Encoder circuit with feedback DAC
AssigneeAnalog Devices, Inc.
InventorGabriele Bernardinis
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A temperature sensing system can include first and second temperature sensing circuits and a digitizing encoder. The first and second temperature sensing circuits can include respective devices with semiconductor junction areas. Temperature information can be determined from one or more characteristic signals measured from the temperature sensing circuits. A feedback circuit can be configured to provide one or more offset signals to the digitizing encoder. The one or more offset signals can correspond to components or characteristics of the first and second temperature sensing circuits. In an example, at least one of the first and second temperature sensing circuits can include an adjustable load circuit for use with the other of the first and second temperature sensing circuits.
Claims24
A sensing system for providing a digital output signal based on analog signals from multiple sensors, the sensing system comprising:
- a digitizing encoder circuit having first and second encoder inputs and an encoder output;
- a first sensing circuit configured to provide a first analog signal to the first encoder input;
- and
- a second sensing circuit configured to provide a second analog signal to the first encoder input;
- wherein the digitizing encoder circuit is coupled to the first sensing circuit and to the second sensing circuit, and the digitizing encoder circuit is configured to encode the first analog signal or the second analog signal into a digital signal, and
- wherein the digitizing encoder circuit includes a feedback path with a digital-to-analog converter (DAC) circuit configured to receive an encoder output signal from the encoder output and, in response, provide an analog offset voltage signal at the second encoder input of the digitizing encoder circuit, wherein the offset voltage signal is based on one of the first analog signal from the first sensing circuit and the second analog signal from the second sensing circuit.
A sensing system for providing temperature-indicating output signals based on temperature-indicating analog signals from an off-die sensor circuit, the sensing system comprising:
- a temperature sensing circuit, located remotely from an integrated circuit die, the temperature sensing circuit configured to provide temperature-indicating analog signals in response to respective different bias parameter values;
- a load circuit, included on the integrated circuit die, the load circuit including at least two semiconductor junctions configured to provide an adjustable load condition to the temperature sensing circuit based on information about the selected bias parameter value of the temperature sensing circuit;
- and
- a digitizing encoder circuit, included on the same integrated circuit die as the load circuit, the digitizing encoder circuit coupled to the load circuit and to the temperature sensing circuit, the digitizing encoder circuit configured to encode the temperature-indicating analog signals from the temperature sensing circuit into a temperature-indicating digital signal and wherein the digitizing encoder circuit includes a feedback path with a digital-to-analog converter (DAC) circuit configured to provide an analog offset voltage signal at a different input of the digitizing encoder circuit, wherein the offset voltage signal is based on one of the temperature-indicating analog signals from the temperature sensing circuit.
An encoder circuit for use in a sensor system with a feedback loop that provides an offset signal to adjust a signal of interest that is provided to the encoder circuit, the encoder circuit comprising:
- a first encoder input configured to receive a first analog sensor signal from a first sensor, and a second analog sensor signal from a second sensor;
- a second encoder input configured to receive an analog offset voltage signal from a first feedback path;
- an encoder output configured to provide a digital output signal based on the received signals at the first and second encoder inputs;
- and
- a digital-to-analog converter (DAC) circuit in the first feedback path, wherein the DAC circuit includes a DAC circuit input coupled to the encoder output and a DAC circuit output coupled to the second encoder input, wherein the DAC circuit is configured to generate the analog offset voltage signal based on one of the first and second analog sensor signals.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.