TEMPERATURE DETECTION AND REPORTING SYSTEM AND METHOD IN POWER DRIVING AND/OR CONSUMING SYSTEM

• US 20170336265A1
• Filed: 07/25/2017
• Published: 11/23/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 07/02/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Renesas Electronics America Inc.(f/k/a Integrated Device Technology, Inc) (Renesas Electronics Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Renesas Electronics America Inc.(f/k/a Integrated Device Technology, Inc) (Renesas Electronics Corporation)
• Inventors: Sato, Tetsuo, Kudo, Ryotaro
• Granted Patent: US 10,082,428 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: G01K 1/026 arrangements for monitoring a plurality of temperatures, e.g. by multiplexing
• CPC Class Codes: G01K 2003/145 Hotspot localization
• CPC Class Codes: G01K 3/00 Thermometers giving results other than momentary value of temperature G01K7/42 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01K 7/00 Measuring temperature based on the use of electric or magnetic elements directly sensitive to heat giving results other than momentary value of temperature G01K3/00 ; Power supply therefor, e.g. using thermoelectric elements
• CPC Class Codes: G01K 7/01 using semiconducting elements having PN junctions G01K7/02, G01K7/16, G01K7/30 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/206 comprising thermal management
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/26 Power supply means, e.g. regulation thereof for memories G11C
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 23/34 Arrangements for cooling, heating, ventilating or temperature compensation ; Temperature sensing arrangements thermal treatment apparatus H01L21/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/00 Indexing scheme for arrangements or methods for connecting or disconnecting semiconductor or solid-state bodies as covered by H01L24/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/0002 Not covered by any one of groups H01L24/00, H01L24/00 and H01L2224/00
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 1/0201 Thermal arrangements, e.g. for cooling, heating or preventing overheating
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 1/0262 Arrangements for regulating voltages or for using plural voltages
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2201/10151 Sensor
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2201/10166 Transistor
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2203/163 Monitoring a manufacturing process
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 10/00 Energy efficient computing, e.g. low power processors, power management or thermal management

Abstract

An apparatus, in one embodiment, can include a configuration including a plurality of heat generation devices. The apparatus also includes a plurality of thermal sensors respectively, operably connected to each of the plurality of heat generation devices, wherein each thermal sensor of the plurality of thermal sensors includes a respective output terminal configured to provide a voltage representative of the temperature of the respective heat generation device. The apparatus further includes an output circuit configured to output the highest temperature information among the heat generation devices. The output terminals of the plurality of thermal sensors are tied together. A corresponding method is also discussed.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising:

a first circuit for generating a plurality of pulse width modulation (PWM) signals;

a plurality of second circuits coupled to receive the plurality of PWM signals, respectively;

wherein each of the plurality of second circuits comprises first and second field effect transistors (FETs), a driver circuit for controlling the first and second FETs, and a temperature sensor circuit for generating a voltage at its output, wherein the voltage represents a temperature;

wherein the outputs of the plurality of temperature sensor circuits are connected together to produce a voltage that represents a maximum temperature of the plurality of temperatures.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the first circuit comprises an input that is connected to receive the voltage that represents the maximum temperature of the plurality of temperatures.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the first circuit comprises an input that is connected to the outputs of the plurality of temperature sensor circuits.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the first circuit is an integrated circuit.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein each of the temperature sensor circuits comprises a drive circuit and a temperature sensor, wherein the drive circuit is connected between the temperature sensor and the temperature sensor circuit'"'"'s output.

6. The apparatus of claim 5 wherein each of the temperature sensors comprises a silicon P-type/N-type junction.

7. The apparatus of claim 5 wherein each of the drive circuits comprises an operational amplifier, which in turn comprises a operational amplifier non-inverting input, a operational amplifier inverting input, and an operational amplifier output.

8. The apparatus of claim 7 wherein each of the drive circuits comprises a diode coupled between the drive circuit'"'"'s operational amplifier output and the drive circuit'"'"'s operational amplifier inverting input.

9. The apparatus of claim 5 wherein the driver circuit and the temperature sensor circuit of each of the second circuits, are formed on a respective semiconductor die.

10. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the first circuit comprises an analog-to-digital converter (ADC) circuit for converting the voltage that represents THE maximum temperature of the plurality of temperatures into a digital equivalent.

11. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the temperature sensor circuit is thermally coupled to the first FET, the second FET, or the driver circuit.

12. A circuit comprising:

a first input for receiving a pulse width modulation (PWM) signal;

a first transistor coupled to a second transistor;

a first driver circuit for controlling the first and second transistors;

a first temperature sensor circuit for generating a first voltage that represents a first temperature;

wherein the first temperature sensor circuit comprises a first output configured for connection to a second output of a second temperature sensor circuit that generates a second voltage;

wherein the first temperature sensor circuit is configured to drive its first output to the first voltage when the first voltage is greater than the second voltage;

wherein the first temperature sensor circuit is configured to not drive its output terminal to the first voltage when the second voltage is greater than the first voltage.

13. The circuit of claim 12 wherein the first temperature sensor circuit comprises a drive circuit and a temperature sensor, wherein the drive circuit is connected between the temperature sensor and the first output.

14. The circuit of claim 13 wherein the temperature sensor comprises a silicon P-type/N-type junction.

15. The circuit of claim 13 the drive circuit comprises an operational amplifier, which in turn comprises a non-inverting input, an inverting input, and an output.

16. The circuit of claim 15 wherein the drive circuit comprises a diode coupled between the output and the inverting input.

17. The circuit of claim 12 wherein the first driver circuit and the first temperature sensor circuit are formed on a semiconductor die.

18. An apparatus comprising:

a first circuit for generating a plurality of pulse width modulation (PWM) signals;

a plurality of second circuits coupled to receive the plurality of PWM signals, respectively;

wherein each of the plurality of second circuits comprises a heat generation device, and a temperature sensor circuit for generating a voltage at its output, wherein the voltage represents a temperature;

wherein the outputs of the plurality of temperature sensor circuits are connected together at a node so that the node is driven to a voltage that represents a maximum temperature of the plurality of temperatures.

19. The apparatus of claim 18 wherein the first circuit comprises an input that is connected to the node and configured to receive the voltage that represents the maximum temperature of the plurality of temperatures.

20. The apparatus of claim 18 wherein each of the temperature sensor circuits comprises a drive circuit and a temperature sensor, wherein the drive circuit is connected between the temperature sensor and the temperature sensor circuit'"'"'s output.