Invention Grant
- Patent Title: On-die temperature sensor for integrated circuit
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Application No.: US15041022Application Date: 2016-02-10
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Publication No.: US10078016B2Publication Date: 2018-09-18
- Inventor: Sanjay K. Wadhwa
- Applicant: FREESCALE SEMICONDUCTOR, INC.
- Applicant Address: US TX Austin
- Assignee: NXP USA, INC.
- Current Assignee: NXP USA, INC.
- Current Assignee Address: US TX Austin
- Agent Charles E. Bergere
- Main IPC: G01K7/01
- IPC: G01K7/01 ; G01K13/00 ; G05F3/26

Abstract:
An on-die temperature sensor measures temperature during a temperature-measurement session. A PTAT (proportional-to-absolute-temperature) generator generates an analog PTAT voltage that is dependent on temperature. A ramp generator generates a changing, analog ramp voltage whose rate of change is dependent on the PTAT voltage, such that the rate of change of the ramp voltage is dependent on the temperature. A comparator compares the ramp voltage to a reference voltage to detect termination of the temperature-measurement session. A counter generates a count value based on the duration of the temperature-measurement session, where the count value is mapped to the measured temperature using a lookup table. The PTAT generator has (i) two npn-type bipolar devices that generate a base-to-emitter voltage difference that is dependent on temperature and function as an amplifier input stage and (ii) circuitry to generate base currents for the bipolar devices to avoid current loading at the PTAT output.
Public/Granted literature
- US20170227409A1 ON-DIE TEMPERATURE SENSOR FOR INTEGRATED CIRCUIT Public/Granted day:2017-08-10
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