# US 9,752,938 B2 · Temperature detection and reporting system and method in power driving and/or consuming system > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 9,752,938 B2 - Document ID: US9752938B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 14/269,877 - Filed: 2014-05-05 - Published: 2014-10-30 - Granted: 2017-09-05 - Earliest claimed: 2009-10-06 - Assignees: Renesas Electronics America Inc. - Applicants: Renesas Electronics America Inc. - Inventors: Tetsuo Sato; Ryotaro Kudo - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US9752938B2 ## CPC - G01K 7/00: Measuring temperature based on the use of electric or magnetic elements directly sensitive to heat (giving results other than momentary value of temperature G01K3/00) {; Power supply therefor, e.g. using thermoelectric elements} - G01K 1/026: {arrangements for monitoring a plurality of temperatures, e.g. by multiplexing} - G01K 3/00: Thermometers giving results other than momentary value of temperature (G01K7/42 takes precedence) - G01K 7/01: using semiconducting elements having PN junctions (G01K7/02, G01K7/16, G01K7/30 take precedence) - G06F 1/206: {comprising thermal management} - G06F 1/26: Power supply means, e.g. regulation thereof (for memories G11C) - H05K 1/0201: {Thermal arrangements, e.g. for cooling, heating or preventing overheating} - H10W 40/00: Arrangements for thermal protection or thermal control (integrated devices comprising arrangements for thermal protection H10D89/60) - G01K 2003/145: {Hotspot localization} - H05K 1/0262: {Arrangements for regulating voltages or for using plural voltages} - H05K 2201/10151: Sensor - H05K 2201/10166: Transistor - H05K 2203/163: Monitoring a manufacturing process - Y02D 10/00: Energy efficient computing, e.g. low power processors, power management or thermal management - G01K: MEASURING TEMPERATURE; MEASURING QUANTITY OF HEAT; THERMALLY-SENSITIVE ELEMENTS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR (radiation pyrometry G01J5/00) - G06F: ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING (computer systems based on specific computational models G06N) - H05K: PRINTED CIRCUITS; CASINGS OR CONSTRUCTIONAL DETAILS OF ELECTRIC APPARATUS; MANUFACTURE OF ASSEMBLAGES OF ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS - H10W: GENERIC PACKAGES, INTERCONNECTIONS, CONNECTORS OR OTHER CONSTRUCTIONAL DETAILS OF DEVICES COVERED BY CLASS H10 - Y02D: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES IN INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGIES [ICT], I.E. INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGIES AIMING AT THE REDUCTION OF THEIR OWN ENERGY USE ## Abstract An apparatus, in one embodiment, can include a configuration including a plurality of heat generation devices. The apparatus also includes a plurality of thermal sensors respectively, operably connected to each of the plurality of heat generation devices, wherein each thermal sensor of the plurality of thermal sensors includes a respective output terminal configured to provide a voltage representative of the temperature of the respective heat generation device. The apparatus further includes an output circuit configured to output the highest temperature information among the heat generation devices. The output terminals of the plurality of thermal sensors are tied together. A corresponding method is also discussed. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An apparatus, comprising: a configuration comprising a plurality of heat generation devices; a plurality of thermal sensors respectively, operably connected to each of the plurality of heat generation devices wherein each thermal sensor of the plurality of thermal sensors comprises a respective output terminal configured to provide a voltage representative of the temperature of the respective heat generation device, wherein the output terminals of the plurality of thermal sensors are electrically coupled together at a node; and a circuit configured to selectively enable the plurality of thermal sensors, wherein each of the plurality of thermal sensors, when enabled by the circuit, provides its voltage representative of the temperature of the heat generation device, and wherein each of the plurality of thermal sensors, when disabled by the circuit, does not provide its voltage representative of the temperature of the heat generation device. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising an output circuit electrically coupled to the node and configured to provide information representing the voltage provided thereto. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a power driving configuration and wherein the heat generation devices comprise semiconductor power devices. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The apparatus of claim 3 wherein each respective heat generation device and thermal sensor pair is provided as a package, wherein the respective heat generation device comprises a high-side MOSFET, a low-side MOSFET, and a drive, and wherein the temperature sensor is configured to thermally couple with the high-side MOSFET and the low-side MOSFET, to detect a combined temperature of the high-side MOSFET and the low-side MOSFET. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The apparatus of claim 4 wherein each respective heat generation device and thermal sensor pair is manufactured on a respective die. ### Claim 6 (depends on 3) The apparatus of claim 3 wherein each thermal sensor is configured to use Silicon PN junction forward voltage temperature dependency. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The apparatus of claim 6 wherein forwarding current is trimmed to achieve a same forwarding voltage under fixed temperature conditions. ### Claim 8 (depends on 3) The apparatus of claim 3 wherein the output circuit comprises an OP Amp, wherein a positive input of the OP Amp is electrically coupled to one of the thermal sensors, the output of the OP Amp is coupled to a first terminal of a diode, and the negative terminal of the OP Amp is connected to a second terminal of the diode. ### Claim 9 (depends on 3) The apparatus of claim 3 wherein each respective thermal sensor comprises a disable input configured to receive a signal to disable the thermal sensor's output terminal. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a power consuming configuration and wherein the heat generation devices comprise power consuming devices.