Stmicroelectronics Gmbh

Other

Stmicroelectronics S.r.l.

Sgs-thomson Microelectronics Limited

Stmicroelectronics (alps) Sas

Gm Global Technolgoy Operations, Inc.

Stmicroelectronics (grenoble 2) Sas

David F Swanson

Vanni Poletto

Giovanni Luca Torrisi

Mauro Merlo

Laurent Chevalier

Marcello Criscione

James Edward Stewart

Franco Cocetta

Stephen Wayne Anderson

Joseph Notaro

Michael K Lam

A circuit for controlling a first plurality of transistors connected in parallel and a second plurality of transistors connected in parallel, includes: a first plurality of stages, a respective one of the first plurality of stages being configured to supply a first control signal to a respective one of the first plurality of transistors; and a second plurality of stages, a respective one of the second plurality of stages being configured to supply a second control signal to a respective one of the second plurality of transistors. An output current of the respective one of the first plurality of stages is regulated based on a difference between a first value representative of a sum of output currents of each stage of the first plurality of stages and a second value representative of a sum of set points assigned to the first plurality of stages.

Control circuit for power switch

An integrated circuit is configured for controlling automobile door lock motors. The circuit includes half-bridge driver circuits, with each half-bridge driver circuit having an output node configured to be coupled to a door lock motor. A control circuit is configured to control driver operation of the half-bridge driver circuits. A current regulator circuit senses current sourced by or sunk by at least one of the half-bridge circuits. The control circuit responds to the current regulator circuit and the sensed current by controlling the driver operation to provide for a regulated current to be sourced by or sunk by said half-bridge circuit. The control circuit further controls the half-bridge driver circuits to enter a tri-state mode in order to support the making of BEMF measurements on the motor.

Integrated circuit for motor drive controller applications

A method for determining a rotor position in a DC motor having a plurality of windings, including a rotor winding and a plurality of stator windings begins with producing a changing current flow in a pulsed winding to induce a response signal in other windings of the motor. The pulsed winding may be the rotor winding or selected ones of the stator windings. If the pulsed winding is the rotor winding, response signals induced in at least two of the stator windings are analyzed compute the rotor position. If the pulsed winding is the stator winding, response signals induced from pulsing at least two stator windings are sensed in the rotor winding and analyzed compute the rotor position. A system for computing a rotor position may include comparators for comparing induced response signals in stator windings.

Method and system for determining a rotor position in a wound field DC motor

An LED driver circuit and method are disclosed where a plurality of arrays of light emitting diodes each have a transistor connected to each respective array of light emitting diodes. A PWM controller has an input for receiving a voltage reference and an output connected to selected transistors for driving the selected transistors and setting a PWM duty cycle for the selected arrays of light emitting diodes to determine the brightness of selected light emitting diodes. An oscillator is connected to the PWM controller for driving the PWM controller.

LED driver circuit and method

A system and method regulates an alternator charging system and includes a memory for storing and regulating voltages used at specific temperatures for the specific alternator charging system requirements of an alternator. A circuit generates a digital signal indicative of both temperature of a battery supplied by the alternator charging system and the charging system voltage. A digital comparator receives the digital signal and compares the digital signal with the regulating voltage stored within the memory for the specific temperature that is indicative of the temperature of the battery supplied by the alternator charging system to generate a regulator control signal.

Programmable system and method for regulating an alternator

A system and method regulates an alternator and includes a circuit for digitally generating a sawtooth waveform. An error amplifier circuit generates a divided down and error amplified alternator system voltage. A comparator circuit receives and compares to each other the digitally generated sawtooth waveform and the error amplified alternator system voltage and has an output to produce an alternator field input signal used for driving the field of an alternator.

System and method for regulating an alternator

An LED driver circuit and method are disclosed where an array of light emitting diodes have a transistor connected to each respective array of light emitting diodes. A PWM controller has an input for receiving a voltage reference and an output connected to selected transistors for driving selected transistors and setting a PWM duty cycle for the selected arrays of light emitting diodes to determine the brightness of selected light emitting diodes. An oscillator is connected to the PWM controller for driving the PWM controller.

A catalytic converter of an engine, such as might be found in an automotive engine system, is capable of being quickly and electrically heated in order to reduce pollution emissions during critical cold start conditions. During cold start conditions, i.e. upon starting the engine, for a predetermined period of time the catalytic converter directly receives electrical power via a quick heating path connecting a catalyst power switch to the catalytic converter. Following the predetermined period of time after which the catalytic converter has been electrically heated, the catalyst power switch is connected to a junction block, such as a starter motor assembly, of the automotive engine system via a normal path.

Generator power electrically heated catalyst system

A liquid level sensor unit outputs a voltage value, which corresponds to a measured liquid level, to an anti-slosh circuit that provides a fast timing rate during the initial condition of the circuit and a slow timing rate during the normal operation of the circuit. The anti-slosh circuit further includes a low liquid level warning circuit and a power-on-reset circuit. The system timing rate can be externally controlled by connecting an RC circuit to the improved anti-slosh circuit. A customer defined reference level for low liquid warning is also possible. The entire circuit is included on a single, monolithic integrated circuit. An input pin receives the signal from the fuel tank. An output pin drives a liquid level gauge.

Liquid-level gauge driver circuit

A liquid level sensor unit outputs a voltage value which corresponding to a measured liquid level to an improved anti-slosh circuit that provides a fast timing rate during the initial condition of the circuit and a slow timing rate during the normal operation of the circuit. The improved anti-slosh circuit further includes a low liquid level warning circuit and a power-on-reset circuit. The system timing rate can be externally controlled by connecting an RC circuit to the improved anti-slosh circuit. Customer defined reference level for low liquid warning is also possible. The entire circuit is included on a single, monolithic integrated circuit. An input pin receives the signal from the fuel tank. An output pin drives a liquid level gauge.

Liquid level gauge interface system having dynamic offset

An electrical power protection integrated circuit provides protection against reverse battery and overvoltage conditions that is particularly of value in automotive applications in which reverse battery and overvoltage conditions are commonplace. The electrical power protection integrated circuit device contains a reverse battery condition protection element, supplied either directly or indirectly from a battery power source, that protects against a reverse battery condition of the battery power source and an overvoltage protection element coupled to the reverse battery condition protection device that protects against an overvoltage condition of the battery power source and produces a protected power output that is isolated from both battery overvoltage and reverse battery voltage conditions. Additionally, the integrated circuit device can further produce an auxiliary protected power output that is isolated from reverse battery voltage conditions.

Integrated supply protection

A circuit for driving a motor used to control the HVAC blend door in an automobile is disclosed. The circuit includes an amplifier circuit, an motor, and a three state driver circuit. The driver circut includes three NPN bipolar transistors and two PNP bipolar transistors configured such that the output of the three state driver circuit is turned off if the input is at a intermediate voltage. The output of the three state driver circuit is at a high voltage if the input is at a low voltage. Conversely, the output of the three state driver circuit is at low voltage when the input is at a high voltage.

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Howell, MI, United States of America

David F Swanson