Patents by Inventor Roberto Penzo

Roberto Penzo 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: 12317387
    Abstract: Circuitry configured to deliver an adjustable discharge current to a compensation node of a power converter that supplies a load, which may speed up the power to the load on the new steady state condition, while maintaining the stable response time of the power converter. A driver circuit may measure current to the load and perform overshoot protection for the load. The overshoot protection may also generate a pattern of detectable square wave pulses. The circuitry of this disclosure may adjust the discharge current based on a duration of the pulses in the pattern of pulses, as well as based on a pulse density of the pulses.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 9, 2023
    Date of Patent: May 27, 2025
    Assignee: Infineon Technologies AG
    Inventors: Roberto Penzo, Maurizio Galvano
  • Publication number: 20240237171
    Abstract: Circuitry configured to deliver an adjustable discharge current to a compensation node of a power converter that supplies a load, which may speed up the power to the load on the new steady state condition, while maintaining the stable response time of the power converter. A driver circuit may measure current to the load and perform overshoot protection for the load. The overshoot protection may also generate a pattern of detectable square wave pulses. The circuitry of this disclosure may adjust the discharge current based on a duration of the pulses in the pattern of pulses, as well as based on a pulse density of the pulses.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 9, 2023
    Publication date: July 11, 2024
    Inventors: Roberto Penzo, Maurizio Galvano
  • Patent number: 11849514
    Abstract: A circuit may be configured to deliver current to one or more light emitting diodes (LEDs). The circuit may comprise a first current path configured to deliver a first current to the one or more LEDs, and a second current path in parallel with the first current path, wherein the second current path is configured to deliver a second current through a voltage drop element and to the one or more LEDs. According to this disclosure, a sum of the first current and the second current is regulated based on a sensed current through the circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 10, 2022
    Date of Patent: December 19, 2023
    Assignee: Infineon Technologies AG
    Inventors: Mattia Montoncelli, Maurizio Galvano, Christos Konstantopoulos, Roberto Penzo, Enrico Tonazzo
  • Publication number: 20230403776
    Abstract: A circuit may be configured to deliver current to one or more light emitting diodes (LEDs). The circuit may comprise a first current path configured to deliver a first current to the one or more LEDs, and a second current path in parallel with the first current path, wherein the second current path is configured to deliver a second current through a voltage drop element and to the one or more LEDs. According to this disclosure, a sum of the first current and the second current is regulated based on a sensed current through the circuit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 10, 2022
    Publication date: December 14, 2023
    Inventors: Mattia Montoncelli, Maurizio Galvano, Christos Konstantopoulos, Roberto Penzo, Enrico Tonazzo
  • Patent number: 11152777
    Abstract: The invention relates to a medium voltage switching apparatus. The medium voltage switching apparatus includes one or more electric poles, each electrically coupleable with a corresponding electric line; for each electric pole, a fixed contact and a movable contact, the movable contact being reversibly movable between a decoupled position from the fixed contact and a coupled position with the fixed contact, the movable contact moving from the decoupled position to the coupled position during an closing manoeuvre of the switching apparatus and moving from the coupled position to the decoupled position during an opening manoeuvre of the switching apparatus; and actuating means adapted to actuate the movable contacts of the one or more electric poles. A control unit is adapted to select and carry out a selectable control routine in response to receiving an input signal at an input arrangement corresponding to the selectable routine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 19, 2021
    Assignee: ABB Schweiz AG
    Inventors: Carlo Bofelli, Andrea Bianco, Roberto Penzo, Christian Reuber, Fabio Mannino, Elisabeth Lindell, Stefan Halén
  • Publication number: 20200403395
    Abstract: The invention relates to a medium voltage switching apparatus. The medium voltage switching apparatus comprises: one or more electric poles, each electrically coupleable with a corresponding electric line; for each electric pole, a fixed contact and a movable contact, said movable contact being reversibly movable between a decoupled position from said fixed contact and a coupled position with said fixed contact, said movable contact moving from said decoupled position to said coupled position during an closing manoeuvre of the switching apparatus and moving from said coupled position to said decoupled position during an opening manoeuvre of the switching apparatus; actuating means adapted to actuate the movable contacts of said one or more electric poles. The switching apparatus is operatively coupled with or comprises a control unit to control said actuating means.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 17, 2020
    Publication date: December 24, 2020
    Inventors: Carlo Bofelli, Andrea Bianco, Roberto Penzo, Christian Reuber, Fabio Mannino, Elisabeth Lindell, Stefan Halén
  • Patent number: 10867758
