Method and apparatus for sensing temperature
AssigneeNation Semiconductor Corporation
InventorOhad Falik
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Method and system for periodically measuring the junction temperature of a semiconductor device. The junction exited by at least two sequential predetermined currents of different magnitudes. The voltage response of the junction to the at least two currents is measured and the temperature of the junction is calculated, while substantially canceling ohmic effects, by using the voltage response and a correction factor obtained by periodically. Whenever desired, the junction is exited by a set of at least four sequential different currents having known ratios. The voltage response to the set is measured and the correction factor is calculated by using each voltage response to the set.
Claims20
A system, comprising:
- a semiconductor junction;
- and
- a temperature monitor operable to determine a temperature of the junction using two or more voltage responses of the junction and a correction factor, the correction factor at least partially correcting for error in determining the temperature of the junction;
- wherein the two or more voltage responses comprise first and second voltage responses;
- and
- wherein the temperature monitor is operable to determine the temperature of the junction by:
- inverting the correction factor;
- loading the inverted correction factor as a counter value into a counter;
- incrementing the counter value for each specified value in a digital bit stream associated with the second voltage response;
- and
- decrementing the counter value for each specified value in a digital bit stream associated with the first voltage response, the temperature based on a final counter value.
A method, comprising:
- determining a correction factor for at least partially correcting for error in determining a temperature of a semiconductor junction, the correction factor determined using two or more voltage responses of the junction;
- and
- using the correction factor to determine the temperature of the junction;
- wherein the two or more voltage responses include first, second, third, and fourth voltage responses;
- and
- wherein determining the correction factor comprises:
- determining a first voltage difference between the first and second voltage responses;
- determining a second voltage difference between the third and fourth voltage responses;
- and
- determining a difference between the first and second voltage differences, the correction factor based on the difference between the first and second voltage differences.
An apparatus comprising:
- an analog-to-digital converter operable to convert first, second, third, and fourth voltage responses of a semiconductor junction into digital bit streams;
- a counter operable to:
- increment a counter value for each specified value in the digital bit stream associated with the fourth voltage response;
- decrement the counter value for each specified value in the digital bit stream associated with the third voltage response;
- increment the counter value for each specified value in the digital bit stream associated with the first voltage response;
- and
- decrement the counter value for each specified value in the digital bit stream associated with the second voltage response;
- and
- a register operable to store a final counter value as a correction factor, the correction factor at least partially correcting for error in determining a temperature of the junction.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.