High dynamic range temperature sensor

A method for sensing a temperature, comprising:

• forcing a two-state input current into an element whose temperature is sensed based on a change in voltage across the element induced by the two states of the input current;
• using a capacitor to maintain a continuous connection between the element and a charge-to-digital converter, wherein the capacitor experiences a charge difference due to the change in voltage across the element induced by the two states of the input current;
• converting, by the charge-to-digital converter, the charge difference to a digital value indicative of the temperature of the element;
• and
• operating the temperature sensor without switches connected to the element.

A non-transitory computer-readable medium having instructions stored thereon that are capable of causing or configuring a temperature sensor to perform operations comprising:

• forcing a two-state input current into an element whose temperature is sensed based on a change in voltage across the element induced by the two states of the input current;
• using a capacitor to maintain a continuous connection between the element and a charge-to-digital converter, wherein the capacitor experiences a charge difference due to the change in voltage across the element induced by the two states of the input current;
• converting, by the charge-to-digital converter, the charge difference to a digital value indicative of the temperature of the element;
• and
• operating the temperature sensor without switches connected to the element.

A temperature sensor, comprising:

• a two-state input current;
• an element whose temperature is sensed based on a change in voltage across the element induced by the two states of the input current;
• a charge-to-digital converter;
• a capacitor continuously connected between the element and the charge-to-digital converter, wherein the capacitor experiences a charge difference due to the change in voltage across the element induced by the two states of the input current;
• wherein the charge-to-digital converter converts the charge difference to a digital value indicative of the temperature of the element;
• and
• wherein the charge-to-digital converter comprises:
• a charge-to-voltage converter that converts the charge to a voltage;
• and
• a voltage-to-digital converter that converts the voltage to the digital value;
• a two-state direct current (DC)-shifting current that has opposite polarity of the two-state input current;
• a pull-down resistor whose voltage varies with the two-states of the DC-shifting current;
• and
• a second capacitor continuously connected between the pull-down resistor and the charge-to-digital converter;
• wherein the DC-shifting current, pull-down resistor and second capacitor operate to shift down a DC operating point of the charge-to-voltage converter to increase a dynamic range of the charge-to-voltage converter.

A method for sensing a temperature, comprising:

• forcing a two-state input current into an element whose temperature is sensed based on a change in voltage across the element induced by the two states of the input current;
• using a capacitor to maintain a continuous connection between the element and a charge-to-digital converter, wherein the capacitor experiences a charge difference due to the change in voltage across the element induced by the two states of the input current;
• converting, by the charge-to-digital converter, the charge difference to a digital value indicative of the temperature of the element;
• wherein said converting the charge difference to the digital value comprises:
• converting, by a charge-to-voltage converter, the charge to a voltage;
• and
• converting, by a voltage-to-digital converter, the voltage to the digital value;
• forcing a two-state direct current (DC)-shifting current that has opposite polarity of the two-state input current into a pull-down resistor whose voltage varies with the two-states of the DC-shifting current;
• using a second capacitor to maintain a continuous connection between the pull- down resistor and the charge-to-digital converter;
• and
• operating the DC-shifting current, pull-down resistor and second capacitor to shift down a DC operating point of the charge-to-voltage converter to increase a dynamic range of the charge-to-voltage converter.

A non-transitory computer-readable medium having instructions stored thereon that are capable of causing or configuring a temperature sensor to perform operations comprising:

• forcing a two-state input current into an element whose temperature is sensed based on a change in voltage across the element induced by the two states of the input current;
• using a capacitor to maintain a continuous connection between the element and a charge-to-digital converter, wherein the capacitor experiences a charge difference due to the change in voltage across the element induced by the two states of the input current;
• converting, by the charge-to-digital converter, the charge difference to a digital value indicative of the temperature of the element;
• wherein said converting the charge difference to the digital value comprises:
• converting, by a charge-to-voltage converter, the charge to a voltage;
• and
• converting, by a voltage-to-digital converter, the voltage to the digital value;
• forcing a two-state direct current (DC)-shifting current that has opposite polarity of the two-state input current into a pull-down resistor whose voltage varies with the two-states of the DC-shifting current;
• using a second capacitor to maintain a continuous connection between the pull-down resistor and the charge-to-digital converter;
• and
• operating the DC-shifting current, pull-down resistor and second capacitor to shift down a DC operating point of the charge-to-voltage converter to increase a dynamic range of the charge-to-voltage converter.