Two-pin thermal sensor calibration interface
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A thermal sensor in an integrated circuit comprising:
- a register to hold a response of said thermal sensor; and
an Input/Output (I/O) interface to receive an input trigger to trigger said response of said thermal sensor and to communicate an indicator that said thermal sensor is sensing the temperature of said integrated circuit followed by said response of said thermal sensor held by said register and a value generated by said thermal sensor that indicates said thermal sensor is functioning properly.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An apparatus and method are provided for sensing a physical stimulus, such as thermal energy and produce a signal that indicates a quantitative value of the physical stimulus along with a value that indicates the operability of the apparatus and a value that indicates a sense operation is in process. The apparatus and method minimize the number of input and output pins necessary for an apparatus to report a measurement response of a physical stimulus.
-
Citations
29 Claims
-
1. A thermal sensor in an integrated circuit comprising:
-
a register to hold a response of said thermal sensor; and
an Input/Output (I/O) interface to receive an input trigger to trigger said response of said thermal sensor and to communicate an indicator that said thermal sensor is sensing the temperature of said integrated circuit followed by said response of said thermal sensor held by said register and a value generated by said thermal sensor that indicates said thermal sensor is functioning properly. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
-
-
11. In an integrated circuit having a thermal sensor, a method for said thermal sensor to provide an indication that said thermal sensor is functioning properly, the method comprising the steps of:
-
asserting an input signal at a first Input/Output pin of said thermal sensor to initiate thermal sensing of said integrated circuit by said thermal sensor;
sensing by said thermal sensor a temperature of said integrated circuit; and
asserting an output signal on a second Input/Output pin of said thermal sensor by said thermal sensor at completion of said step of sensing, wherein said output signal provides said temperature of said integrated circuit and provides said indication that said thermal sensor is functioning properly. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
-
-
19. A thermal sensor in an integrated circuit that reports a status value, a response value and a self-test value comprising:
a serial interface having at least one input contact and one output contact, wherein assertion of a control signal on said input contact triggers said thermal sensor to report said status value, said response value and said self-test value on said output contact. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21, 22, 23, 24)
-
25. In a very large scale integration (VLSI) circuit a method for reporting a temperature sensed by a thermal sensor of said VLSI circuit comprising the steps of:
-
triggering said thermal sensor to sense said temperature of said VLSI circuit;
affixing a value to said temperature sensed by said thermal sensor to form a response; and
transmitting said response from said thermal sensor. - View Dependent Claims (26, 27, 28, 29)
-
Specification