Reference circuit for metrology system
First Claim
1. An integrated circuit comprising:
- a plurality of sensors implemented in corresponding ones of one or more functional circuit blocks;
a metrology control circuit including;
a reference sensor, wherein the reference sensor is implemented using a circuit topology identical to each of the plurality of sensors and has substantially same operating characteristics as each of the plurality of sensors;
a precision voltage generation circuit configured to provide a known voltage value to the reference sensor, wherein the precision voltage generation circuit is separate and distinct from respective voltage sources coupled to each of the plurality of sensors;
a precision temperature sensing circuit in close proximity to the reference sensor; and
a processing circuit configured to correlate readings received from the reference sensor to a voltage received from the precision voltage generation circuit and the precision temperature sensing circuit, and further configured to calibrate each of the plurality of sensors based on the correlated readings.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Reference center circuitry for a metrology system is disclosed. In one embodiment, the circuitry includes a reference sensor having a topology and characteristics identical to a number of sensors throughout an IC. The both the reference sensor and the sensors on the IC may be used to perform voltage and temperature measurements. The reference sensor may receive a voltage from a precision voltage supply, and may be used as a sensor to provide a basis for calibrating the other sensors, as well. Thereafter, temperature readings obtained from the other sensors may be correlated to the readings obtained by the reference sensor for enhanced accuracy. The reference center circuitry also includes analog process monitoring circuitry, which may be coupled to some, if not all of the transistors implemented on an IC.
-
Citations
20 Claims
-
1. An integrated circuit comprising:
-
a plurality of sensors implemented in corresponding ones of one or more functional circuit blocks; a metrology control circuit including; a reference sensor, wherein the reference sensor is implemented using a circuit topology identical to each of the plurality of sensors and has substantially same operating characteristics as each of the plurality of sensors; a precision voltage generation circuit configured to provide a known voltage value to the reference sensor, wherein the precision voltage generation circuit is separate and distinct from respective voltage sources coupled to each of the plurality of sensors; a precision temperature sensing circuit in close proximity to the reference sensor; and a processing circuit configured to correlate readings received from the reference sensor to a voltage received from the precision voltage generation circuit and the precision temperature sensing circuit, and further configured to calibrate each of the plurality of sensors based on the correlated readings. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
-
-
13. A method comprising:
-
generating a known voltage using a precision voltage generation circuit, wherein the precision voltage generation circuit is separate and distinct from respective voltage sources coupled to each of a plurality of sensors implemented on an integrated circuit that are each implemented using a circuit topology identical to a reference sensor, and have a same set of operating characteristics as the reference sensor; providing the known voltage to the reference sensor implemented on the integrated circuit, wherein the reference sensor includes one or more ring oscillators; determining a temperature using a precision temperature sensing circuit implemented on the integrated circuit in close proximity to the reference sensor; correlating, using a processing circuit, frequencies obtained from each of the one or more ring oscillators of the reference sensor with the voltage provided to the reference sensor and the temperature determined by precision temperature sensing circuit; and calibrating the plurality of sensors, wherein calibrating the plurality of sensors is based on readings obtained from correlating frequencies obtained from the reference sensor with the voltage provided to the reference sensor and the temperature determined by precision temperature sensing circuit. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15)
-
-
16. A system comprising:
-
a plurality of sensors implemented in corresponding ones of one or more functional circuit blocks of the system, each of the plurality of sensors having an identical circuit topology and including one or more ring oscillators; a metrology control circuit including; a reference sensor implemented using the circuit topology of each of the plurality of sensors, wherein operating characteristics of the reference sensor and each of the plurality of sensors are substantially alike; a reference temperature sensor implemented in close proximity to the reference sensor; a reference voltage generator coupled to provide a reference voltage to the reference sensor, wherein the reference voltage generator is separate and distinct from respective voltage sources coupled to each of the plurality of sensors; and processing circuitry configured to generate a mathematical model of operation of the reference sensor based on correlating frequency readings obtained from the ring oscillators of the reference sensor, the reference voltage, and a reference temperature determined by the reference temperature sensor. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20)
-
Specification