Semiconductor device having temperature sensor circuits

• US 9,274,007 B2
• Filed: 04/30/2014
• Issued: 03/01/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 03/28/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Darryl G. Walker
• Inventors: Walker, Darryl G.
• Primary Examiner(s): Le, Vu
• Assistant Examiner(s): CHO, SUNG IL
• Application Number:
  US14/265,729
• Publication Number:
  US 20150276502A1
• Time in Patent Office: 671 Days
• Field of Search: 365/189.011, 365/189.05, 365/227
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G01K 13/00 Thermometers specially adapted for specific purposes
• CPC Class Codes: G01K 3/005 Circuits arrangements for indicating a predetermined temperature fire detection G08B17/00
• CPC Class Codes: G01K 7/00 Measuring temperature based on the use of electric or magnetic elements directly sensitive to heat giving results other than momentary value of temperature G01K3/00 ; Power supply therefor, e.g. using thermoelectric elements
• CPC Class Codes: G01K 7/01 using semiconducting elements having PN junctions G01K7/02, G01K7/16, G01K7/30 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01K 7/16 using resistive elements resistive elements per se H01C, H01L
• CPC Class Codes: G11C 11/40626 Temperature related aspects of refresh operations
• CPC Class Codes: G11C 11/407 for memory cells of the field-effect type
• CPC Class Codes: G11C 11/4074 Power supply or voltage generation circuits, e.g. bias voltage generators, substrate voltage generators, back-up power, power control circuits
• CPC Class Codes: G11C 11/4093 Input/output [I/O] data interface arrangements, e.g. data buffers
• CPC Class Codes: G11C 11/4096 Input/output [I/O] data management or control circuits, e.g. reading or writing circuits, I/O drivers or bit-line switches
• CPC Class Codes: G11C 7/00 Arrangements for writing information into, or reading information out from, a digital store G11C5/00 takes precedence; auxiliary circuits for stores using semiconductor devices G11C11/4063, G11C11/413
• CPC Class Codes: G11C 7/04 with means for avoiding disturbances due to temperature effects
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 17/145 in field-effect transistor switches
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 17/223 in field-effect transistor switches
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 17/687 the devices being field-effect transistors
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 21/10 comprising logic circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 3/012 Modifications of generator to improve response time or to decrease power consumption

Abstract

A semiconductor device that may include at least one temperature sensing circuit is disclosed. The temperature sensing circuits may be used to control various operating parameters to improve the operation of the semiconductor device over a wide temperature range. In this way, operating specifications of a semiconductor device at worst case temperatures may be met without compromising performance at other operating temperatures. The temperature sensing circuit may provide a plurality of temperature ranges for setting the operational parameters. Each temperature range can include a temperature range upper limit value and a temperature range lower limit value and adjacent temperature ranges may overlap. The temperature ranges may be set in accordance with a count value that can incrementally change in response to the at least one temperature sensing circuit.

Claims

1. A device, comprising:

a first temperature sensor circuit setting a temperature range upper limit value, the first temperature sensor circuit provides a first direction output signals, the first direction output signal having a logic level transition in response to a temperature of the device reaching about the temperature range upper limit value;

a second temperature sensor circuit setting a temperature range lower limit value, the second temperature sensor circuit provides a second direction output signal, the second direction output signal having a logic level transition in response to the temperature of the device reaching about the temperature range lower limit value; and

a single counter circuit coupled to receive the first direction output signal and the second direction output signal and provide a count value, the counter circuit incrementally changes the count value by an incremental amount in a first direction in response to the first direction output signal and incrementally changes the count value by the incremental amount in a second direction in response to the second direction output signal,

wherein;

the temperature range upper limit value and the temperature range lower limit value changes in response to the incremental change in the count value.

2. The device of claim 1, further including:

the first temperature sensor circuit is coupled to receive the count value, the count value sets the temperature range upper limit value.

3. The device of claim 2, wherein:

the second temperature sensor circuit is coupled to receive the count value, the count value sets the temperature range lower limit value.

4. The device of claim 1, further including:

a count limit detector coupled to receive the count value and provide a first count limit signal.

5. The device of claim 4, wherein:

the first temperature sensor circuit is coupled to receive the first count limit signal, the first temperature sensor circuit is disabled in response to the first count limit signal.

6. The device of claim 5, further including:

the first temperature sensor circuit includes

a first temperature sensing portion coupled to receive the count value and provide a first temperature detect signal; and

a first output portion coupled to receive the first temperature detect signal and the first count limit signal and provide the first direction output signal wherein the first output portion is disabled in response to the first count limit signal.

7. The device, of claim 6, wherein:

the count limit detector provides a second count limit signal.

8. The device of claim 7, wherein:

the second temperature sensor circuit is coupled to receive the second count limit signal, the second temperature sensor circuit is disabled in response to the second count limit signal.

9. The device of claim 8, further including:

the second temperature sensor circuit includes

a second temperature sensing portion coupled to receive the count value and provide a second temperature detect signal; and

a second output portion coupled to receive the second temperature detect signal and the second count limit signal and provide the second direction output signal wherein the second output portion is disabled in response to the second count limit signal.

10. The device of claim 1, further including:

a count transition detector coupled to receive a least significant bit of the count value and provide a count transition pulse signal in response to a logic transition of the least significant bit of the count value.

11. The device of claim 10, further including:

the first temperature sensor circuit is coupled to receive the count transition pulse signal.

12. The device, of claim 11, further including:

the first temperature sensor circuit includes

a first temperature sensing portion coupled to receive the count value and provide a first temperature detect signal; and

a first output portion coupled to receive the first temperature detect signal and the count transition pulse signal and provide the first direction output signal wherein the first output portion is disabled in response to the count transition pulse signal.

13. The device of claim 12, wherein the second temperature sensor circuit is coupled to receive the count transition pulse signal.

14. The device of claim 13, further including:

the second temperature sensor circuit includes

a second temperature sensing portion coupled to receive the count value and provide a second temperature detect signal; and

a second output portion coupled to receive the second temperature detect signal and the count transition pulse signal and provide the second direction output signal wherein the second output portion is disabled in response to the count transition pulse signal.

15. The device of claim 1, wherein:

the first temperature sensor circuit includes a first variable resistor coupled to receive the count value, the first variable resistor includes a first resistance value that changes in response to the incremental change of the count value.

16. The device of claim 15, wherein:

the second temperature sensor circuit includes a second variable resistor coupled to receive the count value, the second variable resistor includes a second resistance value that changes in response to the incremental change of the count value.

17. The device of claim 1, further including:

a performance parameter table coupled to receive the count value, the performance parameter table provides performance parameters addressed by the count value.

18. The device of claim 17, further including:

performance parameter adjusted circuits coupled to receive the performance parameters, performance parameter adjusted circuits have operational aspects adjusted in response to the values of the performance parameters.

19. The device of claim 1, wherein:

the device is a semiconductor device.