Abstract:
A voltage regulator for electrically programmable non-volatile memory cells includes a gain stage which is supplied a voltage from a voltage booster connected to a supply voltage reference, having an input terminal connected to an output of a voltage divider and an output terminal connected to a pull-up transistor of a pull-up and pull-down differential pair to output the regulated voltage for programming at least one column or bit line of the memory cells. The voltage regulator also includes a second gain stage having an input terminal connected to a second output of the voltage divider. The second stage has an output connected to turn on the pull-down transistor in the complementary pair upon the regulated voltage exceeding a predetermined value.
Abstract:
The torque characteristic of an electrically driven brushless motor may be optimized by driving the phase windings of the motor with predefined, digitized and stored current or voltage profiles. Appropriate sequences of digital samples of the predefined driving profile are sequentially read from a nonvolatile memory where they are permanently stored to drive, through a DAC, the relative winding of the motor in synchronism with a signal representative of the rotor position.
Abstract:
A MOS-gated power device integrated structure comprises a plurality of elementary units formed in a semiconductor material layer of a first conductivity type. Each elementary unit is formed in a body stripe of a second conductivity type. There are a plurality of body stripes of the second conductivity type extending substantially in parallel to each other and at least one source region of the first conductivity type disposed within each body stripe. A conductive gate layer is insulatively disposed over the semiconductor material layer between the body stripes in the form of a first web structure. A second web structure of the second conductivity type is formed in the semiconductor material layer and comprises an annular frame portion surrounding the plurality of bodystripes and at least one first elongated stripe extending between two sides of the annular frame portion in a direction substantially orthogonal to the body stripes and that is merged at each end with the annular frame portion. The body stripes are divided by the at least one first elongated stripe into at least two groups of body stripes, wherein one end of each body stripe is merged with the annular frame portion of the second conductivity type and the other end is merged with the at least one first elongated stripe. A conductive gate finger is insulatively disposed above the first elongated stripe and is part of the first web structure. A conductive gate ring surrounds the conductive gate layer and the conductive gate finger and completes the first web structure. A metal gate finger is disposed above the conductive gate finger and is merged at its ends with a metal gate ring structure disposed above the conductive gate ring to provide a third web structure. Source metal plates cover the at least two groups of body stripes and contact each source region and each body stripe to form a source electrode of the power device. A bottom surface of the semiconductor material layer forms a drain of the power device.
Abstract:
A bit line selection decoder for an electronic memory having a plurality of bit lines in a plurality of groups includes a first set of a plurality of switches, each switch for selecting one of the plurality of bit lines in response to a control signal from a set of control lines applied to each group of bit lines. A second set of a plurality of switches is provided wherein each switch selects one group of the plurality of bit lines. The bit line selection decoder also includes a decoder which has a first input bus of control lines and a second input bus of control lines, wherein the control lines from the first and second input bus address any one of the plurality of groups of bit lines. The decoder has a plurality of outputs, wherein each output drives one switch in the second set of switches. The decoder may include a plurality of modules. Each module has a first input connected to receive one of the control lines from the second bus and a second input connected to receive the control lines of the first bus. The module includes a mechanism for activating a first output according to a combination of the first input and one of the control lines from the second input and a mechanism for activating a second output according to a combination of the first input and another of the control lines from the second input.
Abstract:
A charge pump voltage booster circuit with control feedback of the type comprising an output line connected to a load and on which is produced an output voltage boosted in relation to a supply voltage and a feedback loop incorporating a charge pump connected to said line and a control logic circuit of said pump interlocked with a comparator having an input connected to the line comprises also an auxiliary charge pump connected in turn to said line and designed to supply a quantity of current greater than or equal to the leakage currents of the load in stand-by condition. The auxiliary pump has current consumption much lower than that of the main charge pump. In addition, upon emerging from the off state there is provided starting of the main charge pump for a brief time period sufficient to take the booster output to a sufficient value.
Abstract:
The switch of this invention has two conduction terminals and basically consists of the parallel coupling, across the two conduction terminals, of a first N-channel MOS transistor and second P-channel MOS transistor. The first MOS transistor will be conducting when the signal applied to the conduction terminals has a first polarity, and the second MOS transistor will be conducting when the signal applied to the conduction terminals has a second polarity. Advantageously, if two unidirectional conduction circuit elements are respectively connected in series with the main conduction paths of the two MOS transistors, the drain/body junctions of the latter will never be conducting regardless of the way the switch is connected.
Abstract:
A temperature-compensated high-speed timing circuit, which is particularly advantageous in read-interface circuits for disk-drive interface. The voltage on the integrating capacitor is compared against a voltage defined by the drop, on a resistor, induced by a current which is the combination of a reference current from a reference current generator with a temperature-dependent current from another current generator.
Abstract:
A current generator stage for integrated analog circuits includes a current source connected between a supply voltage and a ground terminal. A current mirror is operationally connected to the current source to generate an output current. A bias circuit is operationally connected to the current source to perform switching of the current source from a first operating mode to a second operating mode. The bias circuit includes an energy storage circuit which, in a first circuit configuration, supplies to the current source a first predetermined voltage when the current source is in the first operating mode. The energy storage circuit in a second circuit configuration is a combination of first and second reactances to supply to the current source a second predetermined voltage when the current source is in the second operating mode.
Abstract:
A single-pole negative feedback D-class amplifier having first and second input terminals for coupling to a signal source and an output terminal through which it transfers pulse modulated signals to a demodulating filter. A first resistor is feedback connected between the output terminal and an input circuit node connected to the second input terminal. A second resistor is connected between the input circuit node and the second input terminal. A capacitor is connected between the input circuit node and the first input terminal.
Abstract:
A circuit for generating and resetting timing signals used for reading a memory device, includes first detecting circuit means for detecting a state transition of address digital signals of the memory device, the detecting means being suitable of generating a start digital signal of a read operation represented by a digital pulse of a prescribed duration upon a state transition of at least one of said address signals, second circuit means activated by said start signal for generating a timing signal for the read operation of the memory device, and third circuit means driven by said start digital signal for generating resetting signals for said timing signals, and fourth circuit means for detecting than said start signal has a duration shorter that said prescribed duration and for determining a consequent extension of the duration of said start signal sufficient to assure the generation of said resetting signals.