Temperature sensing circuit with hysteresis and time delay

• US 8,005,641 B2
• Filed: 08/13/2009
• Issued: 08/23/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 04/19/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Agersonn RALL Group LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Inventors: Walker, Darryl G.
• Primary Examiner(s): Cosimano; Edward
• Application Number:
  US12/540,446
• Publication Number:
  US 20110037138A1
• Time in Patent Office: 740 Days
• Field of Search: 374/1, 374/100, 374/141, 374/152, 700/1, 700/9, 700/11, 700/12, 700/28, 700/32, 700/33, 700/90, 700/299, 702/1, 702/127, 702/130, 702/132, 702/136, 702/187, 702/188, 702/189, 713/1, 713/100, 713/300, 713/330, 713/500, 713/501, 713/502, 713/600, 718/100
• US Class Current: 702/132
• CPC Class Codes: G01K 7/425 Thermal management of integrated systems

Abstract

A semiconductor device that may include temperature sensing circuits is disclosed. The temperature-sensing circuits include an amplifier, a transistor, a temperature threshold resistance and a hysteresis resistance, and a latch. The amplifier includes a positive input and a negative input where the negative input is configured to be driven by a temperature-independent signal. The transistor is electrically coupled to the positive input where the transistor is configured to be controlled by a temperature signal. The temperature threshold resistance and a hysteresis resistance is electrically coupled in series to the positive input, wherein the hysteresis resistance is configured to be controlled, at least in part, by an output of the amplifier. The latch is configured to latch the output of the amplifier after a time delay initiated by a transition of a temperature detect signal.

Claims

1. A semiconductor memory device comprising:

a temperature-sensing circuit including;

an amplifier comprising a positive input and a negative input, wherein the negative input is configured to be driven by a temperature-independent signal;

a transistor electrically coupled to the positive input, wherein the transistor is configured to be controlled by a temperature signal; and

a temperature threshold resistance and a hysteresis resistance electrically coupled in series to the positive input, wherein the hysteresis resistance is configured to be controlled, at least in part, by an output of the amplifier; and

a latch configured to latch the output of the amplifier after a time delay initiated by a transition of a temperature detect signal.

2. The semiconductor memory device of claim 1, wherein the threshold resistance comprises a variable resistance.

3. The semiconductor memory device of claim 1, wherein the hysteresis resistance comprises a variable resistance.

4. The semiconductor memory device of claim 1, wherein the latch further comprises an enable.

5. The semiconductor memory device of claim 1, further comprising a bandgap reference circuit configured to provide the temperature signal.

6. The semiconductor memory device of claim 1, wherein the threshold resistance and the hysteresis resistance are programmable.

7. The semiconductor memory device of claim 6, wherein the threshold resistance and the hysteresis resistance comprise a series of resistors, and wherein each resistor includes a shunt transistor configured to be controlled by a programming signal.

8. A method comprising:

sensing a temperature with a temperature-sensing circuit that includes;

an amplifier comprising a positive input and a negative input, wherein the negative input is configured to be driven by a temperature-independent signal;

a transistor electrically coupled to the positive input, wherein the transistor is configured to be controlled by a temperature signal; and

a temperature threshold resistance and a hysteresis resistance electrically coupled in series to the positive input, wherein the hysteresis resistance is configured to be controlled. at least in part, by an output of the amplifier; and

latching the output of the amplifier after a time delay initiated by a transition of a temperature detect signal.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the threshold resistance comprises a variable resistance.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein the hysteresis resistance comprises a variable resistance.

11. The method of claim 8, wherein said latching the output of the amplifier comprises enabling a latch electrically connected to the output of the amplifier.

12. The method of claim 8, further comprising generating the temperature signal with a bandgap reference circuit.

13. The method of claim 8, further comprising programming the threshold resistance and the hysteresis resistance.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the threshold resistance and the hysteresis resistance comprise a series of resistors, wherein each resistor includes a shunt transistor, and wherein said programming the threshold resistance and the hysteresis resistance comprises controlling each shunt transistor with a programming signal.

15. A method comprising:

sensing a first temperature with a first temperature-sensing circuit that includes;

a first amplifier comprising a positive input and a negative input, wherein the negative input is configured to be driven by a temperature-independent signal;

a first transistor electrically coupled to the positive input, wherein the first transistor is configured to be controlled by a temperature signal; and

a first temperature threshold resistance and a first hysteresis resistance electrically coupled in series to the positive input, wherein the first hysteresis resistance is configured to be controlled, at least in part, by an output of the first amplifier,

wherein the output of the first amplifier is configured to provide a first temperature indication;

latching the first temperature indication,

sensing a second temperature with a second temperature-sensing circuit that includes;

a second amplifier comprising a positive input and a negative input, wherein the negative input is configured to be driven by the temperature-independent signal;

a second transistor electrically coupled to the positive input, wherein the second transistor is configured to be controlled by the temperature signal; and

a second temperature threshold resistance and a second hysteresis resistance electrically coupled in series to the positive input, wherein the second hysteresis resistance is configured to be controlled, at least in part, by an output of the second amplifier;

wherein the output of the second amplifier is configured to provide a second temperature indication; and

latching the second temperature indication.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising providing a temperature range signal based on the latched first and second temperature indications.