    Abstract: A switching device for low or medium voltage electric power distribution network, the switching device including one or more electric poles, each electric pole including: an insulating housing extending along a longitudinal axis and fixed to a main support structure of the switching device; a first pole terminal and a second pole terminal electrically connectable with a corresponding phase conductor of an electric power source and with a corresponding load conductor of an electric load, respectively; a movable contact and a fixed contact, which are electrically coupleable or decoupleable one with or from another upon a movement of the movable contact towards or away from the fixed contact, the fixed contact being electrically connected with the first pole terminal, the movable contact being electrically connectable with the second pole terminal; a movable circuit assembly including a plurality of semiconductor devices adapted to switch in a conduction state or in an interdiction state depending on the voltage
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 15, 2020
    Assignee: ABB Schweiz AG
    Inventors: Andrea Bianco, Roberto Penzo, Carlo Boffelli
  • Patent number: 10658132
    Abstract: A switching device for low or medium voltage electric power distribution networks, the switching device including one or more electric poles and, for each electric pole: an insulating housing defining an internal volume of said electric pole; a first pole terminal and a second pole terminal electrically connectable with a corresponding electric phase conductor of an electric source and with a corresponding electric phase conductor of an electric load, respectively; a movable contact and a fixed contact, which are coupleable/decoupleable one to another, the fixed contact being electric connected with the first pole terminal, the movable contact being electrically connected with the second pole terminal; a stack of semiconductor devices adapted to switch in conduction state or in an interdiction state depending on the voltage provided thereto.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 19, 2020
    Assignee: ABB Schweiz AG
    Inventors: Andrea Bianco, Roberto Penzo, Carlo Boffelli
  • Patent number: 10614974
    Abstract: A switching device for low or medium voltage electric power distribution networks, the switching device comprising: at least an electric pole comprising a movable contact and a fixed contact, which are coupleable/decoupleable one to another; a circuit assembly, which comprises a chain of semiconductor devices adapted to switch in an ON state or in an OFF state depending on the voltage applied thereto, the semiconductor devices being electrically connected in series one to another in such a way that a current can flow according to a predefined conduction direction (CD) when the semiconductor devices are in an ON state. The circuit assembly comprises an input terminal, an output terminal and at least an intermediate terminal electrically connected with at least an intermediate electric node positioned between two subsequent semiconductor devices.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 16, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 7, 2020
    Assignee: ABB Schweiz AG
    Inventors: Andrea Bianco, Carlo Boffelli, Paolo Faure Ragani, Roberto Penzo
  • Publication number: 20200083001
    Abstract: A switching device for low or medium voltage electric power distribution network, the switching device including one or more electric poles, each electric pole including: an insulating housing extending along a longitudinal axis and fixed to a main support structure of the switching device; a first pole terminal and a second pole terminal electrically connectable with a corresponding phase conductor of an electric power source and with a corresponding load conductor of an electric load, respectively; a movable contact and a fixed contact, which are electrically coupleable or decoupleable one with or from another upon a movement of the movable contact towards or away from the fixed contact, the fixed contact being electrically connected with the first pole terminal, the movable contact being electrically connectable with the second pole terminal; a movable circuit assembly including a plurality of semiconductor devices adapted to switch in a conduction state or in an interdiction state depending on the voltage
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 10, 2019
    Publication date: March 12, 2020
    Inventors: Andrea Bianco, Roberto Penzo, Carlo Boffelli
  • Publication number: 20200083000
    Abstract: A switching device for low or medium voltage electric power distribution networks, the switching device including one or more electric poles and, for each electric pole: an insulating housing defining an internal volume of said electric pole; a first pole terminal and a second pole terminal electrically connectable with a corresponding electric phase conductor of an electric source and with a corresponding electric phase conductor of an electric load, respectively; a movable contact and a fixed contact, which are coupleable/decoupleable one to another, the fixed contact being electric connected with the first pole terminal, the movable contact being electrically connected with the second pole terminal; a stack of semiconductor devices adapted to switch in conduction state or in an interdiction state depending on the voltage provided thereto.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 10, 2019
    Publication date: March 12, 2020
    Inventors: Andrea Bianco, Roberto Penzo, Carlo Boffelli
  • Patent number: 10582579
    Abstract: A controller circuit for controlling a switching-mode power supply (SMPS) is configured to receive a load control signal indicating an on state when a load is to be coupled to the SMPS and an off state when the load is not to be coupled to the SMPS. In response to the load control signal transitioning from the on state to the off state, the controller circuit is configured to generate a first measured input voltage. In response to the load control signal transitioning from the off state to the on state, the controller circuit is configured to generate a second measured input voltage. The controller circuit is configured to drive a compensation voltage at a compensation element using the first measured input voltage and the second measured input voltage and selectively switch the SMPS using the compensation voltage after driving the compensation voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 4, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2020
    Assignee: Infineon Technologies AG
