Methods and apparatus for selecting settings for circuits
AssigneeInfineon Technologies Austria AG
InventorsKenneth A. Ostrom, Richard Pierson, Benjamim Tang, Clark Custer, Scott Southwell, Felix Kim
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Methods and apparatus selecting settings for circuits according to various aspects of the present invention may operate in conjunction with a measurement element connected to the circuit. The circuit may include a voltage source adapted to supply a voltage to the measurement element. The voltage may be substantially independent of the characteristics of the measurement element. The circuit may further include a measurement sensor responsive to a current in the measurement element. The measurement sensor may generate a control signal according to the current in the measurement element.
Claims17
An integrated circuit adapted to operate in conjunction with a setting selected from a plurality of settings according to an external measurement element connected to a terminal of the integrated circuit, comprising:
- a voltage source adapted to supply a voltage to the measurement element, wherein the voltage is substantially independent of the measurement element;
- and
- a measurement sensor:
- responsive to a current in the measurement element;
- and
- adapted to produce a control signal according to the current,
- wherein the control signal represents the selected setting of the plurality of settings,
- wherein the measurement sensor comprises:
- a current source adapted to generate a reference current;
- a capacitor responsive to the reference current and the current in the measurement element, wherein the capacitor generates an integration signal corresponding to an integrated difference between the current in the measurement element and the reference current;
- and
- a buffer responsive to the integration signal, wherein the buffer generates a quantized control signal according to the integration signal.
A sensor circuit for selecting a function setting from multiple function settings for a component, wherein the function setting is specified according to a resistance of an external resistor connected to the component, comprising:
- a voltage source adapted to supply a substantially constant voltage to the resistor, wherein the constant voltage is substantially independent of the resistance of the external resistor;
- a measurement sensor responsive to a current in the resistor, wherein the measurement sensor generates a control signal according to the magnitude of the current;
- and
- a correction circuit adapted to compensate for at least one of offset errors and gain errors in at least one of the external resistor, the voltage source, and the measurement sensor.
A method for selecting a setting for an integrated circuit adapted to operate in conjunction with a plurality of settings according to an external measurement element connected to a terminal of the integrated circuit including a functional module, comprising:
- applying a substantially constant voltage to the terminal, wherein the voltage is substantially independent of the measurement element;
- generating a control signal according to a magnitude of a current in the external measurement element, wherein the control signal corresponds to the setting to be selected for the integrated circuit;
- and
- providing the control signal to the functional module of the integrated circuit, wherein the functional module implements the setting to be selected according to the control signal,
- wherein generating the control signal comprises:
- generating a reference current;
- generating an integration signal corresponding to an integrated difference between the current in the external measurement element and the reference current;
- and
- generating a quantized control signal according to the integration signal.
A method for selecting a setting for an integrated circuit adapted to operate in conjunction with a plurality of settings according to an external measurement element connected to a terminal of the integrated circuit including a functional module, comprising:
- applying a substantially constant voltage to the terminal, wherein the voltage is substantially independent of the measurement element;
- generating a control signal according to a magnitude of a current in the external measurement element, wherein the control signal corresponds to the setting to be selected for the integrated circuit and is generated by generating multiple thresholds and comparing the current in the measurement element to the multiple thresholds;
- and
- providing the control signal to the functional module of the integrated circuit, wherein the functional module implements the setting to be selected according to the control signal.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.