Stmicroelectronics S.r.l.

Salvatore Pappalardo

Francesco Pulvirenti

Ignazio Bruno Mirabella

Alessandro Nicolosi

Calogero Ribellino

Filippo Marino

Aldo Vittorio Novelli

Angelo Genova

Salvatore Giuseppe Privitera

Leonardo Sala

Alberto De Marco

A power transistor supplying power to a load is coupled to a current limiter circuit including a differential amplifier that operates to detect a difference between a sense voltage, indicative of a load current, and a voltage reference. A control terminal of the power transistor is driven by a first output of the differential amplifier as a function of the detected difference. A voltage clamp circuit coupled to an input terminal generates a floating ground. A short-circuit protection circuit coupled to the floating ground and interposed between a second output of the differential amplifier and the control terminal of the power transistor provides a short-circuit protection for the first output of the differential amplifier. A reaction time circuit is coupled between the first and second outputs of the differential amplifier and a source terminal of the power transistor to limit a short-circuit current at the source terminal.

Current limiter, corresponding device and method

A radiation hardened memory cell includes an odd number of storage elements configured to redundantly store an input data logic signal. The storage elements include output lines for outputting respective logic signals having respective logic values. A logic combination network receives the respective logic signals and is configured to generate an output signal having a same logic value as a majority of the logic signals output from the storage elements. An exclusive logic sum circuit receives the respective logic signals output from the storage elements and is configured to produce a refresh of the logic data signal as stored in the storage elements when one of the logic signals output from the storage elements undergoes a logic value transition due to an error event.

Memory cell and corresponding device

A system for driving columns of a liquid crystal display includes logic circuitry operating in a supply path between a first and a second supply voltage in which the first supply voltage is higher than the second supply voltage. The logic circuitry is capable of generating first logic signals and second logic signals whose value is equal to the first or second supply voltage. The system includes two level shifters coupled to the logic circuitry and operating in a supply path between a third supply voltage greater than the first supply voltage and the second supply voltage; the level shifters are capable of raising the value of the second logic signals. The system also includes a first and a second pair of transistors having different supply paths and having an output terminal in common; the first and the second pair of transistors are coupled to the level shifters to determine the drive signal of a column. The system includes turnoff circuitry operating in a supply path between the third and the second supply voltage and coupled to the two level shifters. The turnoff circuitry is capable of keeping one of the two pairs of transistors in a turnoff state in the period of time of a frame when the other of the two pairs of transistors is operative.

System for driving columns of a liquid crystal display

A DC-DC converter having a current error amplifier and a voltage error amplifier connected in parallel to control the charging of the battery and a gradual turning off circuit for turning off gradually the current error amplifier in a battery charging end phase. In this way, the DC-DC converter is able to supply to the battery a battery charging current that remains constant until the battery full charge voltage is reached.

Method and apparatus for charging a battery

A DC-DC converter including a current error amplifier and a voltage error amplifier connected in parallel to control the charging phase of the battery, during which a charging current is supplied to the battery to bring the voltage of the battery gradually up to a full charge voltage; a charging interruption stage for interrupting the charging phase before the voltage of the battery has reached the full charge voltage; and an activation stage for activating the charging interruption stage when the full charge voltage is close to the supply potential at which the supply line of the current error amplifier is set.

Battery charger with current regulating circuit

In multi-phase driving systems of electric motors in a switching mode employing distinct integrated half-bridge output stages, the use of multiple external components for each integrated half-bridge stage to implement functions of adjustment of the switching dead-time and of disabling/enabling of the half-bridge stage can be avoided and an improved matching obtained by using single external components connected in common to the dedicated pins of all the distinct integrated half-bridge output stages. This is achieved by duplicating the disabling comparator, respectively for the power transistor of the pull-up branch and for the power transistor of the pull-down branch in each integrated half-bridge stage.

Growing community of inventors

Catania, Italy

Salvatore Pappalardo