Circuit arrangement of the temperature compensation of a measuring resistor structure

• US 7,443,178 B2
• Filed: 10/27/2006
• Issued: 10/28/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 10/28/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Infineon Technologies AG
• Original Assignee: Infineon Technologies AG
• Inventors: Graefling, Martin
• Primary Examiner(s): Gutierrez; Diego
• Assistant Examiner(s): NGUYEN, HOAI AN D
• Application Number:
  US11/588,869
• Publication Number:
  US 20070115009A1
• Time in Patent Office: 732 Days
• Field of Search: 324/721, 324/720, 324/691, 324/649, 324/600, 324/71.1, 324/105, 324/76.11, 361/139, 361/140, 361/160, 361/161, 361/165, 361 23- 25, 361/27, 123/568.31, 737/65, 737/77, 307/651, 702/64, 702/132
• US Class Current: 324/721
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 19/32 Compensating for temperature change

Abstract

An electrical circuit for the temperature compensation of at least one measuring resistor structure integrated in a semiconductor body includes at least one further resistor structure which is likewise concomitantly integrated into the semiconductor body and is thermally coupled to the measuring resistor structure. The electrical circuit also includes a circuit arrangement which is electrically connected to the further resistor structure, feeds a current into the further resistor structure, and evaluates a temperature-dependent voltage dropped across the further resistor structure as a result. The temperature-dependent voltage dropped across the further resistor is used for temperature compensation of the measuring resistor structure.

Claims

1. An electrical circuit comprising:

at least one measuring resistor structure integrated in a semiconductor body, the measuring resistor structure including a plurality of individual partial structures connected in parallel;

at least one further resistor structure integrated in the semiconductor body and thermally coupled to the measuring resistor structure, the further resistor structure including a plurality of individual partial structures connected in series, wherein the plurality of individual partial structures connected in parallel are respectively arranged alongside the plurality of individual partial structures connected in series; and

a circuit arrangement electrically connected to the further resistor structure and configured to feed a current to the further resistor structure and evaluate a temperature-dependent voltage dropped across the further resistor structure, wherein the temperature-dependent voltage provides a signal used for temperature compensation of the measuring resistor structure.

2. The electrical circuit of claim 1 wherein the plurality of individual partial structures connected in parallel are respectively arranged in a manner interleaved with the plurality of individual partial structures connected in series.

3. The electrical circuit of claim 1 wherein the number of individual partial structures connected in parallel is equal to the number of individual partial structures connected in series.

4. The electrical circuit of claim 1 wherein the plurality of individual partial structures connected in parallel each have the same resistance and wherein the plurality of individual partial structures connected in series each have the same resistance.

5. The electrical circuit of claim 1 wherein the plurality of individual partial structures connected in parallel and the respectively corresponding plurality of individual partial structures connected in series have the same resistance.

6. The electrical circuit of claim 1 wherein all of the individual partial structures are identical.

7. The electrical circuit of claim 1 wherein the current fed into the further resistor structure is temperature-independent.

8. The electrical circuit of claim 7 wherein the current fed into the further resistor structure is generated using an external precision resistor.

9. The electrical circuit of claim 1 wherein an evaluation circuit generates temperature data from the temperature-dependent voltage across the further resistor structure.

10. The electrical circuit of claim 9 wherein the evaluation circuit includes an analog-to-digital converter.

11. The electrical circuit of claim 9 wherein the evaluation circuit includes a digital signal processing unit.

12. The electrical circuit of claim 9 wherein the evaluation circuit averages the temperature data.

13. The electrical circuit of claim 9 wherein the evaluation circuit compensates the electrical resistance of the measuring resistor structure or the voltage across the measuring resistor structure depending on the temperature data.

14. A circuit arrangement comprising:

at least one measuring resistor structure integrated in a semiconductor body, the at least one measuring resistor structure including a plurality of individual partial structures connected in parallel;

at least one further resistor structure integrated in the semiconductor body and thermally coupled to the measuring resistor structure, the at least one further resistor structure including a plurality of individual partial structures connected in series, wherein the plurality of individual partial structures connected in parallel are respectively arranged alongside the plurality of individual partial structures connected in series;

a current generating circuit electrically connected to the further resistor structure and configured to deliver a constant current to the further resistor structure, the current resulting in a temperature-dependent voltage dropped across the further resistor structure; and

an evaluation circuit configured to evaluate the temperature-dependent voltage dropped across the further resistor structure and compensate for the temperature dependence of the resistance of the measuring resistor structure.

15. A circuit arrangement comprising:

at least one measuring resistor structure integrated in a semiconductor body, the at least one measuring resistor structure including a plurality of individual partial structures connected in parallel;

at least one further resistor structure integrated in the semiconductor body and thermally coupled to the measuring resistor structure, the at least one further resistor structure including a plurality of individual partial structures connected in series, wherein the plurality of individual partial structures connected in parallel are respectively arranged alongside the plurality of individual partial structures connected in series;

an electrical circuit connected to the further resistor structure and configured to apply a temperature-independent electrical parameter to the further resistor structure, application of the temperature-independent electrical parameter resulting in a temperature-dependent electrical parameter provided across the further resistor structure; and

an evaluation circuit configured to evaluate the temperature-dependent electrical parameter provided across the further resistor structure and compensate for the temperature dependence of the resistance of the measuring resistor structure.

16. The circuit arrangement of claim 15 wherein the temperature-independent electrical parameter is a current and the temperature-dependent electrical parameter is a voltage.