Electronic circuit with an operating characteristic correcting function

• US 6,131,073 A
• Filed: 06/06/1997
• Issued: 10/10/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 06/07/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: DENSO Corporation
• Original Assignee: DENSO Corporation
• Inventors: Sakishita, Haruyasu, Ishihara, Hideaki, Maeda, Kouichi, Honda, Yoshimitsu
• Primary Examiner(s): ASSOUAD, PATRICK J
• Application Number:
  US08/870,732
• Time in Patent Office: 1,222 Days
• Field of Search: 702/132, 702/107, 702/104, 361/130, 330/272
• US Class Current: 702/107
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 1/44 Modifications of instruments for temperature compensation

Abstract

A power voltage of a power source circuit is produced by amplifying a threshold voltage difference of an operational amplifier by an amplification factor corresponding to a dividing ratio of a resistance dividing circuit. The power source circuit is integrated on a CMOS substrate together with a computer block. A plurality of analog switches are associated with the resistance dividing circuit to stabilize the power voltage of the power source circuit. One of these switches is selectively closed to change the dividing ratio of the resistance dividing circuit in accordance with actuation data stored in a control register.

Claims

1. An operating characteristic correcting apparatus for correcting operating parameters of an electronic circuit, the correcting apparatus and the electronic circuit being formed on a single integrated circuit chip, the correcting apparatus comprising:

memory means for storing digital actuation data, the digital actuation data (i) being representative only of one output produced by said electronic circuit and (ii) for controlling only the operating parameters of said electronic circuit;

control means for reading said actuation data from said memory means during an operating condition of said electronic circuit; and

adjusting means for adjusting the operating parameters, said adjusting means being actuated by said control means in accordance with the digital actuation data read from said memory means.

4. The operating characteristic correcting apparatus in accordance with claim 1, further comprising a temperature sensor detecting a temperature of said electronic circuit, wherein said actuation data are corrected based on the temperature detected by said temperature sensor and said adjusting circuit is actuated based on the corrected actuation data, so as to eliminate undesirable temperature drift in the operating parameters of said electronic circuit.

7. The operating characteristic correcting apparatus in accordance with claim 1, further comprising:

operating mode switching means for switching an operating mode of said correcting apparatus from an ordinary mode to an adjusting mode in response to an external command, so that said control means can actuate said adjusting circuit in said ordinary mode to control the operating parameters of said electronic circuit while said actuation data can be written into said memory means in said adjusting mode;

operating characteristic renewing means for renewing the operating parameters of said electronic circuit by actuating said adjusting circuit based on predetermined adjustment data when the operating mode of said correcting apparatus is switched to the adjusting mode by said operating mode switching means; and

data storing means for storing said adjustment data, as renewed actuation data, into said memory means when said adjustment data are effectively used by said operating characteristic renewing means for actuating said adjusting circuit at a time a memory command is entered from an outside.

13. The operating characteristic correcting apparatus in accordance with claim 1, further comprising:

operating mode switching means for switching an operating mode of said correcting apparatus from an ordinary mode to an adjusting mode in response to an external command, said ordinary mode allowing said control means to actuate said adjusting circuit to control the operating parameters of said electronic circuit; and

said memory means stores said digital actuation data in response to the switching means switching from said ordinary mode to said adjusting mode.

14. The operating characteristic correcting apparatus in accordance with claim 1, further comprising a temperature sensor provided in said integrated circuit for detecting a temperature of said electronic circuit, thereby producing a detected temperature;

wherein said actuation data are corrected based on the detected temperature and said adjusting circuit is actuated based on the corrected actuated data, so as to eliminate undesirable temperature drift in the operating parameters of said electronic circuit.

2. An operating characteristic correcting apparatus for correcting operating parameters of an electronic circuit, the apparatus comprising:

an adjusting circuit for adjusting operating parameters of said electronic circuit incorporated in an integrated circuit;

memory means for storing actuation data of said adjusting circuit determined beforehand for controlling the operating parameters of said electronic circuit; and

control means for reading said actuation data from said memory means and actuating said adjusting circuit in accordance with said actuation data to control the operating parameters of said electronic circuit;

wherein said electronic circuit is a constant-voltage circuit comprising an operational amplifier utilizing a threshold voltage difference, a resistance dividing circuit, and a voltage-applying switching element applying a direct-current power voltage between both ends of said resistance dividing circuit,

said operational amplifier controls said voltage-applying switching element to equalize an electrical potential of a dividing point of said resistance dividing circuit with said threshold voltage difference, so that said direct-current power voltage applied between the both ends of said resistance dividing circuit is equalized with an amplified voltage obtained by amplifying the threshold voltage difference of said operational amplifier by an amplification factor corresponding to a dividing ratio of said resistance dividing circuit,

said adjusting circuit comprises a plurality of adjusting switches selectively closed to change the dividing point of said resistance dividing circuit to determine said amplification factor of said constant-voltage circuit, and

said control means selectively closes one of said adjusting switches in accordance with said actuation data to determine the dividing ratio of said resistance dividing circuit, thereby producing a controlled direct-current constant voltage from said constant-voltage circuit.

