Temperature sensing circuit of semiconductor device

• US 8,342,747 B2
• Filed: 01/27/2010
• Issued: 01/01/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 01/29/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Kim, Si-Hong, Park, Kwang-Il, Kim, Hyun-Joong
• Primary Examiner(s): GUADALUPE, YARITZA
• Application Number:
  US12/694,624
• Publication Number:
  US 20100189160A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,070 Days
• Field of Search: 374170-172, 374/178, 374/183, 374/185
• US Class Current: 374/170
• CPC Class Codes: G01K 1/02 Means for indicating or recording specially adapted for thermometers
• CPC Class Codes: G01K 2219/00 Thermometers with dedicated analog to digital converters
• CPC Class Codes: G01K 7/32 using change of resonant frequency of a crystal

Abstract

A temperature sensing circuit of a semiconductor device includes a code signal generator, a comparator, a reference clock generator and a final temperature code signal generator. The code signal generator is configured to output a first count signal having an increase rate that varies according to a change in temperature. The comparator is configured to receive the first count signal and a control signal, compare the first count signal with the control signal and output a comparison signal. The reference clock generator is configured to generate a reference clock having a uniform period regardless of the change in temperature during an activation period of the comparison signal. The final temperature code signal generator is configured to count pulses of the reference clock, generate a second count signal, modify the second count signal using an offset value, and output the modified second count signal as a final temperature code signal.

Claims

1. A temperature sensing circuit of a semiconductor device, comprising:

a code signal generator configured to output a first count signal having an increase rate that varies according to a change in temperature;

a comparator configured to receive the first count signal and a control signal, compare the first count signal with the control signal, and output a comparison signal;

a reference clock generator configured to generate a reference clock having a uniform period regardless of the change in temperature during an activation period of the comparison signal; and

a final temperature code signal generator configured to count pulses of the reference clock, generate a second count signal, modify the second count signal using an offset value, and output the modified second count signal as a final temperature code signal.

2. The temperature sensing circuit according to claim 1, wherein the code signal generator includes:

a first bias unit configured to output first and second bias signals having voltage levels that vary according to the change in temperature;

a first ring oscillator configured to output a first clock having a variable period in response to the first and second bias signals; and

a first counter configured to count pulses of the first clock and output the first count signal.

3. The temperature sensing circuit according to claim 1, wherein the reference clock generator includes:

a second bias unit configured to output third and fourth bias signals having uniform voltage levels regardless of the change in temperature; and

a second ring oscillator configured to generate and output the reference clock in response to the third and fourth bias signals in the activation period of the comparison signal.

4. The temperature sensing circuit according to claim 1, wherein the final temperature code signal generator includes a second counter configured to count the pulses of the reference clock, generate the second count signal, and output the second count signal as the final temperature code signal, and

wherein the offset value adjusts a variation range of the final temperature code signal.

5. The temperature sensing circuit according to claim 1, wherein the final temperature code signal generator includes:

a third counter configured to count the pulses of the reference clock and output the second count signal for adjusting a variation of a value of the final temperature code signal with respect to the change in temperature according to a variation of a target temperature code value with respect to the change in temperature; and

an adder configured to receive the second count signal, add or subtract the offset value to or from a value of the second count signal, and output the final temperature code signal, the offset value adjusting a variation range of the modified final temperature code signal to a variation range of the target temperature code value.

6. The temperature sensing circuit according to claim 5, wherein the adder moves the variation range of the modified final temperature code signal to the variation range of the target temperature code value by adding or subtracting the offset value to or from the value of the second count signal, the offset value being set to a difference between a y-intercept of a straight characteristic line of the modified final temperature code signal and a y-intercept of a straight characteristic line of the target temperature code value.

7. The temperature sensing circuit according to claim 1, wherein the pulses of the reference clock are counted until a value of the first count signal becomes the same as a value of the control signal to adjust the activation period of the comparison signal, change a value of the second count signal, and adjust a slope of a straight characteristic line of the final temperature code signal.

8. The temperature sensing circuit according to claim 1, wherein when a value of the first count signal is less than a value of the control signal, the comparison signal is activated to keep the reference clock oscillating in the activation period of the comparison signal and increase a value of the second count signal, and

when the value of the first count signal becomes the same as the value of the control signal, the comparison signal is inactivated to stop the reference clock from oscillating, and the offset value is added or subtracted to or from the second count signal to output the modified second count signal as the final temperature code signal.

9. The temperature sensing circuit according to claim 1, wherein the control signal is set to an increased value to increase a variation of a value of the final temperature code signal with respect to the change in temperature when the variation of the value of the final temperature code signal with respect to the change in temperature is smaller than a variation of a target temperature code value with respect to the change in temperature, and

wherein the control signal is set to a reduced value to reduce the variation of the value of the final temperature code signal with respect to the change in temperature when the variation of the value of the final temperature code signal with respect to the change in temperature is larger than the variation of the target temperature code value with respect to the change in temperature.