SELF-CORRECTING ELECTRONIC SENSOR
First Claim
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1. An electronic sensor configured to compensate for temperature and measure a physical parameter, the electronic sensor comprising:
- a voltage bias circuit having at least one electrical output connection and first and second circuit elements, the first circuit element having a corresponding first physical characteristic of a first value and the second circuit element having corresponding a second physical characteristic of a second value, wherein the first and second values are set according to a first ratio relating the first value to the second value;
a voltage controlled oscillator connectable to the at least one electrical output connection of the voltage bias circuit;
a frequency sensor connectable to the voltage controlled oscillator, wherein in operation the frequency sensor provides at least a first digital value and a second digital value, indicative of the operating frequency of the voltage controlled oscillator at at least two different points in a substantially linear operating region; and
a first digital physical parameter calculator circuit connectable to the frequency sensor to receive the at least first and second digital values, the first digital physical parameter calculator including digital logic configured to derive at least one digital value indicative of a measured physical parameter using the first and second digital values.
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Abstract
A temperature sensing circuit is described providing a low power temperature sensing system. The temperature sensing circuit provides a digital method for determining the temperature by analyzing the change in electrical response characteristics of a circuit device.
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Citations
37 Claims
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1. An electronic sensor configured to compensate for temperature and measure a physical parameter, the electronic sensor comprising:
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a voltage bias circuit having at least one electrical output connection and first and second circuit elements, the first circuit element having a corresponding first physical characteristic of a first value and the second circuit element having corresponding a second physical characteristic of a second value, wherein the first and second values are set according to a first ratio relating the first value to the second value; a voltage controlled oscillator connectable to the at least one electrical output connection of the voltage bias circuit; a frequency sensor connectable to the voltage controlled oscillator, wherein in operation the frequency sensor provides at least a first digital value and a second digital value, indicative of the operating frequency of the voltage controlled oscillator at at least two different points in a substantially linear operating region; and a first digital physical parameter calculator circuit connectable to the frequency sensor to receive the at least first and second digital values, the first digital physical parameter calculator including digital logic configured to derive at least one digital value indicative of a measured physical parameter using the first and second digital values. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. A method of measuring a physical parameter comprising:
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producing a first voltage and a second voltage; supplying the first voltage to a voltage controlled oscillator; measuring a first value indicative of a fundamental frequency of the voltage controlled oscillator supplied with the first voltage; supplying the second voltage to a voltage controlled oscillator; measuring a second value indicative of the fundamental frequency of the voltage controlled oscillator supplied with second voltage; and calculating a third value indicative of the physical parameter using the first and second values. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19)
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20. An electronic sensor configured to compensate for temperature and measure a physical parameter, the electronic sensor comprising:
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a voltage bias circuit having first and second circuit elements that are sized relative to one another according to a first ratio, wherein in operation the first and second circuit elements aid in establishing corresponding first and second output voltages; a voltage controlled oscillator connectable to receive the first and second output voltages of the voltage bias circuit; a frequency sensor connectable to the voltage controlled oscillator, wherein in operation the frequency sensor provides respective first and second measurements indicative of the operating frequency of the voltage controlled oscillator produced by the corresponding first and second output voltages; and a first digital physical parameter calculator circuit connectable to the frequency sensor to receive the first and second measurements, the first digital physical parameter calculator including digital logic configured to derive at least one digital value indicative of a measured physical parameter using the first and second measurements. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28)
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29. An electronic sensor configured to compensate for temperature comprising:
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a voltage bias circuit having first and second circuit elements that are sized relative to one another according to a first ratio, wherein in operation the voltage bias circuit provides first and second output voltages; a voltage controlled oscillator connectable to receive the first and second output voltages; a frequency sensor connectable to the voltage controlled oscillator, wherein in operation the frequency sensor provides respective first and second measurements indicative of the operating frequency; and a first digital physical parameter calculator circuit connectable to the frequency sensor to receive the first and second measurements, wherein in operation the digital physical parameter calculator derives at least one digital value indicative of a measured physical parameter using the first and second measurements. - View Dependent Claims (30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37)
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Specification