Patent application number | Description | Published |
20080196491 | INTEGRATED PRESSURE SENSOR WITH A HIGH FULL-SCALE VALUE - In an integrated pressure sensor with a high full-scale value, a monolithic body of semiconductor material has a first and a second main surface, opposite and separated by a substantially uniform distance. The monolithic body has a bulk region, having a sensitive portion next to the first main surface, upon which pressure acts. A first piezoresistive detection element is integrated in the sensitive portion and has a variable resistance as a function of the pressure. The bulk region is a solid and compact region and has a thickness substantially equal to the distance. | 08-21-2008 |
20080223143 | PRESSURE SENSOR HAVING A HIGH FULL-SCALE VALUE WITH PACKAGE THEREOF - A pressure sensor including a pressure-sensor element having a monolithic body of semiconductor material, and a first main face and a second main face acting on which is a stress resulting from a pressure, the value of which is to be determined; and a package enclosing the pressure-sensor element. The package has an inner chamber containing liquid material, and the pressure-sensor element is arranged within the inner chamber in such a manner that the first and second main faces are both in contact with the liquid material. In particular, the liquid material is a silicone gel. | 09-18-2008 |
20090184744 | DRIVING CONFIGURATION OF A SWITCH - A driving circuit of a switch includes first and second transistors connected in series to each other and to relative intrinsic diodes in antiseries and driven by a driving device that includes at least one first and one second output terminal connected to the switch to supply it with a first control signal for driving the switch in a first working state and a second control signal for driving the switch in a second working state. At least one latch circuit coupled between respective common gate and source terminals of the first and second transistors supplies the common gate terminal with the first and second control signals, respectively, according to the working state to turn off and turn on the first and second transistors. The latch circuit comprises at least one flip-flop coupled to the common source terminal and having a reset terminal coupled to the first output terminal of the driving device and to the common source terminal by means of a reset resistance, a set terminal coupled to the second output terminal of the driving device and to the common source terminal by means of a set resistance and an output terminal coupled to the common gate terminal. The latch circuit further includes an activation circuit connected to the set and reset terminals of the flip-flop and to the common source terminal in order to dynamically short-circuit the set and reset resistances during the falling edges of the signal applied to the switch. | 07-23-2009 |
20100019617 | CAPACITIVE POSITION SENSING IN AN ELECTROSTATIC MICROMOTOR - An electrostatic micromotor is provided with a fixed substrate, a mobile substrate facing the fixed substrate, and electrostatic-interaction elements enabling a relative movement of the mobile substrate with respect to the fixed substrate in a movement direction; the electrostatic micromotor is also provided with a capacitive position-sensing structure configured to enable sensing of a relative position of the mobile substrate with respect to the fixed substrate in the movement direction. The capacitive position-sensing structure is formed by sensing indentation, extending within the mobile substrate from a first surface thereof, and by first sensing electrode, facing, in given operating condition, the sensing indentation. | 01-28-2010 |
20100026137 | SILICON ELECTROSTATIC MICROMOTOR WITH INDENTATIONS, IN PARTICULAR FOR PROBE-STORAGE SYSTEMS - In an electrostatic micromotor, a mobile substrate faces a fixed substrate, and electrostatic-interaction elements are provided to allow a relative movement of the mobile substrate with respect to the fixed substrate in a direction of movement. The electrostatic-interaction elements include electrodes arranged on a facing surface of the fixed substrate ( | 02-04-2010 |
20100026138 | ELECTROSTATIC MICROMOTOR WITH STATOR AND ROTOR IN CONTACT, IN PARTICULAR FOR PROBE-STORAGE SYSTEMS - In an electrostatic micromotor, a mobile substrate faces a fixed substrate and is suspended over the fixed substrate at a given distance of separation in an operative resting condition; an actuation unit is configured so as to give rise to a relative movement of the mobile substrate with respect to the fixed substrate in a direction of movement during an operative condition of actuation. The actuation unit is also configured so as to bring the mobile substrate and the fixed substrate substantially into contact and to keep them in contact during the operative condition of actuation. The electrostatic micromotor is provided with an electronic unit for reducing friction, configured so as to reduce a friction generated by the contact between the rotor substrate and the stator substrate during the relative movement. | 02-04-2010 |
