SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICE HAVING VARIABLE PARAMETER SELECTION BASED ON TEMPERATURE AND TEST METHOD

• US 20120243574A1
• Filed: 06/07/2012
• Published: 09/27/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 04/19/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Nytell Software LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Inventors: Walker, Darryl G.
• Granted Patent: US 9,766,135 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 374/176
• 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 may be used to control various parameters, such as internal regulated supply voltages, internal refresh frequency, or a word line low voltage. In this way, operating specifications of a semiconductor device at worst case temperatures may be met without compromising performance at normal operating temperatures. Each temperature sensing circuit may include a selectable temperature threshold value as well as a selectable temperature hysteresis value. In this way, temperature performance characteristics may be finely tuned. Furthermore, a method of testing the temperature sensing circuits is disclosed in which a current value may be monitored and temperature threshold values and temperature hysteresis values may be thereby determined.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising:

a temperature-sensing circuit; and

a register coupled to the temperature-sensing circuit and configured to;

receive a temperature select value from a register load operation; and

provide the received temperature select value to the temperature-sensing circuit.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the register is a register circuit.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the register circuit is one of a plurality of register circuits.

4. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the plurality of register circuits are configured to receive a plurality of temperature select values from a plurality of register load operations.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the temperature-sensing circuit is configured to provide a temperature indication signal.

6. A method comprising:

receiving, at a register, a temperature select value from a register load operation; and

providing, from the register, the received temperature select value to a temperature-sensing circuit.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the register is a register circuit.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the register circuit is one of a plurality of register circuits.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising receiving, at the plurality of register circuits, a plurality of temperature select values from a plurality of register load operations.

10. The method of claim 6, further comprising providing, from the temperature-sensing circuit, a temperature indication signal.

11. An apparatus comprising:

a temperature-sensing circuit; and

a plurality of register circuits coupled to the temperature-sensing circuit and configured to;

receive a plurality of bits corresponding to a plurality of temperature select values from a plurality of register circuit load operations; and

provide the received plurality of bits to the temperature-sensing circuit.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the temperature-sensing circuit is configured to provide a temperature indication signal.

13. A method comprising:

receiving, at a plurality of register circuits, a plurality of bits corresponding to a plurality of temperature select values from a plurality of register load operations; and

providing, from the plurality of register circuits, the received plurality of bits to a temperature-sensing circuit.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising providing, from the temperature-sensing circuit, a temperature indication signal.

15. An apparatus comprising:

a temperature-sensing circuit;

a first register coupled to the temperature-sensing circuit and configured to provide a temperature select value to the temperature-sensing circuit; and

a second register coupled to the temperature-sensing circuit and configured to provide a hysteresis select value to the temperature-sensing circuit.

16. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the first register and the second register are both register circuits.

17. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the first and second registers are configured to receive a plurality of temperature select values from a plurality of register load operations.

18. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the temperature-sensing circuit is configured to provide a temperature indication signal.

19. A method comprising:

providing, from a first register, a temperature select value to a temperature-sensing circuit, wherein the temperature-sensing circuit includes a temperature threshold value; and

providing, from a second register, a hysteresis select value to the temperature-sensing circuit, wherein the temperature-sensing circuit further includes a temperature hysteresis value.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the first and second registers are both register circuits.

21. The method of claim 19, further comprising receiving, at the first and second registers, a plurality of temperature select values from a plurality of register load operations.

22. The method of claim 19, further comprising providing, from the temperature-sensing circuit, a temperature indication signal.