Patent · US Expired

Temperature monitoring of semiconductors

US4001649A · kind A · utility

28Cited by
4References
14Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventor

Key dates

Filing dateDec 30, 1975
Grant dateJan 4, 1977
Priority date
Expiry dateDec 30, 1995

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
  • CPC primaryH02H6/00
  • WIPO fieldElectrical machinery, apparatus, energy
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

A current sensor provides a voltage signal which is proportional to the average current flowing through a semiconductor device junction. This voltage signal is applied to a first analogue circuit which produces an output voltage indicative of the average power dissipated at the junction. The output of the first analogue circuit is applied to a second analogue circuit which outputs a voltage signal indicative of the temperature difference between the junction and a heat sink associated with the semiconductor device and to a third analogue circuit which outputs a voltage signal indicative of the temperature difference between the heat sink and ambient. The ambient temperature is sensed by an ambient temperature sensor which outputs a voltage signal indicative of the ambient temperature. A voltage summing circuit sums the output voltages from the second and third analogue circuits and from the ambient temperature sensor, and produces an output voltage indicative of the junction temperature.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.