On-chip temperature measurement technique
US6934652B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Nov 10, 2003 |
| Grant date | Aug 23, 2005 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Nov 10, 2023 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG01K15/00
- WIPO fieldMeasurement
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
A temperature monitoring technique that eliminates the need for bipolar devices. In one embodiment of the present invention, a long-channel MOS transistor is configured in a diode connection to sense change in temperature. The diode drives a linear regulator and an oscillator. The oscillator in turn drives a counter, which counts pulses for a fixed period of time. The system clock on the chip is used as a temperature-independent frequency to generate a count. The temperature-dependent frequency is counted for a fixed number of system clock cycles. The present invention eliminates band gap circuitry currently used in most thermal sensing devices to provide a temperature-independent reference.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.