Patents by Inventor Roberto G. Massolini

Roberto G. Massolini 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: 10903753
    Abstract: A converter circuit includes a primary side having a resonator and a first control circuit configured to control the resonator. The converter circuit also includes a secondary side having a resonant rectifier and a second control circuit configured to control the resonant rectifier. The converter circuit further includes a transformer configured to electrically isolate the primary side from the secondary side. The second control circuit is configured to turn the resonant rectifier on and off. The first control circuit may be configured to detect when the resonant rectifier is off and, in response, turn the resonator off without using a feedback signal from the secondary side. The first control circuit may be configured to detect when the resonant rectifier is off by detecting when input power to the primary side decreases. The resonant rectifier could be turned on and off by detuning the resonant rectifier.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 26, 2021
    Assignee: TEXAS INSTRUMENTS INCORPORATED
    Inventors: Giovanni Frattini, Roberto G. Massolini, Maurizio Granato, David I. Anderson
  • Patent number: 8749995
    Abstract: A gate driving circuit includes a driving stage configured to receive an input signal and generate a gate drive signal for a gate of a transistor switch. The gate driving circuit also includes an LC circuit having an inductor and a gate capacitance of the transistor switch. The LC circuit is configured so that a pulse in the gate drive signal generates a ringing in the LC circuit at a resonance frequency of the LC circuit to transfer energy into and out of the gate capacitance of the transistor switch. A switch could selectively couple the gate of the transistor switch to ground in order to discharge the gate capacitance. A control circuit could be used to provide the input signal, and the control circuit could be configured to regulate a duty cycle of the gate drive signal by adjusting an off-time between consecutive pulses in the input signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 10, 2014
    Assignee: Texas Instruments Incorporated
    Inventors: Giovanni Frattini, Roberto G. Massolini, Maurizio Granato, David I. Anderson
  • Publication number: 20120249189
    Abstract: A gate driving circuit includes a driving stage configured to receive an input signal and generate a gate drive signal for a gate of a transistor switch. The gate driving circuit also includes an LC circuit having an inductor and a gate capacitance of the transistor switch. The LC circuit is configured so that a pulse in the gate drive signal generates a ringing in the LC circuit at a resonance frequency of the LC circuit to transfer energy into and out of the gate capacitance of the transistor switch. A switch could selectively couple the gate of the transistor switch to ground in order to discharge the gate capacitance. A control circuit could be used to provide the input signal, and the control circuit could be configured to regulate a duty cycle of the gate drive signal by adjusting an off-time between consecutive pulses in the input signal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 29, 2011
    Publication date: October 4, 2012
    Applicant: NATIONAL SEMICONDUCTOR CORPORATION
    Inventors: Giovanni Frattini, Roberto G. Massolini, Maurizia Granato, David I. Anderson
  • Publication number: 20120250382
    Abstract: A converter circuit includes a primary side having a resonator and a first control circuit configured to control the resonator. The converter circuit also includes a secondary side having a resonant rectifier and a second control circuit configured to control the resonant rectifier. The converter circuit further includes a transformer configured to electrically isolate the primary side from the secondary side. The second control circuit is configured to turn the resonant rectifier on and off. The first control circuit may be configured to detect when the resonant rectifier is off and, in response, turn the resonator off without using a feedback signal from the secondary side. The first control circuit may be configured to detect when the resonant rectifier is off by detecting when input power to the primary side decreases. The resonant rectifier could be turned on and off by detuning the resonant rectifier.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 29, 2011
    Publication date: October 4, 2012
    Applicant: NATIONAL SEMICONDUCTOR CORPORATION
    Inventors: Giovanni Frattini, Roberto G. Massolini, Maurizio Granato, David I. Anderson