Thermal sensor system and method based on current ratio
원문보기
IPC분류정보
국가/구분
United States(US) Patent
등록
국제특허분류(IPC7판)
G01K-007/01
G01K-001/02
출원번호
US-0628939
(2012-09-27)
등록번호
US-9316542
(2016-04-19)
발명자
/ 주소
Cao, Lipeng
Jokinen, Tommi M.
Mai, Khoi
Sanchez, Hector
출원인 / 주소
FREESCALE SEMICONDUCTOR, INC.
인용정보
피인용 횟수 :
0인용 특허 :
27
초록▼
A thermal sensor system including at least one thermal sensor, a voltage control network, a current gain network, a current compare sensor, and a controller. The voltage control network applies reference and delta voltage levels to a thermal sensor, which develops reference and delta current signals
A thermal sensor system including at least one thermal sensor, a voltage control network, a current gain network, a current compare sensor, and a controller. The voltage control network applies reference and delta voltage levels to a thermal sensor, which develops reference and delta current signals. The current gain network is used to adjust current gain. The current compare sensor is responsive to the reference and delta current signals and provides a comparison metric. The controller selects a temperature subrange and controls the current gain network to adjust the gain of the delta current signal to determine a gain differential value indicative of the temperature. The controller may select from among different sized thermal sensors, current mode gain values, and control voltages corresponding with each of multiple temperature subranges. Any one or more of these parameters may be adjusted to adjust an operating point for selecting a corresponding temperature subrange.
대표청구항▼
1. A thermal sensor system, comprising: at least one thermal sensor;a voltage control network which applies a reference voltage level and a corresponding delta voltage level to said at least one thermal sensor, wherein said at least one thermal sensor responsively develops a reference current signal
1. A thermal sensor system, comprising: at least one thermal sensor;a voltage control network which applies a reference voltage level and a corresponding delta voltage level to said at least one thermal sensor, wherein said at least one thermal sensor responsively develops a reference current signal and a corresponding delta current signal;a current gain network configured to adjust gain of said delta current signal relative to said reference current signal;a current compare sensor responsive to said reference current signal and said delta current signal which is configured to provide a comparison metric;a controller which is configured to select said reference voltage level and said delta voltage level from among a plurality of reference voltage levels and a corresponding plurality of delta voltage levels, wherein said selected reference and delta voltage levels correspond with a selected one of a plurality of temperature subranges; andwherein said controller is further configured to control said current gain network to adjust gain of said delta current signal while monitoring said comparison metric to determine a gain differential value indicative of a current ratio of said reference current signal and said delta current signal, and wherein said controller determines a temperature value based on said gain differential value. 2. The thermal sensor system of claim 1, wherein said controller is configured to search said plurality of temperature subranges from highest to lowest until a valid gain differential value is obtained. 3. The thermal sensor system of claim 1, wherein for at least one of said plurality of temperature subranges, said controller is configured to apply said selected reference voltage level to said at least one thermal sensor and to program said current gain network with an initial gain value to determine a reference comparison metric, and then to apply said delta voltage level to said at least one thermal sensor and then to adjust gain of said current gain network until said comparison metric substantially matches said reference comparison metric to provide a final gain value, and then to determine said gain differential value as a difference between said final gain value and said initial gain value. 4. The thermal sensor system of claim 1, wherein: said current gain network comprises at least one mode gain block and at least one search gain block; andwherein said controller is configured to program said at least one mode gain block based on said selected one of said plurality of temperature subranges and to further adjust gain of said at least one search gain block to determine said gain differential value. 5. The thermal sensor system of claim 1, further comprising: said current compare sensor comprising a voltage controlled oscillator responsive to said reference current signal and said delta current signal for providing an oscillator signal as said comparison metric;an oscillation detect circuit which senses whether said oscillator signal is oscillating and which provides a frequency sense signal indicative thereof; andwherein said controller is configured to search said plurality of temperature subranges from highest to lowest until a valid gain differential value is obtained, and to advance to a next lower temperature subrange when said frequency sense signal indicates non-oscillation of said oscillator signal. 6. The thermal sensor system of claim 1, wherein: said current compare sensor comprises a voltage controlled oscillator responsive to said reference current signal and said delta current signal for providing an oscillator signal as said comparison metric; andwherein for at least one of said plurality of temperature subranges, said controller is configured to apply said selected reference voltage level to said at least one thermal sensor and to program said current gain network with an initial gain value to determine a reference period of said oscillator signal, and then to apply said delta voltage level to said at least one thermal sensor and then to adjust gain of said current gain network until an updated period of said oscillator signal substantially matches said reference period to provide a final gain value, and then to determine said gain differential value as a difference between said final gain value and said initial gain value. 7. The thermal sensor system of claim 1, further comprising: a memory storing a plurality of temperature values including one temperature value for each of a plurality of gain values; andwherein said controller is configured to use said gain differential value to retrieve a corresponding temperature value from said memory. 8. The thermal sensor system of claim 1, further comprising: a memory storing a plurality of temperature values including one temperature value for each of a plurality of gain values;said controller is configured to retrieve a pair of temperature values and a corresponding pair of gain values from said memory closest to said gain differential value; andwherein said controller is configured to interpolate a measured temperature value from said at least one temperature value and said at least one corresponding gain value. 9. The thermal sensor system of claim 1, wherein: said at least one thermal sensor comprises a plurality of different sized thermal sensors; andwherein said controller is configured to select from among said plurality of different sized thermal sensors to select a thermal sensor which corresponds with said selected one of said plurality of temperature subranges. 10. The thermal sensor system of claim 9, wherein: said current gain network comprises at least one mode gain block and at least one search gain block; andwherein said controller is further configured to program said at least one mode gain block based on said selected one of said plurality of temperature subranges and to further adjust gain of said at least one search gain block to determine said gain differential value. 11. A thermal sensor system, comprising: a plurality of different sized thermal sensors;a controller which is configured to select from among said plurality of different sized thermal sensors to select a thermal sensor having a size which corresponds with a selected one of a plurality of temperature subranges;a voltage control network which applies a reference voltage level and a corresponding delta voltage level to said selected thermal sensor, wherein said selected thermal sensor responsively develops a reference current signal and a corresponding delta current signal;a current gain network configured to adjust gain of said delta current signal relative to said reference current signal;a current compare sensor responsive to said reference current signal and said delta current signal which is configured to provide a comparison metric; andwherein said controller is further configured to control said current gain network to adjust gain of said delta current signal while monitoring said comparison metric to determine a gain differential value indicative of a current ratio of said reference current signal and said delta current signal, and wherein said controller determines a temperature value based on said gain differential value.
연구과제 타임라인
LOADING...
LOADING...
LOADING...
LOADING...
LOADING...
이 특허에 인용된 특허 (27)
Sanchez Hector, Beta dependent temperature sensor for an integrated circuit.
Jo, Byeong Hak; Na, Yoo Sam; Park, Kyoung Seok; Hwang, Hyeon Seok; Oh, Seung Min, Bias current generating apparatus with adjustable temperature coefficient.
Miranda ; Jr. Evaldo Martino ; Tuthill Michael G.,IEX ; Blake John,IEX, Decoupled switched current temperature circuit with compounded .DELTA.V .sub.be.
Campos, Marcelo de Paula; Silva Junior, Edevaldo Pereira da; Nascimento, Ivan Carlos Ruberio do, Multiple sensor thermal management for electronic devices.
St. Pierre,Robert; McLeod,Scott C., Proportional settling time adjustment for diode voltage and temperature measurements dependent on forced level current.
※ AI-Helper는 부적절한 답변을 할 수 있습니다.