Method and apparatus for adjusting delay in a delay locked loop for temperature variations

Abstract

The supply voltage to which a delay circuit's buffer stages are coupled is adjusted in response to changes in temperature according to a predetermined relationship to maintain a substantially constant buffer stage gate delay over temperature variations. Decreasing gate delays resulting from decreases in temperature are offset by decreasing the supply voltage, which in turn increases gate delays. Conversely, increasing gate delays resulting from increases in temperature are offset by increasing the supply voltage, which in turn decreases gate delays. In some embodiments, a control circuit is connected to the reference voltage circuit that supplies VCC to the delay circuit, and adjusts VCC in response to temperature to maintain substantially constant gate delay over temperature. In one embodiment, the control circuit includes a microprocessor and a look-up table containing desired supply voltage versus temperature mappings. In another embodiment, the control circuit is formed as part of an existing bandgap reference circuit associated with the reference voltage circuit, and therefore consumes minimal silicon area.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.