Calibration techniques for a precision relaxation oscillator integrated circuit with temperature compensation

• US 6,356,161 B1
• Filed: 04/26/1999
• Issued: 03/12/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 03/19/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Microchip Technology Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Microchip Technology Incorporated
• Inventors: Ellison, Ryan Scott, Nolan, James B.
• Primary Examiner(s): KINKEAD, ARNOLD M
• Application Number:
  US09/299,338
• Time in Patent Office: 1,051 Days
• Field of Search: 331/74, 331/111, 331/143, 331/179, 331/44, 331/176, 331/175, 331/66
• US Class Current: 331/176
• CPC Class Codes: G05F 3/245 producing a voltage or current as a predetermined function of the temperature
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 3/011 Modifications of generator to compensate for variations in physical values, e.g. voltage, temperature to maintain energy constant H03K3/015
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 3/0231 Astable circuits H03K3/0315 takes precedence

Abstract

Several calibration techniques for a precision relaxation oscillator with temperature compensation produces a stable clock frequency over wide variations of ambient temperature. The calibration techniques provide for different methods of determining CTAT current, PTAT current or the ratio of PTAT current to CTAT current. The calibration techniques provide different methods for determining CTAT and PTAT calibration values and for setting CTAT and PTAT calibration select switches.

Claims

1. A calibration technique for a precision relaxation oscillator device having a temperature compensation circuit, said calibration technique comprising the steps of:

providing for a plurality of precision relaxation oscillator devices, each of the plurality of devices having a temperature compensation circuit, wherein the temperature compensation circuits form a population of circuits;

selecting a random sample of circuits from the population of circuits;

computing a mean PTAT current for the random sample of circuits at a nominal temperature for achieving a target clock frequency of the relaxation oscillator device and for optimizing a temperature coefficient of the circuit; and

providing a capacitor charging current (Iccc) from the temperature compensation circuit for controlling the target clock frequency, wherein the capacitor charging current is comprised of a ratio of the mean PTAT current and a CTAT current.

14. The calibration technique in accordance with claim 1 further comprising the steps of:

computing the CTAT current for the target clock frequency;

determining CTAT calibration values for setting a plurality of CTAT calibration select switches;

storing the CTAT calibration values for setting the plurality of CTAT calibration select switches;

reading the CTAT calibration values for setting the plurality of CTAT calibration select switches; and

setting the plurality of the CTAT calibration select switches consistent with the CTAT calibration values.

15. The calibration technique in accordance with claim 14 wherein the CTAT calibration values for setting the plurality of CTAT calibration select switches are stored in non-volatile memory.

2. A calibration technique for a precision relaxation oscillator device having a temperature compensation circuit, said calibration technique comprising the steps of;

providing for a plurality of precision relaxation oscillator devices, each of the plurality of devices having a temperature compensation circuit, wherein the temperature compensation circuits form a population of circuits;

selecting a random sample of circuits from the population of circuits;

computing a mean PTAT current for the random sample of circuits at a nominal temperature for achieving a target clock frequency of the relaxation oscillator device and for optimizing a temperature coefficient of the circuit; and

providing a capacitor charging current (Iccc) from the temperature compensation circuit for controlling the target clock frequency, wherein the capacitor charging current is comprised of a sum of a PTAT current and a CTAT current.

3. The calibration technique in accordance with claim 2 further comprising the steps of:

determining PTAT calibration values for setting a plurality of PTAT calibration select switches in a circuit from the random sample of circuits having a mean PTAT current performance;

storing the PTAT calibration values for setting the plurality of PTAT calibration select switches in each circuit of the population;

reading the PTAT calibration values for setting the plurality of PTAT calibration select switches; and

setting the plurality of the PTAT calibration select switches consistent with the PTAT calibration values.

4. The calibration technique in accordance with claim 3 further comprising the steps of:

computing the CTAT current for approximating the target clock frequency;

determining CTAT calibration values for setting a plurality of CTAT calibration select switches;

storing the CTAT calibration values for setting the plurality of CTAT calibration select switches;

reading the CTAT calibration values for setting the plurality of CTAT calibration select switches; and

setting the plurality of the CTAT calibration select switches consistent with the CTAT calibration values.

5. The calibration technique in accordance with claim 4 wherein;

the PTAT calibration values for setting the plurality of PTAT calibration select switches are hardwired to a logic level; and

the CTAT calibration values for setting the plurality of CTAT calibration select switches are stored in non-volatile memory.

6. The calibration technique in accordance with claim 2 further comprising the steps of;

determining PTAT calibration values for setting a plurality of PTAT calibration select switches for each circuit within the population wherein the setting of the plurality of PTAT calibration select switches produces the mean PTAT current for each circuit within the population;

storing the PTAT calibration values for setting the plurality of PTAT calibration select switches;

reading the PTAT calibration values for setting the plurality of PTAT calibration select switches;

setting the plurality of the PTAT calibration select switches consistent with the PTAT calibration values.

7. The calibration technique in accordance with claim 6 further comprising the steps of:

computing the CTAT current for approximating the target clock frequency;

determining CTAT calibration values for setting a plurality of CTAT calibration select switches;

storing the CTAT calibration values for setting the plurality of CTAT calibration select switches;

reading the CTAT calibration values for setting the plurality of CTAT calibration select switches; and

setting the plurality of the CTAT calibration select switches consistent with the CTAT calibration values.

8. The calibration technique in accordance with claim 7 wherein:

the CTAT calibration values for setting the plurality of CTAT calibration select switches are stored in a first non-volatile memory location; and

the PTAT calibration values for setting the plurality of PTAT calibration select switches are stored in a second non-volatile memory location.

9. The calibration technique in accordance with claim 2 further comprising the steps of:

computing a mean I_PTAT;

I_CTAT current ratio for the random sample of circuits at a nominal temperature for achieving the target clock frequency and for optimizing a temperature coefficient of the circuit;

determining PTAT calibration values for setting a plurality of PTAT calibration select switches for each circuit within the population wherein the setting of the plurality of PTAT calibration select switches corresponds to the mean I_PTAT;

I_CTAT current ratio for each circuit within the population;

decoding the PTAT calibration values from the CTAT calibration values for setting the plurality of PTAT calibration select switches; and

setting the plurality of the PTAT calibration select switches consistent with the PTAT calibration values.

10. The calibration technique in accordance with claim 9 further comprising the steps of:

computing the CTAT current for approximating the target clock frequency;

determining CTAT calibration values for setting a plurality of CTAT calibration select switches;

storing the CTAT calibration values for setting the plurality of CTAT calibration select switches;

reading the CTAT calibration values for setting the plurality of CTAT calibration select switches; and

setting the plurality of the CTAT calibration select switches consistent with the CTAT calibration values.

11. The calibration technique in accordance with claim 10 wherein:

the CTAT calibration values for setting the plurality of CTAT calibration select switches are stored in a non-volatile memory location; and

the PTAT calibration values for setting the plurality of PTAT calibration select switches are stored in the non-volatile memory location.

16. The calibration technique in accordance with claim 2 further comprising the steps of:

computing the CTAT current for the target clock frequency;

determining CTAT calibration values for setting a plurality of CTAT calibration select switches;

storing the CTAT calibration values for setting the plurality of CTAT calibration select switches;

reading the CTAT calibration values for setting the plurality of CTAT calibration select switches; and

setting the plurality of the CTAT calibration select switches consistent with the CTAT calibration values.

17. The calibration technique in accordance with claim 16 wherein the CTAT calibration values for setting the plurality of CTAT calibration select switches are stored in non-volatile memory.

12. A calibration technique for a precision relaxation oscillator device having a temperature compensation circuit, said calibration technique comprising the steps of:

providing a capacitor charging current (Iccc) from the temperature compensation circuit for producing a target clock frequency wherein the capacitor charging current is comprised of a sum of a CTAT current and a PTAT current;

computing a slope of the CTAT current with respect to temperature;

computing a CTAT temperature coefficient of the CTAT current from the slope of the CTAT current;

computing a slope of the PTAT current with respect to temperature;

computing a PTAT temperature coefficient of the PTAT current;

computing a ratio of the PTAT temperature coefficient to the CTAT temperature coefficient;

computing a ratio of PTAT current to CTAT current;

determining CTAT calibration values for setting a plurality of CTAT calibration select switches for producing the CTAT current and determining PTAT calibration values for setting a plurality of PTAT calibration select switches for producing the PTAT current wherein a ratio of the PTAT current to the CTAT current is approximately equal to the ratio of the PTAT temperature coefficient to the CTAT temperature coefficient;

storing the CTAT calibration values for setting the plurality of CTAT calibration select switches;

storing the PTAT calibration values for setting the plurality of PTAT calibration select switches;

reading the CTAT calibration valies for setting the plurality of CTAT calibration select switches;

reading the PTAT calibration values for setting tide plurality of PTAT calibration select switches;

setting the plurality of CTAT calibration select switches consistent with the CTAT calibration values; and

setting the plurality of PTAT calibration select switches consistent with the PTAT calibration values.

13. The calibration technique in accordance with claim 12 wherein:

the CTAT calibration values for setting the plurality of CTAT calibration select switches are stored in a first non-volatile memory location; and

the PTAT calibration values for setting the plurality of PTAT calibration select switches are stored in a second non-volatile memory location.