    Inventors: Paolo Milanesi, Roberto Penzo
  • Publication number: 20200044554
    Abstract: A device for switching Gallium Nitride (GaN) devices includes a high side driver, low side driver, and high side charge circuitry. The high side driver is adapted to control a high side GaN device using a high side supply. The low side driver is adapted to control a low side GaN device using a low side supply. The high side charge circuitry is adapted to charge the high side supply with the low side supply when the low side driver activates the low side GaN device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 1, 2018
    Publication date: February 6, 2020
    Inventors: Roberto Penzo, Maurizio Galvano
  • Patent number: 10536070
    Abstract: A device for switching Gallium Nitride (GaN) devices includes a high side driver, low side driver, and high side charge circuitry. The high side driver is adapted to control a high side GaN device using a high side supply. The low side driver is adapted to control a low side GaN device using a low side supply. The high side charge circuitry is adapted to charge the high side supply with the low side supply when the low side driver activates the low side GaN device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 1, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 14, 2020
    Assignee: Infineon Technologies AG
    Inventors: Roberto Penzo, Maurizio Galvano
  • Patent number: 10420178
    Abstract: In one example, a system includes a load module, a power module, a series module, and a control module. The power module is configured to generate a supply power. The load module is configured to select a subset of light emitting diodes (LEDs) from a set of LEDs. The series module is configured to receive the supply power from the power module, dissipate a portion of the supply power, and output, to the subset of LEDs, a remaining portion of the supply power as a load power. The control module is configured to drive the series module to limit an amount of power at the subset of LEDs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 17, 2019
    Assignee: Infineon Technologies AG
    Inventors: Paolo Milanesi, Fabio Fragiacomo, Maurizio Galvano, Roberto Penzo, Enrico Tonazzo
  • Patent number: 10111299
    Abstract: In one example, a method includes determining, by a device of a system, a voltage feedback value that represents a voltage level of a power signal being provided to a plurality of load elements that are selectively active. In this example, the method also includes adjusting, by the device and based on a quantity of load elements of the plurality of load elements that are active, the voltage level of the power signal such that the voltage feedback value remains less than or equal to an overvoltage threshold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 23, 2018
    Assignee: Infineon Technologies AG
    Inventors: Paolo Milanesi, Roberto Penzo, Maurizio Galvano, Fabio Fragiacomo
  • Patent number: 10085314
    Abstract: A device for regulating a voltage includes a first branch switch, a second branch switch, and a control module. The control module is configured to determine an instruction to change from a first state to a second state. In response to the instruction, the control module is configured to activate the second branch switch, drive a power module to increase a supply voltage to provide a supply power for activating a second set of LEDs, drive the first branch switch to dissipate a portion of the supply power to provide a target power for activating a first set of LEDs in response to determining that a current at the second branch switch does not exceed a current threshold, and deactivate the first branch switch in response to determining that the current at the second branch switch exceeds the current threshold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 25, 2018
    Assignee: Infineon Technologies AG
    Inventors: Paolo Milanesi, Fabio Fragiacomo, Maurizio Galvano, Roberto Penzo, Enrico Tonazzo
  • Publication number: 20180270923
    Abstract: In one example, a system includes a load module, a power module, a series module, and a control module. The power module is configured to generate a supply power. The load module is configured to select a subset of light emitting diodes (LEDs) from a set of LEDs. The series module is configured to receive the supply power from the power module, dissipate a portion of the supply power, and output, to the subset of LEDs, a remaining portion of the supply power as a load power. The control module is configured to drive the series module to limit an amount of power at the subset of LEDs.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 14, 2017
    Publication date: September 20, 2018
    Inventors: Paolo Milanesi, Fabio Fragiacomo, Maurizio Galvano, Roberto Penzo, Enrico Tonazzo
  • Publication number: 20180255613
    Abstract: An example method for preventing overcurrent in light-emitting diode (LED) chains comprises deactivating a current regulation control loop connected to a plurality of LED chains; regulating, via a voltage regulation control loop, a forward voltage of the plurality of LED chains; upon determining that a forward voltage of the plurality of LED chains is equal to a target operating voltage for a subset of the plurality of LED chains, bypassing at least one of the plurality of LED chains such that only the subset of the plurality of LED chains is connected to the current regulation control loop; and upon determining that an output current of the subset of the plurality of LED chains is equal to a target operating current for the subset of the plurality of LED chains: deactivating the voltage regulation control loop; and activating the current regulation control loop.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 1, 2017
    Publication date: September 6, 2018
    Inventors: Maurizio Galvano, Adolfo De Cicco, Roberto Penzo, Enrico Tonazzo
  • Patent number: D837751
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 24, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 8, 2019
    Assignee: ABB Schweiz AG
    Inventors: Carlo Boffelli, Luciano Chenet, Marco Riva, Roberto Penzo, Eric Bevilacqua