Patents by Inventor Tino Copani
Tino Copani 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: 8218656Abstract: A pulse generator circuit is provided. The pulse generator circuit has an input adapted to receive an input electrical quantity and an output at which an output electrical quantity is made available. A transfer characteristic establishes a relationship between said input and said output electrical quantities. The pulse generator circuit is adapted to provide said output electrical quantity in the form of pulses having a predetermined shape, suitable to be used for UWB transmission. The transfer characteristic has substantially a same shape as that of said pulses. Moreover, a UWB modulating system exploiting the novel pulse generator is proposed.Type: GrantFiled: December 6, 2010Date of Patent: July 10, 2012Assignee: STMicroelectronics S.r.l.Inventors: Marco Orazio Cavallaro, Tino Copani, Giovanni Girlando, Giuseppe Palmisano
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Patent number: 8139621Abstract: A pulse generator circuit is provided. The pulse generator circuit has an input adapted to receive an input electrical quantity and an output at which an output electrical quantity is made available. A transfer characteristic establishes a relationship between said input and said output electrical quantities. The pulse generator circuit is adapted to provide said output electrical quantity in the form of pulses having a predetermined shape, suitable to be used for UWB transmission. The transfer characteristic has substantially a same shape as that of said pulses. Moreover, a UWB modulating system exploiting the novel pulse generator is proposed.Type: GrantFiled: December 6, 2010Date of Patent: March 20, 2012Assignee: STMicroelectronics S.r.l.Inventors: Marco Orazio Cavallaro, Tino Copani, Giovanni Girlando, Giuseppe Palmisano
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Patent number: 8026753Abstract: A prescaling stage includes bistable circuit in turn including respective master and slave portions inserted between a first and a second voltage reference and feedback connected to each other. Each portion is provided with at least one differential stage supplied by the first voltage reference and connected, by a transistor stage, to the second voltage reference, as well as a differential pair of cross-coupled transistors, supplied by output terminals of the differential stage and connected, by the transistor stage, to the second voltage reference. Advantageously, each master and slave portion includes a degeneration capacitance inserted in correspondence with respective terminals of the transistors of the differential pair.Type: GrantFiled: October 28, 2009Date of Patent: September 27, 2011Assignee: STMicroelectronics S.r.l.Inventors: Tino Copani, Santo Alessandro Smerzi, Giovanni Girlando, Giuseppe Palmisano
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Publication number: 20110134966Abstract: A pulse generator circuit is provided. The pulse generator circuit has an input adapted to receive an input electrical quantity and an output at which an output electrical quantity is made available. A transfer characteristic establishes a relationship between said input and said output electrical quantities. The pulse generator circuit is adapted to provide said output electrical quantity in the form of pulses having a predetermined shape, suitable to be used for UWB transmission. The transfer characteristic has substantially a same shape as that of said pulses. Moreover, a UWB modulating system exploiting the novel pulse generator is proposed.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 6, 2010Publication date: June 9, 2011Applicant: STMicroelectronics, S.r.I.Inventors: Marco Orazio CAVALLARO, Tino Copani, Giovanni Girlando, Giuseppe Palmisano
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Publication number: 20110135031Abstract: A pulse generator circuit is provided. The pulse generator circuit has an input adapted to receive an input electrical quantity and an output at which an output electrical quantity is made available. A transfer characteristic establishes a relationship between said input and said output electrical quantities. The pulse generator circuit is adapted to provide said output electrical quantity in the form of pulses having a predetermined shape, suitable to be used for UWB transmission. The transfer characteristic has substantially a same shape as that of said pulses. Moreover, a UWB modulating system exploiting the novel pulse generator is proposed.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 6, 2010Publication date: June 9, 2011Applicant: STMicroelectronics, S.r.I.Inventors: Marco Orazio CAVALLARO, Tino Copani, Giovanni Girlando, Giuseppe Palmisano
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Patent number: 7869524Abstract: A pulse generator circuit is provided. The pulse generator circuit has an input adapted to receive an input electrical quantity and an output at which an output electrical quantity is made available. A transfer characteristic establishes a relationship between said input and said output electrical quantities. The pulse generator circuit is adapted to provide said output electrical quantity in the form of pulses having a predetermined shape, suitable to be used for UWB transmission. The transfer characteristic has substantially a same shape as that of said pulses. Moreover, a UWB modulating system exploiting the novel pulse generator is proposed.Type: GrantFiled: December 23, 2005Date of Patent: January 11, 2011Assignee: STMicroelectronics, S.r.l.Inventors: Marco Orazio Cavallaro, Tino Copani, Giovanni Girlando, Giuseppe Palmisano
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Publication number: 20100109719Abstract: A prescaling stage includes bistable circuit in turn including respective master and slave portions inserted between a first and a second voltage reference and feedback connected to each other. Each portion is provided with at least one differential stage supplied by the first voltage reference and connected, by a transistor stage, to the second voltage reference, as well as a differential pair of cross-coupled transistors, supplied by output terminals of the differential stage and connected, by the transistor stage, to the second voltage reference. Advantageously, each master and slave portion includes a degeneration capacitance inserted in correspondence with respective terminals of the transistors of the differential pair.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 28, 2009Publication date: May 6, 2010Applicant: STMicroelectronics S.r.I.Inventors: Tino Copani, Santo Alessandro Smerzi, Giovanni Girlando, Giuseppe Palmisano