20100164582 | DRIVING CONFIGURATION OF A SWITCH - A circuit includes a switch, having first and second transistors, and a driving device for driving the switch. A latch circuit, coupled between respective common gate and source terminals of the first and second transistors, supplies the common gate terminal with first and second control signals to turn off and on the first and second transistors. The latch circuit comprises a flip-flop coupled to the common source terminal and having a reset terminal coupled to the common source terminal by a reset resistance, a set terminal coupled to the common source terminal by a set resistance and an output terminal coupled to the common gate terminal. The latch circuit further includes an activation circuit connected to the set and reset terminals of the flip-flop and to the common source terminal to dynamically short-circuit the set and reset resistances during the falling edges of the signal applied to the switch. | 07-01-2010 |
20110058465 | MICROELECTROMECHANICAL DEVICE HAVING AN ELECTROMAGNETIC MICROMOTOR, IN PARTICULAR MASS STORAGE DEVICE MADE BY PROBE STORAGE TECHNOLOGY - A microelectromechanical device that includes a fixed supporting body, at least one semiconductor body, which is movable with respect to the fixed supporting body, and at least one micromotor for moving the semiconductor body with respect to the fixed supporting body, the micromotor having at least one permanent magnet and a coil, which are coupled together and are movable with respect to one another. A ferromagnetic guide is coupled to the magnet and is shaped so as to concentrate lines of magnetic field generated by the magnet towards the coil. | 03-10-2011 |
20120235744 | DRIVING METHOD FOR OBTAINING A GAIN LINEAR VARIATION OF A TRANSCONDUCTANCE AMPLIFIER AND CORRESPONDENCE DRIVING CIRCUIT - The disclosure relates to a driving method for obtaining a linear gain variation of a transconductance amplifier that includes a first differential transistor cell, with adjustment of a driving voltage value of a degenerative driving transistor of the transconductance amplifier The method includes generating an output current signal of a second differential cell corresponding to the first differential transistor cell of the transconductance amplifier, the output current signal having a linear relationship with a transconductance value of the second differential cell as the driving voltage varies; generating a reference current signal having a linear relationship with a differential input voltage; comparing the output current signal and the reference current signal for adjusting the driving voltage value; and modifying the transconductance value of the second differential cell up to a balance of the current signals. | 09-20-2012 |
20120249216 | HIGH VOLTAGE SWITCH CONFIGURATION - A High Voltage switch configuration having an input terminal which receives an input signal and an output terminal which issues an output signal to a load. The High Voltage switch configuration comprises at least a first and a second diode, being placed in antiseries between said input and output terminals and having a pair of corresponding terminals in common, in correspondence of a first internal circuit node. | 10-04-2012 |
20120262221 | LOW VOLTAGE ISOLATION SWITCH, IN PARTICULAR FOR A TRANSMISSION CHANNEL FOR ULTRASOUND APPLICATIONS - A low voltage isolation switch is coupled between an input terminal suitable for receiving a high voltage signal and an output terminal suitable for transmitting this high voltage signal to a load. The isolation switch includes a first driving transistor coupled between a first reference terminal and an intermediate node, a second driving transistor coupled between the intermediate node and the second reference terminal, a control transistor connected across a diode block coupled between the input and output terminals. The control transistor has a control terminal connected to the intermediate node through a low voltage decoupling block that includes first and second substrate terminals, first and second parasitic capacitive element connected to these first and second substrate terminals, and first and second decoupling transistors coupled in parallel to each other and having control terminals connected to the first and second parasitic capacitive elements, respectively. | 10-18-2012 |
