Integrated circuit with temperature sensor and method for heating the circuit
AssigneeInfineon Technologies AG
InventorsRoland Barth, Alexander Benedix, Reinhard Duregger, Stephan Grosse
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A temperature sensor is integrated together with an integrated circuit on a chip, the sensor delivering a temperature-dependent measuring signal or at least emitting a signal when the chip temperature falls below a specific prescribed value. For such an eventuality, the chip includes a special circuit device thereon, by which a current flow is generated through a provided structure of electrical conductors that keeps the temperature of the integrated circuit above a prescribed minimum temperature.
Claims19
An integrated circuit on a semiconductor chip, comprising:
- an integrated temperature sensor detecting a temperature of the semiconductor chip and providing a measured temperature signal;
- a structure of electrical conductors;
- and
- a special circuit device connected to said integrated temperature sensor and to at least some of said conductors, said special circuit device generating, dependent upon said measured temperature signal, current flow through said at least some of said conductors when said detected temperature falls below a given temperature value.
In a semiconductor chip, an integrated circuit comprising:
- an integrated temperature sensor detecting a temperature of the semiconductor chip and providing a measured temperature signal;
- a structure of electrical conductors;
- and
- a special circuit device connected to said integrated temperature sensor and to at least some of said conductors, said special circuit device generating current flow through said at least some of said conductors when said detected temperature falls below a given temperature value.
A method for heating an integrated circuit, which comprises:
- providing a semiconductor chip having a structure of electrical conductors, integrated temperature sensor, and the integrated circuit;
- detecting a temperature of the semiconductor chip with the integrated temperature sensor and generating a measured temperature signal;
- connecting a special circuit device to the integrated temperature sensor and to at least some of the conductors;
- and
- generating, dependent upon the measured temperature signal, current flow with the special circuit device through the at least some conductors when the detected temperature falls below a given temperature value.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.