公开(公告)号：US11789048B2

公开(公告)日：2023-10-17

申请号：US17340559

申请日：2021-06-07

Applicant: STMicroelectronics S.r.l.

Inventor： Vanni Poletto ,  Nicola Errico ,  Paolo Vilmercati ,  Marco Cignoli ,  Vincenzo Salvatore Genna ,  Diego Alagna

IPC: G01R19/165 ,  H01H47/02 ,  H01H47/32

CPC classification number: G01R19/1659 ,  H01H47/02 ,  H01H47/325

Abstract: An embodiment circuit comprises high-side and low-side switches arranged between supply and reference nodes, and having an intermediate node. A switching control signal is applied with opposite polarities to the high-side and low-side switches. An inductive load is coupled between the intermediate node and one of the supply and reference nodes. Current sensing circuitry is configured to sample a first value of the load current flowing in one of the high-side and low-side switches before a commutation of the switching control signal, sample a second value of the load current flowing in the other of the high-side and low-side switches after the commutation of the switching control signal, sample a third value of the load current flowing in the other of the high-side and low-side switches after the second sampling, and generate a failure signal as a function of the first, second and third sampled values of the load current.

公开(公告)号：US20220014187A1

公开(公告)日：2022-01-13

申请号：US17338157

申请日：2021-06-03

Applicant: STMicroelectronics (Rousset) SAS ,  STMicroelectronics S.r.l.

Inventor： Romeo Letor ,  Vanni Poletto ,  Antoine Pavlin ,  Alfio Russo ,  Nadia Lecci

IPC: H03K17/687 ,  H01S5/042

Abstract: In accordance with an embodiment, a pulse generator circuit includes: an LC resonant circuit coupled between a first node and a reference node; a first switch coupled between the first node and the reference node; a switching network comprising a second switch coupled between the first node and a respective drive node; and drive circuit having outputs coupled to the first switch and to the second switch of the switching network. The drive circuit configured to, in repeating cycles: close the first switch when a current flowing through an inductor of the LC resonant circuit increases during a resonant cycle, when the current flowing through the inductor reaches a threshold value, open the first switch, close the second switch of the switching network for a pulse duration time when the first switch is open, and open the second switch at an expiration of the pulse duration time.

公开(公告)号：US20210389351A1

公开(公告)日：2021-12-16

申请号：US17340559

申请日：2021-06-07

Applicant: STMicroelectronics S.r.l.

Inventor： Vanni Poletto ,  Nicola Errico ,  Paolo Vilmercati ,  Marco Cignoli ,  Vincenzo Salvatore Genna ,  Diego Alagna

IPC: G01R19/165 ,  H01H47/32 ,  H01H47/02

Abstract: An embodiment circuit comprises high-side and low-side switches arranged between supply and reference nodes, and having an intermediate node. A switching control signal is applied with opposite polarities to the high-side and low-side switches. An inductive load is coupled between the intermediate node and one of the supply and reference nodes. Current sensing circuitry is configured to sample a first value of the load current flowing in one of the high-side and low-side switches before a commutation of the switching control signal, sample a second value of the load current flowing in the other of the high-side and low-side switches after the commutation of the switching control signal, sample a third value of the load current flowing in the other of the high-side and low-side switches after the second sampling, and generate a failure signal as a function of the first, second and third sampled values of the load current.

公开(公告)号：US11139811B2

公开(公告)日：2021-10-05

申请号：US16854518

申请日：2020-04-21

Applicant: STMicroelectronics S.r.l.

Inventor： Giancarlo Ragone ,  Vanni Poletto

IPC: H03K17/08 ,  H03K17/082 ,  B60R21/017 ,  B60R21/01 ,  H03F3/45

Abstract: A drive circuit for airbag systems, for instance includes a differential transconductance amplifier having a first input node, a second input node, an output node coupled to the second input node via a feedback line; a transistor coupled between a drive node and a supply node configured to be coupled to a power supply source; a control node coupled to the control electrode of the transistor and the output node; a Zener diode arrangement having cathode and anode terminals coupled to the supply node and the first input node, respectively; a pull-up component arranged in parallel with the Zener diode arrangement; and an enable switch coupled to the first input node and referred to ground and switchable between a conductive state and a non-conductive state with the differential transconductance amplifier providing controlled current discharging/charging of the control node to make the transistor conductive/non-conductive, respectively.

公开(公告)号：US10983151B2

公开(公告)日：2021-04-20

申请号：US16521415

申请日：2019-07-24

Applicant: STMicroelectronics S.r.l.

Inventor： Vanni Poletto ,  Nicola Rogledi

IPC: G01R27/14 ,  H03M3/00

Abstract: A device to read a variable resistor has an analog to digital converter (ADC), a first switch and a second switch. The ADC has a first ADC input, a second ADC input and an ADC output. The first switch selectively couples a first voltage indicative of a voltage across a first resistance to the first ADC input. The second switch selectively couples a second voltage indicative of a voltage across a second resistance to the second ADC input. The ADC outputs a signal indicative of a value of the second resistance.

