ON-DIE TEMPERATURE SENSOR FOR INTEGRATED CIRCUIT
First Claim
1. An article of manufacture comprising a temperature sensor that measures temperature during a temperature-measurement session, the temperature sensor comprising:
- a PTAT (proportional to absolute temperature) generator that generates an analog PTAT voltage that is dependent on the temperature;
a ramp generator that 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 that compares the ramp voltage to a reference voltage to detect termination of the temperature-measurement session; and
a counter that generates a count value based on duration of the temperature-measurement session, where the count value indicates the measured temperature.
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Accused Products
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.
15 Citations
20 Claims
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1. An article of manufacture comprising a temperature sensor that measures temperature during a temperature-measurement session, the temperature sensor comprising:
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a PTAT (proportional to absolute temperature) generator that generates an analog PTAT voltage that is dependent on the temperature; a ramp generator that 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 that compares the ramp voltage to a reference voltage to detect termination of the temperature-measurement session; and a counter that generates a count value based on duration of the temperature-measurement session, where the count value indicates the measured temperature. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A method for measuring temperature during a temperature-measurement session having a beginning and an end, the method comprising:
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(a) initializing a ramp voltage and a counter value at the beginning of the temperature-measurement session, where the counter value is incremented by a counter during the temperature-measurement session; (b) driving the ramp voltage to change during the temperature-measurement session based on a PTAT voltage generated by a PTAT generator; (c) comparing the ramp voltage to a reference voltage to detect when the ramp voltage reaches the reference voltage indicating the end of the temperature-measurement session; and (d) mapping the counter value at the end of the temperature-measurement session to a measured temperature value.
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14. An article of manufacture comprising a PTAT generator that generates an analog PTAT voltage that is dependent on temperature, the PTAT generator comprising:
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an amplifier stage whose input stage comprises differently sized first and second npn transistors whose emitters are tied together such that their respective first and second base voltages have different levels; and an output stage that generates the PTAT voltage based on current flowing through a first resistor having the first and second base voltages applied across the first resistor. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification