Universal temperature compensation application specific integrated circuit

• US 6,483,371 B1
• Filed: 10/02/2000
• Issued: 11/19/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 10/02/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Northrop Grumman Systems Corporation (Northrop Grumman Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Northrop Grumman Corporation
• Inventors: Blase, Daniel J., Lupescu, Michael S., Duthie, Joseph S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Smith, Matthew
• Assistant Examiner(s): Dinh, Paul
• Application Number:
  US09/676,824
• Time in Patent Office: 778 Days
• Field of Search: 327/83, 327/362, 327/363, 327/317, 327/378, 327/512, 327/513, 327/538, 331/66, 331/176, 341/110
• US Class Current: 327/512
• CPC Class Codes: G01K 1/20 Compensating for effects of temperature changes other than those to be measured, e.g. changes in ambient temperature
• CPC Class Codes: H03F 1/30 Modifications of amplifiers to reduce influence of variations of temperature or supply voltage or other physical parameters in differential amplifiers H03F3/45479

Abstract

A universal temperature compensation circuit for use with a temperature sensor operative to generate an analog temperature signal based on the temperature thereof. The universal temperature compensation circuit comprises an analog to digital converter in electrical communication with the temperature sensor. The analog to digital converter is operative to generate a digital temperature signal from the analog temperature signal. In electrical communication with the analog to digital converter is an electronic storage device containing digital data correlated to temperatures of the temperature sensor. The universal temperature compensation circuit further includes a digital to analog converter in electrical communication with the electronic storage device. The digital to analog converter is operative to generate an analog voltage level from the digital data contained within the electronic storage device. An amplifier is in electrical communication with the digital to analog converter and is operative to buffer and generate a final output voltage level from the analog voltage level. The final output voltage level being correlated to the temperature of the temperature sensor.

Claims

1. A universal temperature compensation circuit for use with a temperature sensor, the temperature sensor being operative to generate an analog temperature voltage based on the temperature thereof, the circuit comprising:

an analog to digital converter in electrical communication with the temperature sensor, the analog to digital converter being operative to generate a digital temperature signal from the analog temperature voltage;

an electronic storage device in electrical communication with the analog to digital converter, the electronic storage device containing a plurality of digital data, each one of the digital data correlated to a respective temperature of the temperature sensor;

a digital to analog converter in electrical communication with the electronic storage device, the digital to analog converter being operative to generate an analog voltage level from the digital data contained within the electronic storage device;

an amplifier in electrical communication with the digital to analog converter, the amplifier being operative to buffer an output voltage level from the analog voltage level wherein the output voltage level is correlated to the temperature sensor; and

an analog comparator and an additional digital to analog converter circuit operative to detect a change in the input temperature voltage in order to begin operation of the temperature compensation circuit.

2. The temperature compensation circuit of claim 1 wherein the output voltage is configured as a voltage variable gain control signal.

3. The temperature compensation circuit of claim 2 wherein the electronic storage device is an EEPROM programmed with temperature specific data to control the voltage variable gain device of the RF amplifier.

4. The temperature compensation circuit of claim 1 wherein the electronic storage device is an EEPROM.

5. The temperature compensation circuit of claim 4 wherein the EEPROM is programmed with temperature specific data.

6. The temperature compensation circuit of claim 1 wherein the digital temperature signal is an address of the corresponding digital data stored in the electronic storage device.

7. The temperature compensation circuit of claim 1 wherein the circuit is fabricated as an application specific integrated circuit.

8. The temperature compensation circuit of claim 1 wherein the digital data is first digital data, the analog to digital converter is a first analog to digital converter, the amplifier is a first amplifier, and the output voltage level is a first output voltage level, the temperature compensation circuit further comprising:

a second digital to analog converter in electrical communication with the electronic storage device, the second analog to digital converter being operative to generate a second analog voltage level; and

a second amplifier in electrical communication with the second digital to analog converter, the second amplifier being operative to buffer a second output voltage level correlated to the temperature of the temperature sensor.

9. The temperature compensation circuit of claim 8 wherein the first output voltage level is not derived from the second output voltage level.

10. The temperature compensation circuit of claim 9 further comprising a demultiplexer in electrical communication with the electronic storage device and the first and second digital to analog converters, the demultiplexer being operative to direct the digital data to a respective one of the first and second digital to analog converters.

11. The method of claim 1 wherein the temperature condensation circuit defaults to a low power consumption mode until a temperature difference is detected.

12. A method of correlating a temperature detected with a temperature sensor to a prescribed voltage level using a universal temperature compensation circuit having an analog to digital converter, an electronic storage device, a digital to analog converter and an amplifier, the method comprising the steps of:

a) generating an analog temperature voltage with the temperature sensor;

b) converting the analog temperature voltage to a digital temperature signal with the analog to digital converter;

c) generating digital data corresponding to the temperature of the temperature sensor from the digital temperature signal with the electronic storage device;

d) converting the digital data to an analog voltage level with the digital to analog converter; and

e) buffering the analog voltage level to produce an output voltage correlated to the temperature of the temperature sensor;

wherein

step d) further comprises converting a first analog voltage level with the first digital to analog converter and converting the digital data to a second analog voltage level with the second digital to analog converter; and

step e) further comprises buffering the first analog voltage level with the first amplifier to generate a first output voltage and amplifying the second analog voltage level with the second amplifier to generate a second output voltage.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein step (c) comprises addressing the digital data stored within the electronic storage device with the digital temperature signal.

14. The method of claim 13 wherein the electronic storage device is an EEPROM and step (c) comprises addressing the EEPROM with the digital temperature signal.

15. The method of claim 14 wherein the EEPROM is programmed with temperature specific data for a voltage variable gain device of the RF amplifier and step (c) comprises addressing the temperature specific data with the digital temperature signal.

16. The method of claim 12 wherein step (e) further comprises buffering the first and second output voltage levels such that the first output voltage level is not substantially equal to the second output voltage level.

17. The method of claim 12 wherein the temperature compensation circuit further comprises a demultiplexer and step (c) further comprises directing the digital data to a respective one of the digital to analog converters with the demultiplexer.

18. An universal temperature compensation circuit, providing independent temperature compensation responses to respectively control input of at least one voltage variable gain control signal subject to variations over temperature, comprising:

an electronic storage device, operative to output a digital signal corresponding to the variations over temperature;

at least one output terminal, operative to provide the independent temperature compensation responses to the voltage variable gain control signal, wherein the independent temperature compensation responses are obtained by processing the digital signal output from the electronic storage device; and

a mode control device, operative to determine whether the universal temperature compensation circuit is entering a sleep mode in accordance with the variations over temperature, the mode control device including a comparator operative to compare a current temperature level and a previous temperature level stored in the electronic storage device.

19. The circuit according to claim 18, further comprising a timing circuit, operative to control output of the digital signal of the electronic storage device.

20. The circuit according to claim 19, further comprising at least one demultiplexor, operative to output the digital data from the electronic storage device to the output terminal, wherein the demultiplexor is controlled by a demultiplexer control pulse generated by the timing circuit.

21. The circuit according to claim 20, wherein the demultiplexor provides a plurality of data lines for outputting the digital data when a plurality of gain variable devices are controlled by the universal temperature compensation circuit.

22. The circuit according to claim 20, further comprising an inhibit input operative to prevent the demultiplexer from outputting the digital voltage data from the electronic storage device.

23. The circuit of claim 20, wherein when more than one digital to analog converter are provided when a plurality of data lines are provided by the demultiplexor.

24. The circuit of claim 19, further comprising a reset input, operative to reset the timing circuit.

25. The circuit of claim 19, further comprising a status output, operative to provide a signal indicating a status of the universal temperature compensation circuit.

26. A universal temperature compensation circuit, operative to provide at least one analog temperature compensation voltage based on a temperature level detected by a temperature sensor, the circuit comprising:

an electronic storage device, operative to output a corresponding digital data correlated to a digital temperature signal converted from the temperature level detected by the temperature sensor;

at least one output terminal, operative to provide the analog temperature compensation voltage obtained by processing the digital data;

a timing circuit, operative to control timing of output of the corresponding digital data from the electronic storage device; and

an analog to digital converter in electrical connection with the electronic storage device and the timing circuit to convert the temperature level into the digital temperature signal, and to output a conversion detection pulse to the timing circuit when the temperature level has been converted into the digital temperature signal.

27. The circuit of claim 26, further comprising a demultiplexor connected between the electronic storage device and the output terminal, and in electrical connection with the timing circuit, wherein the demultiplexor is operative to output the digital data from the electronic storage device to the output terminal according to a control pulse output generated by the timing circuit.