Temperature detection circuit and method of adjusting the same

• US 9,255,850 B2
• Filed: 10/25/2012
• Issued: 02/09/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 11/11/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LAPIS Semiconductor Co., Ltd. (ROHM Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: LAPIS Semiconductor Co., Ltd. (ROHM Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Furuichi, Shuji
• Primary Examiner(s): Caputo, Lisa
• Assistant Examiner(s): AHMED, NASIR UDDIN
• Application Number:
  US13/659,973
• Publication Number:
  US 20130121377A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,202 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G01K 15/005 Calibration
• CPC Class Codes: G01K 7/01 using semiconducting elements having PN junctions G01K7/02, G01K7/16, G01K7/30 take precedence

Abstract

A temperature detection circuit that can detect temperature with high accuracy regardless of manufacturing variations, and a method of adjusting the same. The circuit includes: first and second diodes having respective independent p-n junctions; a first current path including a first variable voltage dividing resistor series connected to the first diode; a second current path including a second variable voltage dividing resistor series connected to the second diode; a reference voltage generation part that feeds back a differential voltage to each of the first and second current paths and outputs as a reference voltage the differential voltage indicating a difference between a first divided voltage of the first variable voltage dividing resistor and a potential on the second current path; and a temperature detection signal generation part generating a temperature detection signal based on a second divided voltage of the second variable voltage dividing resistor.

Claims

1. A temperature detection circuit for generating a temperature detection signal indicating a temperature of a semiconductor, comprising:

first and second diodes having respective p-n junctions independent from each other;

a first current path including a first variable voltage dividing resistor that is connected in series to the first diode and whose dividing resistance ratio is variable according to a first offset adjustment signal, the first variable voltage dividing resistor producing a first divided voltage;

a second current path including a second variable voltage dividing resistor that is connected in series to the second diode and whose dividing resistance ratio is variable according to a second offset adjustment signal, the second variable voltage dividing resistor producing a second divided voltage, the second current path having a node between the second diode and the second variable voltage dividing resistor;

a reference voltage generation part that includes first and second input terminals and that generates a differential voltage from the first divided voltage applied to the first input terminal and a potential at the node in the second current path that is applied to the second input terminal, the reference voltage generation part applying the differential voltage to an end of the first current path and also to an end of the second current path and additionally outputting the differential voltage as a reference voltage, the differential voltage indicating a difference between the first divided voltage produced by the first variable voltage dividing resistor and the potential at the node in the second current path; and

a temperature detection signal generation part that generates the temperature detection signal, the temperature detection signal generation part receiving the second divided voltage produced by the second variable voltage dividing resistor, the temperature detection signal generation part including an amplification part that amplifies the second divided voltage to obtain an amplified voltage and a third variable voltage dividing resistor that adjusts a gain of the amplification part according to a third offset adjustment signal; and

a fourth variable voltage dividing resistor that adjusts a level of the amplified voltage output from the second amplifier according to a temperature gradient adjustment signal.

2. The temperature detection circuit according to claim 1, wherein the first and second diodes have respective different p-n junction areas.

3. The temperature detection circuit according to claim 2, further comprising a switch part that selects one of the differential voltage, the amplified voltage, and the second divided voltage according to an adjustment point select signal, and outputs the selected one through an output terminal of the temperature detection signal.

4. The temperature detection circuit according to claim 1, further comprising a switch part that selects one of the differential voltage, the amplified voltage, and the second divided voltage according to an adjustment point select signal, and outputs the selected one through an output terminal of the temperature detection signal.

5. The temperature detection circuit according to claim 4, wherein

the amplification part includes:

a first amplifier that amplifies the second divided voltage by a gain according to the third offset adjustment signal; and

a second amplifier that supplies a voltage output from the first amplifier to the switch part as the amplified voltage.

6. The temperature detection circuit according to claim 3, wherein

the amplification part includes:

a first amplifier that amplifies the second divided voltage by a gain according to the third offset adjustment signal; and

a second amplifier that supplies a voltage output from the first amplifier to the switch part as the amplified voltage.

7. A method of adjusting the temperature detection circuit as set forth in claim 1, the method comprising:

a first step of changing a level of the first offset adjustment signal to make the reference voltage coincide with a predetermined first voltage;

a second step of changing a level of the second offset adjustment signal to make the second divided voltage coincide with a predetermined second voltage; and

a third step of changing a level of the third offset adjustment signal to make a level of the temperature detection signal coincide with a predetermined third voltage.