On-chip temperature sensor
AssigneeAdvanced Micro Devices, Inc.
InventorGolam R. Chowdhury
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A method and apparatus for determining a temperature of a semiconductor device is provided herein. One aspect of the disclosed subject matter is seen in a temperature sensing device. The temperature sensing device comprises a diode and a circuit. The diode is adapted to be reverse biased by a charging voltage applied thereto. The circuit determines a temperature of the diode based on a rate that the voltage on the diode discharges in response to the charging voltage being uncoupled from the diode.
Claims20
A temperature sensing device, comprising
- a diode adapted to be selectively reverse biased by a charging voltage;
- and
- a circuit adapted to determine a temperature of the diode based on a rate that a voltage on the diode discharges in response to a decoupling of the charging voltage from the diode.
A temperature sensing device, comprising
- a diode adapted to be selectively reverse biased by a charging voltage;
- and
- a circuit adapted to determine a temperature of the diode based on detecting a parameter related to a reverse bias current flowing through the diode in response to a decoupling of the charging voltage from the diode.
A method for sensing temperature, comprising:
- uncoupling a charging voltage from a diode to discharge the diode;
- determining a rate at which the diode discharges in response to uncoupling the charging voltage;
- and
- determining a temperature of the diode based on the discharge rate.
A method for sensing temperature, comprising:
- removing a charging voltage from a diode to discharge the diode;
- determining a parameter related to a reverse bias current flowing through the diode;
- and
- determining a temperature of the diode based on the determined parameter.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.