Programmable temperature sensing circuit for an integrated circuit

US8432214B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• Freeescale Semiconductor, Inc. · US

Inventors

• Alfredo Olmos · Austin, US
• Stefano Pietri · Austin, US
• Ricardo Pureza Coimbra · Campinas, BR

Key dates

• Filing date: Mar 21, 2011
• Grant date: Apr 30, 2013
• Expiry date: Sep 5, 2031

Classification

• Technology area (CPC G): Physics
• CPC primary: G01K7/01
• WIPO field: Measurement
• WIPO sector: Instruments

Abstract

A programmable temperature sensing circuit includes a comparator, first and second CTAT sensing elements, first and second PTAT reference circuits, and a selection circuit. When a selection signal is a first logic state, an output terminal of the first PTAT reference circuit is coupled to the second CTAT temperature sensing element for providing a first threshold voltage to the second input of the comparator. When the selection signal is a second logic state different from the first logic state, a series-connection of the first PTAT reference circuit and the second PTAT reference circuit are coupled to the second CTAT temperature sensing element for providing a second threshold voltage to the second input of the comparator. The comparator provides an output voltage indication when a voltage provided by the first CTAT sensing element compares favorably with the selected one of the first or second threshold voltages.