Sgs-thomson Microelectronics S.r.l.

Stmicroelectronics S.r.l.

Giorgio Rossi

Sergio Lecce

Franco Cocetta

Davide Luigi Brambilla

Fabio Marchio

Daniela Nebuloni

Rinaldo Graziadei

Liana Luoni

Carlo Caimi

Matteo Brivio

Fabio Marchio'

Massimo Grasso

Enrico Novarini

Luigi Anzini

Fabio Marchioo

An electronic device includes an electronic component having terminals including a set of first terminals and a set of second terminals, a protective package embedding the electronic component, leads exposed from the protective package including a set of first leads and a set of second leads, for each first lead a first electrical connection inside the protection package between the first lead and a corresponding one of the first terminals, and for each second lead electrical connections inside the protective package each one between the second lead and a corresponding one of the second terminals. For each second lead the electronic component includes test structures, each being coupled between a corresponding one of the second terminals connected to the second lead and a corresponding test one of the first terminals connected to a test one of the first leads.

Continuity test in electronic devices with multiple-connection leads

An integrated self-powered and switching electronic circuit regulates a stable reference voltage and comprises a band-gap voltage generator to produce said stable reference voltage for a system circuit block that is generally supplied by the output of the band-gap generator through a comparator and an error amplifier. A regulating loop is provided between the output of the system block and the input of the voltage generator circuit to supply a voltage signal produced by the output of the system block. Advantageously, the voltage generator circuit incorporates both the comparator and the error amplifier.

Switching type bandgap controller

A current generator circuit with controllable frequency response has at least one current mirror formed of MOS transistors, being powered through a terminal held at a constant voltage, having an input leg through which a reference current (I1) is driven by a first current generator (G1), and having an output leg for generating, on an output terminal (OUT) of the mirror, a mirrored current (I.sub.out) which is proportional to the reference current (I1). The input leg includes at least a first transistor (M1) which is diode-connected and has a control terminal (Ga1) coupled to a corresponding terminal (Ga2) of a second transistor (M2) included in the output leg. In accordance with the invention, the mirror circuit also has an impedance matching circuit connected across the control terminals (Ga1 and Ga2) of the first and second transistors and configured to hold the same voltage value at both terminals (Ga1 and Ga2). The impedance matching circuit has an adjustable output impedance, specifically lower in value than the value to be had without this circuit. It functions to regulate the impedance on the control node (Ga2) of the second transistor (M2). The invention is equally applicable to N-channel and P-channel MOS transistors. Advantageously, the reference current can be varied by an external signal which is a function of the output signal, to provide feedback regulating features.

Current generator circuit having a wide frequency response

A circuit for the controlled recycle without oscillation of a discharge current from an inductive load. The circuit comprises an active element connected, in series with the inductive load, between first and second power supply terminals, and having a control terminal to which a driver circuit is connected. The circuit further includes a recycling regulating circuitry connected to a connection node between the active element and the inductive load, and sensitive to a voltage threshold at the connection node to generate, depending on attainment of that threshold, a power-on signal for application to the control terminal effective to start up recycling of the discharge current through the active element. The circuit further comprises a control circuit for controlling the voltage oscillation at the connection node at the end of the recycling. The control circuit includes a circuit having a relatively low resistive impedance and being selectively connectable, at least upon the active element being turned off at the end of the recycling, between the connection node and a node having a substantially zero impedance toward at least one of the first and second power supply terminals.

Circuit for the controlled recycle without oscillation of a discharge

A circuit controllably and independently recycles the discharge current of a plurality of inductive loads that are connected between first and second power supply terminals. For each of the loads, an active element for driving the inductive load is provided, as well as a regulator for controlling the recycling of the discharge current from the respective load, which is connected to the control terminal of the active element and to a node for connection between the active element and the respective inductive load.

Circuit and method for controlled independent recycle of discharge

A current generator circuit with controllable frequency response has at least one current mirror formed of MOS transistors, being powered through a terminal held at a constant voltage, having an input leg through which a reference current (I1) is driven by a first current generator (G1), and having an output leg for generating, on an output terminal (OUT) of the mirror, a mirrored current (I.sub.out) which is proportional to the reference current (I1). The input leg includes at least a first transistor (M1) which is diode-connected and has a control terminal (Ga1) coupled to a corresponding terminal (Ga2) of a second transistor (M2) included in the output leg by an impedance matching circuit configured to hold the same voltage value at both terminals (Ga1 and Ga2). The impedance matching circuit has an adjustable output impedance, specifically lower in value than the value to be had without this circuit. It functions to regulate the impedance on the control node (Ga2) of the second transistor (M2). The invention is equally applicable to N-channel and P-channel MOS transistors. Advantageously, the reference current can be varied by an external signal which is a function of the output signal, to provide feedback regulating features.

The invention concerns a circuit for limiting the maximum current to be supplied to a load through a power MOS, being an improvement of the limiting circuitry which uses an equalizing capacitor. The addition of circuitry with a one-way current flow between a terminal of the equalizing capacitor and the gate terminal of the power MOS is effective to lower the voltage across the capacitor and to speed up its charging process, thereby making the current limiting action expected from the circuit a timely one. The circuitry which limits current flow to one direction may include a second MOS of the same type as the power MOS. In this way, any deviations of the power MOS from its designed operation, e.g. due to its manufacturing process variation and thermal drift phenomena, can also be compensated.

Circuit for limiting the maximum current value supplied to a load by a

A circuit for controlled discharge of energy stored in an inductive load, comprising an active semiconductor device (T) connected serially with the inductive load (L) between first and second terminals of a voltage supply source and having a control terminal for connection to a driver circuit (C), and a control circuit (R1, R2, COMP) connected between the inductive load and said control terminal. The control circuit comprises a voltage divider (R1, R2) connected between the inductive load (L) and the first terminal of the voltage supply source, and a comparator (COMP) having first and second input terminals respectively connected to the voltage divider and to a voltage reference and an output terminal which is coupled to the control terminal of the active element (T).

Temperature stable circuit for controlled current discharge during the

A circuit for temperature compensating the inverse saturation current of a bipolar transistor having a collector region, base and emitter regions defining a base-emitter junction is disclosed. A diode element having substantially said same saturation current is parallel-connected in reverse configuration to said base-emitter junction of the bipolar transistor. If the bipolar transistor is NPN type, the diode has an anode and cathode connected respective to the emitter and base regions of the transistor.

Structure for temperature compensating the inverse saturation current of

An integrated coupling circuit for coupling a modulator to a ceramic filter in amplitude modulation receivers, which modulator includes an output stage comprising a pair of differential cells parallel-connected to each other. The coupling circuit comprises a pair of transistors connected to each other through their respective bases and forming a bridge circuit with a diode and third transistor. Each transistor in the pair is connected in a cascode configuration and powered from a respective current mirror circuit connected to an output terminal of the modulator.

Integrating coupling circuit for coupling a modulator to a ceramic

A mixer dynamic control (MDC) system for an AM superheterodyne receiver prevents saturation of the mixer stage caused by out-of-tune signals much more effectively than a so-called wide band RF-AGC system of the known art. The system contemplates detecting the converted IF signal before the band filter, amplifying the detected signal, extracting the dc component thereof and summing such a dc component to a dc control signal generated by a narrow band AGC and applying such a sum signal in lieu of the sole narrow band AGC system's control signal.

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Nerviano, Italy

Giorgio Rossi