Integrated circuit thermal shutdown system utilizing a thermal sensor

• US 5,838,187 A
• Filed: 02/10/1997
• Issued: 11/17/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 02/10/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Avago Technologies General IP PTE Limited (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Lucent Technologies, Inc. (Nokia Corporation)
• Inventors: Embree, Milton Luther
• Primary Examiner(s): Tran, Toan
• Assistant Examiner(s): Luu, An T.
• Application Number:
  US08/797,149
• Time in Patent Office: 645 Days
• Field of Search: 327/512, 327/513
• US Class Current: 327/512
• CPC Class Codes: G01K 7/01 using semiconducting elements having PN junctions G01K7/02, G01K7/16, G01K7/30 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H02H 5/042 using temperature dependent resistors
• CPC Class Codes: H02H 5/044 using a semiconductor device to sense the temperature
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 17/14 Modifications for compensating variations of physical values, e.g. of temperature
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 19/003 Modifications for increasing the reliability for protection

Abstract

The specification relates to a thermal shutdown circuit for an integrated circuit. Two matching thermal sensing resistors are used to develop a voltage representing the relative differential temperature between the two resistors. One resistor is fabricated within the integrated circuit dissipating device dielectric isolation tub and therefore its temperature closely follows the temperature of the dissipating device. The second thermal sensing resistor reflects the ambient temperature of the integrated circuit. A third thermal sensing device is used to obtain actual absolute temperature at the location of the second thermal sensing resistor. By algebraically adding a voltage representing actual absolute temperature at an ambient temperature location with a voltage representing the relative differential temperature between thermal sensing resistors, a voltage representing the actual absolute temperature of the dissipating device is produced. The resulting voltage is compared to a reference voltage, the reference voltage representing a high temperature setpoint, so that when the temperature of the dissipating device exceeds the high temperature setpoint, a thermal shutdown signal is actuated.

Claims

1. An integrated circuit incorporating a thermal shutdown circuit protecting an integrated circuit component, comprising:

a thermal sensing device for determining a first voltage corresponding to an integrated circuit ambient temperature;

a first thermal sensing resistor located proximate to said integrated circuit component so that said first thermal sensing resistor temperature approximates said integrated circuit component temperature;

a second thermal sensing resistor located within said integrated circuit such that said second thermal sensing resistor temperature approximates said integrated circuit ambient temperature, said first and second thermal sensing resistors configured to generate a second voltage corresponding to a temperature differential between said integrated circuit ambient temperature and said integrated circuit component temperature; and

a comparator comparing the algebraic sum of said first voltage and said second voltage with a reference voltage, said reference voltage corresponding to a temperature limit for said integrated circuit component, and said comparator providing a system shutdown signal when said temperature limit is exceeded.

2. The integrated circuit in accordance with claim 1 wherein said thermal sensing device comprises at least one forward biased diode.

3. The integrated circuit in accordance with claim 1 wherein said thermal sensing device comprises at least one forward biased, diode connected bipolar transistor.

4. The integrated circuit in accordance with claim 1 wherein

said first thermal sensing resistor is fabricated within a dielectrically isolated tub of said integrated circuit component.

5. The integrated circuit in accordance with claim 4 wherein said first thermal sensing resistor is a polysilicon resistor.

6. The integrated circuit in accordance with claim 5 wherein said second thermal sensing resistor is a polysilicon resistor.

7. The integrated circuit in accordance with claim 4 wherein said thermal sensing device comprises at least one forward biased diode.

8. The integrated circuit in accordance with claim 4 wherein said thermal sensing device comprises at least one forward biased, diode connected bipolar transistor.

9. A thermal shutdown circuit fabricated within an integrated circuit, said integrated circuit having a dissipating device surrounded by a dielectrically isolated tub, comprising:

a first thermal sensing resistor fabricated within said dielectrically isolated tub such that said resistor temperature approximates said dissipating device temperature;

at least one thermal sensing semiconductor producing a first voltage representing said integrated circuit ambient temperature;

a second thermal sensing resistor located within said integrated circuit such that said second thermal sensing resistor temperature approximates said integrated circuit ambient temperature;

a voltage dividing network comprising at least said first thermal sensing resistor, said second thermal sensing resistor and a power source, said voltage dividing network configured to produce a second voltage, said second voltage representing a temperature differential between said first thermal sensing resistor and said second thermal sensing resistor; and

a comparator comparing a summation of said first voltage and said second voltage with a reference voltage, said reference voltage corresponding to a temperature limit for said dissipating device, said comparator providing a thermal shutdown signal when said first thermal sensing resistor temperature exceeds said temperature limit.

10. The thermal shutdown circuit in accordance with claim 9 wherein said first thermal sensing resistor is a polysilicon resistor.

11. The thermal shutdown circuit in accordance with claim 10 wherein said polysilicon resistor is a boron doped polysilicon resistor.

12. The thermal shutdown circuit in accordance with claim 10 wherein said polysilicon resistor is physically located under a semiconductor drain metal to form a positive drive thermal shutdown circuit.

13. The thermal shutdown circuit in accordance with claim 10 wherein said polysilicon resistor is physically located under a semiconductor source metal to form a negative drive thermal shutdown circuit.

14. The thermal shutdown circuit in accordance with claim 9 wherein said at least one thermal sensing semiconductor comprises at least one forward biased diode.

15. A thermal shutdown circuit for use within a silicon integrated circuit, said silicon integrated circuit having a dissipating transistor surrounded by a dielectrically isolated tub, comprising:

a first polysilicon resistor having a first end and a second end, said first resistor fabricated within said dielectrically isolated tub such that the temperature of said first resistor approximates the temperature of said dissipating transistor;

at least one diode having a first end and a second end, said at least one diode located within said integrated circuit such that the temperature of said at least one diode approximates the ambient temperature of said integrated circuit;

a second polysilicon resistor having a first end and a second end, said second resistor located within said integrated circuit such that said second resistor temperature approximates said integrated circuit ambient temperature;

said first end of said first polysilicon resistor connected to a first potential, said first end of said at least one diode connected to said second end of said first polysilicon resistor, said second end of said at least one diode connected to said first end of said second polysilicon resistor, and said second end of said second polysilicon resistor connected to a second potential; and

a comparator comparing a reference voltage with a voltage potential located at said second end of said at least one diode, said reference voltage corresponding to a temperature limit for said dissipating transistor, said voltage potential representing said first polysilicon resistor temperature, and said comparator providing an output signal when said first polysilicon resistor temperature exceeds said temperature limit.

16. The thermal shutdown circuit in accordance with claim 15 wherein said first polysilicon resistor is physically located under a semiconductor drain metal to form a positive drive thermal shutdown circuit.

17. The thermal shutdown circuit in accordance with claim 15 wherein said first polysilicon resistor is physically located under a semiconductor source metal to form a negative drive thermal shutdown circuit.

18. The thermal shutdown circuit in accordance with claim 15 wherein said first polysilicon resistor comprises boron doped polysilicon material.

19. The thermal shutdown circuit in accordance with claim 18 wherein said first polysilicon resistor is physically located under semiconductor drain metal to form a positive drive thermal shutdown circuit.

20. The thermal shutdown circuit in accordance with claim 18 wherein said first polysilicon resistor is physically located under semiconductor source metal to form a negative drive thermal shutdown circuit.