公开(公告)号：US10901444B2

公开(公告)日：2021-01-26

申请号：US16777275

申请日：2020-01-30

Applicant: STMicroelectronics S.r.l.

Inventor： Vanni Poletto ,  Biagio Provinzano

IPC: H03K17/042 ,  H03K17/16 ,  H03K17/687 ,  H03K19/003 ,  G05F1/575 ,  H03F3/45 ,  H03F3/50

Abstract: A (pre) driver circuit includes first and second output terminals configured to be coupled to a power transistor. A differential stage has non-inverting and inverting inputs for receiving an input voltage. The input voltage is replicated as an output voltage across the first and second output terminals as a drive signal for the power transistor. The differential stage includes a differential transconductance amplifier in a voltage follower arrangement configured to provide continuous regulation of a voltage at the first output terminal with respect to the second output terminal.

公开(公告)号：US10401408B2

公开(公告)日：2019-09-03

申请号：US15261126

申请日：2016-09-09

Applicant: STMicroelectronics S.r.l.

Inventor： Vanni Poletto ,  Nicola Rogledi

IPC: G01R27/14 ,  H03M3/00

Abstract: A device to read a variable resistor has an analog to digital converter (ADC), a first switch and a second switch. The ADC has a first ADC input, a second ADC input and an ADC output. The first switch selectively couples a first voltage indicative of a voltage across a first resistance to the first ADC input. The second switch selectively couples a second voltage indicative of a voltage across a second resistance to the second ADC input. The ADC outputs a signal indicative of a value of the second resistance.

公开(公告)号：US20190162759A1

公开(公告)日：2019-05-30

申请号：US16262521

申请日：2019-01-30

Applicant: STMICROELECTRONICS S.R.L.

Inventor： Vanni Poletto ,  Riccardo Miglierina ,  Antonio Davide Leone ,  Sergio Lecce

IPC: G01R19/165 ,  G01R31/34 ,  G11C27/02 ,  H03F3/45

CPC classification number: G01R19/1659 ,  G01R31/343 ,  G11C27/02 ,  H03F3/45179 ,  H03F2200/462

Abstract: A device measures the current in an inductive load using two separate current-measuring paths to detect the current in the inductive load. The inductive load is connected between first and second nodes, and the first node connected to a first voltage. The device includes first and second transistors cascaded together between the first node and a third node that is connected to a second voltage. First and second sense amplifiers measure the current in the inductive load. The first and second sense amplifiers are connected to at least one terminal of the first and second transistors. Two blocks sample and hold signals from the first and second sense amplifiers, which represent, respectively, the currents in the two separate current-measuring paths. The two currents are subtracted in a comparison node for generating an error signal that is compared with a predefined window and if outside the window a failure signal is generated.

公开(公告)号：US20180287597A1

公开(公告)日：2018-10-04

申请号：US16001682

申请日：2018-06-06

Applicant: STMicroelectronics S.r.l.

Inventor： Vanni Poletto ,  Andrea Maino

IPC: H03K5/1532 ,  H03K7/08 ,  H02P27/08

CPC classification number: H03K5/1532 ,  H02P7/02 ,  H02P7/025 ,  H02P7/04 ,  H02P27/085 ,  H03K7/08 ,  H03K17/165 ,  H03K17/689

Abstract: A ringing peak detector circuit includes an input buffer receives a pair of differential feedback signals indicating a drain-source voltage of the at least one low side electronic switch. The input buffer generates shifted differential feedback signals having a common mode voltage that is equal to approximately one half of the supply voltage. A peak detector circuit is coupled to the input buffer to receive the shifted differential voltage signals. The peak detector circuit detects a peak value of an oscillation on the inductive electric load and to generate an output signal indicating the detected peak value. A circuit generates a control signal based on the detected peak value and a maximum value, with the control signal being applied to the inductive electrical load driver to control switching of the at least one low side switch.

公开(公告)号：US09929731B2

公开(公告)日：2018-03-27

申请号：US15275363

申请日：2016-09-24

Applicant: STMicroelectronics S.r.l

Inventor： Daniele Zella ,  Vanni Poletto ,  Mauro Foppiani

IPC: H03K3/00 ,  H03K17/687 ,  G05F3/26 ,  H03K17/60

CPC classification number: H03K17/6872 ,  G05F3/26 ,  H03K17/60 ,  H03K17/687

Abstract: In one embodiment, a (pre)driver circuit includes first and a second output terminal for driving an electronic switch that includes a control terminal and a current path through the switch. The arrangement can operate in one or more first driving configurations (e.g., for PMOS), with the first and second output terminals are coupled to the current path and the control electrode of the electronic switch, respectively, and one or more second driving configurations (e.g., for NMOS, both HS and LS), wherein the first and second output terminals of the driver circuit are coupled to the control electrode and the current path of the electronic switch, respectively.