Intelligent input/output temperature sensor and calibration method therefor

A method for calibrating an intelligent input/output (I/O) temperature sensor, the temperature sensor having a temperature sensing element which generates a plurality of digital data samples indicative of the temperature proximate to the temperature sensing element;

• a digital processor directly coupled to said temperature sensing element which generates a plurality of compensated digital data from said samples and a digital compensation value;
• a rewritable memory directly coupled to said processor which persistently stores, in updatable fashion, said digital compensation value and data representing the plurality of digital data samples, operatively coupled to a programming device;
• and a multi-master communication interface for communicating said digital data and at least one instruction for the digital processor with a communication bus of a sensor network, wherein said temperature sensing element, said digital processor and said memory are formed on a single substrate, said method comprising the steps of:
• determining an actual temperature first digital data indicative of an actual temperature measured by the temperature sensor;
• reading uncompensated temperature second digital data from said temperature sensing element;
• calculating the digital compensation value based on said first and second digital data;
• storing said digital compensation value in said memory for subsequent use by said digital processor;
• storing data representing a plurality of digital historical temperature data samples in said memory;
• and
• communicating said digital data and information defining the digital compensation value through the multi-master communication interface and the sensor network with said programming device.