3. The operating characteristic correcting apparatus in accordance with claim 2, wherein said integrated circuit incorporating said constant-voltage circuit has a terminal for outputting said direct-current constant voltage and a terminal for actuating said adjusting circuit.

9. The operating characteristic correcting apparatus in accordance with claim 2, further comprising a power-on actuating circuit for forcibly closing a designated one of said adjusting switches during a power-on operation of said electronic circuit.

10. The operating characteristic correcting apparatus in accordance with claim 9, wherein said designated adjusting switch is closed until the power voltage reaches a value required for said control means to start its operation.

11. The operating characteristic correcting apparatus in accordance with claim 10, further comprising another actuation circuit provided separately from said power-on actuating circuit, for forcibly opening the adjusting switches other than said designated adjusting switch during said power-on operation of said electronic circuit.

12. The operating characteristic correcting apparatus in accordance with claim 2, wherein an overlap period is provided for ON durations of two adjusting switches to be switched in a switching operation, so that all of said adjusting switches are not opened simultaneously.

5. An operating characteristic correcting apparatus for correcting operating parameters of an electronic circuit, the apparatus comprising:

an adjusting circuit for adjusting operating parameters of said electronic circuit incorporated in an integrated circuit;

memory means for storing actuation data of said adjusting circuit determined beforehand for controlling the operating parameters of said electronic circuit;

control means for reading said actuation data from said memory means and actuating said adjusting circuit in accordance with said actuation data to control the operating parameters of said electronic circuit; and

a temperature sensor for detecting a temperature of said electronic circuit,

wherein said actuation data are corrected based on the temperature detected by said temperature sensor and said adjusting circuit is actuated based on the corrected actuation data, so as to eliminate undesirable temperature drift in the operating parameters of said electronic circuit, and

said temperature sensor comprises a series circuit consisting of a plurality of MOS-type field effect transistors each having a gate and a drain directly connected, and a voltage applied between both ends of said series circuit, the voltage being equivalent to a sum of threshold voltages of said plurality of MOS-type field effect transistors, is outputted from said temperature sensor as a detection sensor representing the temperature of said electronic circuit.

6. An operating characteristic correcting apparatus for correcting operating parameters of an electronic circuit, the apparatus comprising:

an adjusting circuit for adjusting operating parameters of said electronic circuit incorporated in an integrated circuit;

memory means for storing actuation data of said adjusting circuit determined beforehand for controlling the operating parameters of said electronic circuit;

control means for reading said actuation data from said memory means and actuating said adjusting circuit in accordance with said actuation data to control the operating parameters of said electronic circuit; and

a temperature sensor for detecting a temperature of said electronic circuit,

wherein said actuation data are corrected based on the temperature detected by said temperature sensor and said adjusting circuit is actuated based on the corrected actuation data, so as to eliminate undesirable temperature drift in the operating parameters of said electronic circuit,

said memory means stores (i) temperature data sensed by said temperature sensor when said actuation data are set and (ii) said actuation data, and

said control means corrects said actuation data based on the temperature data stored in said memory means and a present temperature sensed by said temperature sensor.

8. The operating characteristic correcting apparatus in accordance with claim 6, further comprising:

operating mode switching means for switching an operating mode of said correcting apparatus from an ordinary mode to an adjusting mode in response to an external command, so that said control means can actuate said adjusting circuit in said ordinary mode to control the operating parameters of said electronic circuit while said actuation data can be written into said memory means in said adjusting mode;

operating characteristic renewing means for renewing the operating parameters of said electronic circuit by actuating said adjusting circuit based on predetermined adjustment data when the operating mode of said correcting apparatus is switched to the adjusting mode by said operating mode switching means; and

data storing means for storing said adjustment data as renewed actuation data, together with the detection signal sensed by said temperature sensor as related temperature data, into said memory means when said adjustment data are effectively used by said operating characteristic renewing means for actuating said adjusting circuit at a time a memory command is entered from an outside.