Patents by Inventor Thomas Santa
Thomas Santa 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).
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Patent number: 12212649Abstract: A radar monolithic microwave integrated circuit (MMIC) includes a trigger encoder configured to receive a clock signal comprising a plurality of clock pulses having a fixed amplitude and a trigger signal configured to indicate trigger events. The trigger encoder is configured to encode the trigger signal into the clock signal to generate a distributed clock signal by skipping at least one clock pulse of the plurality of clock pulses to indicate a trigger event. The radar MMIC is configured to output the distributed clock signal having the at least one clock pulse skipped to indicate the trigger event. The radar MMIC is configured to receive the distributed clock signal as a received distributed clock signal. The radar MMIC further includes a radar operation controller configured to detect the trigger event based on the received distributed clock signal and initiate a radar operation based on detecting the trigger event.Type: GrantFiled: March 23, 2023Date of Patent: January 28, 2025Assignee: Infineon Technologies AGInventors: George Efthivoulidis, Tony Gschier, Bernd Zimek, Peter Thurner, Thomas Santa
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Publication number: 20240322993Abstract: A radar monolithic microwave integrated circuit (MMIC) includes a trigger encoder configured to receive a clock signal comprising a plurality of clock pulses having a fixed amplitude and a trigger signal configured to indicate trigger events. The trigger encoder is configured to encode the trigger signal into the clock signal to generate a distributed clock signal by skipping at least one clock pulse of the plurality of clock pulses to indicate a trigger event. The radar MMIC is configured to output the distributed clock signal having the at least one clock pulse skipped to indicate the trigger event. The radar MMIC is configured to receive the distributed clock signal as a received distributed clock signal. The radar MMIC further includes a radar operation controller configured to detect the trigger event based on the received distributed clock signal and initiate a radar operation based on detecting the trigger event.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 23, 2023Publication date: September 26, 2024Inventors: George EFTHIVOULIDIS, Tony GSCHIER, Bernd ZIMEK, Peter THURNER, Thomas SANTA
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Patent number: 11874682Abstract: A circuit includes: a first load circuit and a second load circuit coupled in parallel between a first node and a reference voltage node, where the first load circuit and the second load circuit are configured to receive a first input signal and a second input signal, respectively; a first pass device and a first switch coupled in series between a voltage supply node and the first node; a second pass device and a second switch coupled in series between the voltage supply node and the first node; and an amplifier, where a first input terminal and a second input terminal of the amplifier are configured to be coupled to a reference input voltage and the first node, respectively, where an output terminal of the amplifier is coupled to a first control terminal of the first pass device and a second control terminal of the second pass device.Type: GrantFiled: December 6, 2022Date of Patent: January 16, 2024Assignee: INFINEON TECHNOLOGIES AGInventors: Andrea Tollot, Thomas Santa, Andrea Bandiziol
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Patent number: 9985639Abstract: Representative implementations of devices and techniques provide non-linearity detection and mitigation for a phase interpolator of a controlled oscillator circuit, such as a PLL. A bit stream output of a phase detector of the oscillator circuit is segmented according to multiple phase positions of the phase interpolator, forming a bit stream for each of the multiple phase positions. Each bit stream of each phase position is analyzed, and phase position errors may be detected and mitigated based on the contents of the bit streams.Type: GrantFiled: January 5, 2016Date of Patent: May 29, 2018Assignee: Infineon Technologies AGInventors: Roberto Nonis, Peter Thurner, Thomas Santa
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Publication number: 20170194976Abstract: Representative implementations of devices and techniques provide non-linearity detection and mitigation for a phase interpolator of a controlled oscillator circuit, such as a PLL. A bit stream output of a phase detector of the oscillator circuit is segmented according to multiple phase positions of the phase interpolator, forming a bit stream for each of the multiple phase positions. Each bit stream of each phase position is analyzed, and phase position errors may be detected and mitigated based on the contents of the bit streams.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 5, 2016Publication date: July 6, 2017Inventors: Roberto NONIS, Peter THURNER, Thomas SANTA
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Patent number: 9641153Abstract: A method of forming a resonator by providing a first layer; forming a sacrificial layer on the first layer; forming a capping layer on the sacrificial layer; forming at least one etching aperture in the capping layer; forming at least one additional aperture having a different size than the at least one etching aperture; forming a cavity and releasing a resonator structure within the cavity by removing the sacrificial layer by etching via the at least one etching aperture; sealing the at least one etching aperture; and forming a lining in the at least one additional aperture.Type: GrantFiled: November 4, 2015Date of Patent: May 2, 2017Assignee: Infineon Technologies Dresden GmbHInventors: Thoralf Kautzsch, Heiko Froehlich, Mirko Vogt, Maik Stegemann, Thomas Santa, Markus Burian
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Patent number: 9577622Abstract: Phase interpolators are provided where an adjustment current is added to currents from a plurality of switchable current sources, for example to reduce an integrated nonlinearity.Type: GrantFiled: May 7, 2015Date of Patent: February 21, 2017Assignee: Infineon Technologies AGInventors: Nicola Da Dalt, Roberto Nonis, Thomas Santa
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Publication number: 20160126926Abstract: Embodiments relate to MEMS resonator structures and methods that enable application of a maximum available on-chip voltage. In an embodiment, a MEMS resonator comprises a connection between a ground potential and the gap electrode of the resonator. Embodiments also relate to manufacturing systems and methods that are less complex and enable production of MEMS resonators of reduced dimensions.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 4, 2015Publication date: May 5, 2016Inventors: Thoralf Kautzsch, Heiko Froehlich, Mirko Vogt, Maik Stegemann, Thomas Santa, Markus Burian
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Patent number: 9209778Abstract: Embodiments relate to MEMS resonator structures and methods that enable application of a maximum available on-chip voltage. In an embodiment, a MEMS resonator comprises a connection between a ground potential and the gap electrode of the resonator. Embodiments also relate to manufacturing systems and methods that are less complex and enable production of MEMS resonators of reduced dimensions.Type: GrantFiled: March 15, 2013Date of Patent: December 8, 2015Assignee: Infineon Technologies Dresden GmbHInventors: Thoralf Kautzsch, Heiko Froehlich, Mirko Vogt, Maik Stegemann, Thomas Santa, Markus Burian
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Publication number: 20150326203Abstract: Phase interpolators are provided where an adjustment current is added to currents from a plurality of switchable current sources, for example to reduce an integrated nonlinearity.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 7, 2015Publication date: November 12, 2015Inventors: Nicola DA DALT, Roberto NONIS, Thomas SANTA
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Publication number: 20150225230Abstract: Embodiments related to a MEMS device in which a support structure for supporting a cover is formed in a cavity are described and depicted.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 7, 2014Publication date: August 13, 2015Applicant: Infineon Technologies Dresden GmbHInventor: Thomas SANTA
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Publication number: 20140266484Abstract: Embodiments relate to MEMS resonator structures and methods that enable application of a maximum available on-chip voltage. In an embodiment, a MEMS resonator comprises a connection between a ground potential and the gap electrode of the resonator. Embodiments also relate to manufacturing systems and methods that are less complex and enable production of MEMS resonators of reduced dimensions.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 15, 2013Publication date: September 18, 2014Applicant: Infineon Technologies Dresden GmbHInventors: Thoralf Kautzsch, Heiko Froehlich, Mirko Vogt, Maik Stegemann, Thomas Santa, Markus Burian