20120268186 | TRANSMISSION CHANNEL FOR ULTRASOUND APPLICATIONS - A transmission channel includes at least one high voltage buffer block having buffer transistors and respective buffer diodes, being electrically coupled between respective voltage reference terminals, these buffer transistors being also coupled to a clamping block, in turn including clamping transistors connected to at least one output terminal of this transmission channel through diodes coupled to prevent the body diodes of the clamping transistors from conducting. The transmission channel includes at least one reset circuit having diodes and being electrically coupled between circuit nodes of the high voltage buffer block and of the clamping block, these circuit nodes being in correspondence with conduction terminals of the transistors comprised into the high voltage buffer block and into the clamping block. | 10-25-2012 |
20120299643 | DRIVING CIRCUIT FOR A CIRCUIT GENERATING AN ULTRASONIC PULSE, IN PARTICULAR AN ULTRA-SONIC TRANSDUCER, AND CORRESPONDING DRIVING METHOD - A driving circuit has output terminal connected to an ultrasonic transducer and provides an output voltage. The driving circuit includes an output transistor coupled between a voltage reference and the output terminal, a high voltage comparator coupled to said output terminal and to a threshold voltage reference), a start-up circuit controlled by a setting signal; and a switching ON/OFF circuit having an input coupled to the start-up circuit an input coupled to the comparator, and an output coupled to a control terminal of the output transistor. The start-up circuit provides an ON signal to the switching on/off circuit and the comparator provides an OFF signal to the switching on/off circuit which switches off the output transistor. The high voltage comparator generates the switching off signal in response to the output voltage reaching a desired supply voltage value which depends on the value of the first threshold voltage reference. | 11-29-2012 |
20120313689 | LOW VOLTAGE ISOLATION SWITCH, IN PARTICULAR FOR A TRANSMISSION CHANNEL FOR ULTRASOUND APPLICATIONS - A low voltage isolation circuit is coupled between an input terminal for receiving a high voltage signal and an output terminal for transmitting the high voltage signal to a load. The isolation circuit includes a driving block; having a first driving transistor coupled between a first voltage reference and an intermediate node and a second driving transistor coupled between the intermediate node and a second voltage reference; an isolation block connected between the input and output terminals and, through a protection block to the intermediate node. The protection block includes first and second protection transistors (MD | 12-13-2012 |
20130255381 | MAGNETIC INERTIAL SENSOR AND METHOD FOR OPERATING THE SAME - An inertial sensor having a body with an excitation coil and a first sensing coil extending along a first axis. A suspended mass includes a magnetic-field concentrator, in a position corresponding to the excitation coil, and configured for displacing by inertia in a plane along the first axis. A supply and sensing circuit is electrically coupled to the excitation coil and to the first sensing coil, and is configured for generating a time-variable flow of electric current that flows in the excitation coil so as to generate a magnetic field that interacts with the magnetic-field concentrator to induce a voltage/current in the sensing coil. The integrated circuit is configured for measuring a value of the voltage/current induced in the first sensing coil so as to detect a quantity associated to the displacement of the suspended mass along the first axis. | 10-03-2013 |
20130265100 | LOW VOLTAGE ISOLATION SWITCH, IN PARTICULAR FOR A TRANSMISSION CHANNEL FOR ULTRASOUND APPLICATIONS - A low voltage isolation switch is suitable for receiving from a connection node a high voltage signal and transmitting said high voltage signal to a load via a connection terminal. The isolation switch includes a driving block connected between first and second voltage reference terminals and including a first driving transistor coupled between the first voltage reference (Vss) and a first driving circuit node and a second driving transistor coupled between the driving circuit node and the second supply voltage reference. The switch comprises an isolation block connected to the connection terminal (pzt), the connection node, and the driving central circuit node and including a voltage limiter block, a diode block and a control transistor. The control transistor is connected across the diode block between the connection node and the connection terminal and has a control terminal connected to the driving central circuit node. | 10-10-2013 |
20140055188 | TRANSMISSION CHANNEL FOR ULTRASOUND APPLICATIONS - A transmission channel configured to transmit high-voltage pulses and to receive echos of the high-voltage pulses includes a high voltage buffer, a voltage clamp and a switch. The voltage clamp may include clamping transistors and switching off transistors coupled together in series with body diodes in anti-series. The transmission channel may include a reset circuit configured to bias the transmission channel between pulses. The switch may include a bootstrap circuit. | 02-27-2014 |