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Patent number: 7663414Abstract: A prescaling stage includes bistable circuit in turn including respective master and slave portions inserted between a first and a second voltage reference and feedback connected to each other. Each portion is provided with at least one differential stage supplied by the first voltage reference and connected, by a transistor stage, to the second voltage reference, as well as a differential pair of cross-coupled transistors, supplied by output terminals of the differential stage and connected, by the transistor stage, to the second voltage reference. Advantageously, each master and slave portion includes a degeneration capacitance inserted in correspondence with respective terminals of the transistors of the differential pair.Type: GrantFiled: May 31, 2005Date of Patent: February 16, 2010Assignee: STMicroelectronics S.r.l.Inventors: Tino Copani, Santo Alessandro Smerzi, Giovanni Girlando, Giuseppe Palmisano
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Patent number: 7288994Abstract: A converter is for a differential input signal into a single-ended output signal and may include a differential pair of identical first and second transistors driven by the differential input signal, and a circuit for filtering DC components, connected between the current terminal of the second transistor not in common with the first transistor of the differential pair and an output node of the converter on which the single-ended output signal is generated. The converter generates a single-ended signal without employing a transformer, in lieu thereof the converter may include a current generator biasing the differential pair by of third and fourth output transistors, in a current mirror configuration, connected in series with the first and second transistors, respectively. The converter may also include degeneration resistors of the transistors of the current mirror, dimensioned such that the gains of the converter for each of the two input nodes of the differential signal are equal and of opposite sign.Type: GrantFiled: January 23, 2006Date of Patent: October 30, 2007Assignee: STMicroelectronics S.r.l.Inventors: Tino Copani, Santo Alessandro Smerzi, Giovanni Girlando, Giuseppe Palmisano
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Patent number: 7245190Abstract: A silicon bipolar VCO implementing a double-coupled transformer is disclosed. The VCO circuit, which is suitable in the field of integrated RF circuits, has been integrated into a universal LNB having a down-converter block and PLL merged into a single die and implemented in silicon bipolar technology. The integrated transformer is formed by three turns of stacked metal layers, where the topmost metal layer is employed for the resonator inductance. The VCO is missing conventional biasing resistors and decoupling capacitors, thus improving phase noise and tuning range performance.Type: GrantFiled: February 14, 2005Date of Patent: July 17, 2007Assignee: STMicroelectronics S.r.l.Inventors: Tino Copani, Santo Alessandro Smerzi, Giovanni Girlando, Giuseppe Palmisano
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Publication number: 20070147477Abstract: A pulse generator circuit is provided. The pulse generator circuit has an input adapted to receive an input electrical quantity and an output at which an output electrical quantity is made available. A transfer characteristic establishes a relationship between said input and said output electrical quantities. The pulse generator circuit is adapted to provide said output electrical quantity in the form of pulses having a predetermined shape, suitable to be used for UWB transmission. The transfer characteristic has substantially a same shape as that of said pulses. Moreover, a UWB modulating system exploiting the novel pulse generator is proposed.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 23, 2005Publication date: June 28, 2007Inventors: Marco Cavallaro, Tino Copani, Giovanni Girlando, Giuseppe Palmisano
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Publication number: 20060186965Abstract: A converter is for a differential input signal into a single-ended output signal and may include a differential pair of identical first and second transistors driven by the differential input signal, and a circuit for filtering DC components, connected between the current terminal of the second transistor not in common with the first transistor of the differential pair and an output node of the converter on which the single-ended output signal is generated. The converter generates a single-ended signal without employing a transformer, in lieu thereof the converter may include a current generator biasing the differential pair by of third and fourth output transistors, in a current mirror configuration, connected in series with the first and second transistors, respectively. The converter may also include degeneration resistors of the transistors of the current mirror, dimensioned such that the gains of the converter for each of the two input nodes of the differential signal are equal and of opposite sign.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 23, 2006Publication date: August 24, 2006Applicant: STMicroelectronics S.r.I.Inventors: Tino Copani, Santo Smerzi, Giovanni Girlando, Giuseppe Palmisano
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Publication number: 20060181355Abstract: A silicon bipolar VCO implementing a double-coupled transformer is disclosed. The VCO circuit, which is suitable in the field of integrated RF circuits, has been integrated into a universal LNB having a down-converter block and PLL merged into a single die and implemented in silicon bipolar technology. The integrated transformer is formed by three turns of stacked metal layers, where the topmost metal layer is employed for the resonator inductance. The VCO is missing conventional biasing resistors and decoupling capacitors, thus improving phase noise and tuning range performance.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 14, 2005Publication date: August 17, 2006Applicant: STMicroelectronics S.r.I.Inventors: Tino Copani, Santo Smerzi, Giovanni Girlando, Giuseppe Palmisano
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Publication number: 20060038594Abstract: A prescaling stage includes bistable circuit in turn including respective master and slave portions inserted between a first and a second voltage reference and feedback connected to each other. Each portion is provided with at least one differential stage supplied by the first voltage reference and connected, by a transistor stage, to the second voltage reference, as well as a differential pair of cross-coupled transistors, supplied by output terminals of the differential stage and connected, by the transistor stage, to the second voltage reference. Advantageously, each master and slave portion includes a degeneration capacitance inserted in correspondence with respective terminals of the transistors of the differential pair.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 31, 2005Publication date: February 23, 2006Applicant: STMicroelectronics S.r.I.Inventors: Tino Copani, Santo Smerzi, Giovanni Girlando, Giuseppe Palmisano