 20170099002
    Abstract: A resonant converter includes a primary switching circuit with a primary winding and a primary full-bridge switching stage that drives the primary winding. A resonance inductor is in series with the primary winding. A secondary resonant circuit has a secondary winding magnetically coupled to the primary winding and a resonance capacitor electrically connected in parallel with the secondary winding. A secondary rectification stage is electrically connected in parallel to the resonance capacitor. A driving module receives a signal representing the voltage measured across an upper or lower switching half-bridge. The drive module detects a negative voltage in the signal. At each cycle, the drive module anticipates a control signal for control of the switches of the lower or upper switching half-bridge that is to be activated the next switching cycle by a shift time that is reduced cycle until the condition of absence of negative voltage in the signal is satisfied.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 28, 2016
    Publication date: April 6, 2017
    Inventors: Lorenzo Trevisan, Massimiliano Picca, Roberto Cardu, Cristian Porta
  • Patent number: 9176185
    Abstract: A testing apparatus includes a tester and a probe card system that includes a probe card connected to the tester, and an active interposer connected to the probe card and wirelessly coupled with a device to be tested. The active interposer includes pads positioned on its free surface facing the device. The pads are positioned with respect to pads of the device so that each pad of the active interposer faces a pad of the device and is separated therefrom by a dielectric. Each pair of facing pads forms an elementary wireless coupling element which allows a wireless transmission between the active interposer and the device. The active interposer also includes an amplifier circuit configured to amplify wireless signals from the device before forwarding them to the tester. The probe card system includes a transmission element able to transmit a power voltage from the tester to the device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 25, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 3, 2015
    Assignee: STMicroelectronics S.r.l.
    Inventors: Roberto Canegallo, Mauro Scandiuzzo, Roberto Cardu, Eleonora Franchi Scarselli, Alberto Pagani
  • Patent number: 8773162
    Abstract: An embodiment of communication cell for enabling data communication between an integrated circuit and an electronic unit distinct from the integrated circuit, comprising a contact pad unit, configured for capacitively coupling, in a first operating condition of said communication cell, to the electronic unit for receiving an input signal from said electronic unit, and for ohmically coupling, in a second operating condition of said communication cell, to the electronic unit for receiving the input signal; a receiver device, including signal-amplifying means, coupled between said contact pad unit and said integrated circuit, configured for receiving the input signal and generating an intermediate signal correlated to the input signal; signal-selection means receiving the intermediate signal, the input signal, and providing an output signal which is the intermediate signal during the first operating condition, and the input signal during the second operating condition; and an input stage, connectable between the
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 29, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 8, 2014
    Assignee: STMicroelectronics S.r.l.
    Inventors: Roberto Canegallo, Roberto Cardu, Mauro Scandiuzzo, Salvatore Valerio Cani, Luca Perugini
  • Publication number: 20130027071
    Abstract: A testing apparatus includes a tester and a probe card system that includes a probe card connected to the tester, and an active interposer connected to the probe card and wirelessly coupled with a device to be tested. The active interposer includes pads positioned on its free surface facing the device. The pads are positioned with respect to pads of the device so that each pad of the active interposer faces a pad of the device and is separated therefrom by a dielectric. Each pair of facing pads forms an elementary wireless coupling element which allows a wireless transmission between the active interposer and the device. The active interposer also includes an amplifier circuit configured to amplify wireless signals from the device before forwarding them to the tester. The probe card system includes a transmission element able to transmit a power voltage from the tester to the device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 25, 2012
    Publication date: January 31, 2013
    Applicant: STMicroelectonics S.r.I.
    Inventors: Roberto Canegallo, Mauro Scandiuzzo, Roberto Cardu, Eleonora Franchi Scarselli, Alberto Pagani
  • Publication number: 20110171906
    Abstract: An embodiment of communication cell for enabling data communication between an integrated circuit and an electronic unit distinct from the integrated circuit, comprising a contact pad unit, configured for capacitively coupling, in a first operating condition of said communication cell, to the electronic unit for receiving an input signal from said electronic unit, and for ohmically coupling, in a second operating condition of said communication cell, to the electronic unit for receiving the input signal; a receiver device, including signal-amplifying means, coupled between said contact pad unit and said integrated circuit, configured for receiving the input signal and generating an intermediate signal correlated to the input signal; signal-selection means receiving the intermediate signal, the input signal, and providing an output signal which is the intermediate signal during the first operating condition, and the input signal during the second operating condition; and an input stage, connectable between the
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 29, 2010
    Publication date: July 14, 2011
    Applicant: STMICROELECTRONICS S.R.L.
    Inventors: Roberto CANEGALLO, Roberto CARDU, Mauro SCANDIUZZO, Salvatore Valerio CANI, Luca PERUGINI