Monolithic voltage reference device with internal, multi-temperature drift data and related testing procedures

US7920016B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• Linear Technology Holding LLC · US

Inventors

• Michael B. Anderson · Colorado Springs, US
• Tahir M. Hasoon · Menlo Park, US
• Brendan Whelan · Discovery Bay, US
• J. Spencer Wright · Sunnyvale, US
• Robert L. Reay · Mountain View, US

Key dates

• Filing date: May 29, 2009
• Grant date: Apr 5, 2011
• Expiry date: Jun 28, 2029

Classification

• Technology area (CPC G): Physics
• CPC primary: G01R35/007
• WIPO field: Measurement
• WIPO sector: Instruments

Abstract

A testing procedure may determine whether a monolithic voltage reference device meets a temperature drift specification. A first non-room temperature output voltage of the monolithic voltage reference device may be measured while the monolithic voltage reference device is at a first non-room temperature which is substantially different than room temperature. First non-room temperature information may be stored in a memory within the monolithic voltage reference device which is a function of the first non-room temperature output voltage. A second non-room temperature output voltage of the monolithic voltage reference device may be measured while the monolithic voltage reference device is at a second non-room temperature which is substantially different than the room temperature and the first non-room temperature. Second non-room temperature information may be stored in the memory without destroying the first non-room temperature information which is a function of the second non-room temperature output voltage. A determination may be made whether the monolithic voltage reference device meets the temperature drift specification based on a computation that is a function of both the fir…