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Thermal sensors and methods of operating thereof

  • US 9,004,754 B2
  • Filed: 06/30/2011
  • Issued: 04/14/2015
  • Est. Priority Date: 04/22/2009
  • Status: Active Grant
First Claim
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1. A thermal sensor comprising:

  • a comparator having a first and second input nodes;

    a reference voltage generator electrically coupled with the first input node of the comparator, the reference voltage generator being configured to provide a reference voltage that is substantially temperature-independent; and

    a temperature sensing circuit electrically coupled with the second input node of the comparator, the temperature sensing circuit being configured to provide a temperature-dependent voltage, wherein the temperature sensing circuit comprises;

    a current mirror;

    a first metal-oxide-semiconductor (MOS) transistor electrically coupled between the current mirror and ground, wherein a first node is between the first MOS transistor and the current mirror, and the first node is electrically coupled with the second input node of the comparator;

    a first resistor electrically coupled with the current minor, wherein a second node is between the first resistor and the current mirror;

    a second MOS transistor electrically coupled with the first resistor in series, wherein the second MOS transistor and the first resistor are electrically coupled with the first MOS transistor in a parallel fashion;

    a third MOS transistor electrically coupled with a power source voltage;

    a fourth MOS transistor electrically coupled with the third MOS transistor in series;

    a second resistor electrically coupled between the first node and a third node between the third and fourth MOS transistors; and

    a third resistor electrically coupled between the third node and the second node.

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