Thermal characterization chip

1. A thermal characterization chip comprising:

a substrate having overlying electronics, the electronics including semiconductor circuitry and thin film circuitry overlying the semiconductor circuitry;

wherein the electronics define a plurality of thermal domains, each of the domains defining a portion of a receiving surface for receiving an external influence that alters a thermal parameter within the thermal domains;

wherein the thin film circuitry forms a thin film resistor having a temperature-dependent variable resistance for heating each of the domains;

wherein the electronics further comprises monitoring circuitry for monitoring the thermal parameter in each of the thermal domains over a test time period; and

wherein the monitoring circuitry includes a plurality of control-signal dependent variable resistance devices associated with each domain, wherein each control-signal dependent variable resistance device is connected in series with an associated one of the thin film resistors, thereby forming a voltage divider circuit having a thermal domain output signal associated with each thermal domain.

2. The thermal characterization chip of claim 1 , wherein the control-signal dependent variable resistance devices comprise transistors.

3. The thermal characterization chip of claim 1 , wherein the monitoring circuitry further comprises a feedback loop dependent upon the thermal domain output signal and configured to adjust the resistance of the control-signal dependent variable resistance device to maintain the temperature of the thermal domain at a reference temperature.

4. The thermal characterization chip of claim 3 , further comprising a reference domain that is thermally isolated from the thermal domains, the reference domain being configured to generate an output signal indicative of a change in the thermal parameter of an activated one of the thermal domains.

5. The thermal characterization chip of claim 4 , wherein the reference domain comprises a constant resistance device and a control-signal dependent variable resistance device connected in series to provide a voltage divider circuit, wherein the resistance of the control-signal dependent variable resistance device of the reference domain is controlled by the same signal that controls the control-signal dependent variable resistance devices of the thermal domains.

6. The thermal characterization chip of claim 5 , wherein the electronics further comprises an analog to digital converter configured to convert the output of the reference domain into a digital word.

7. The thermal characterization chip of claim 1 , wherein the monitoring circuitry includes sampling circuitry for sampling the thermal parameter at a sampling rate.

8. A thermal characterization chip, comprising:

a substrate having overlying electronics, the electronics including semiconductor circuitry and thin film circuitry overlying the semiconductor circuitry;

wherein the electronics define a plurality of thermal domains, each of the domains defining a portion of a receiving surface for receiving an external influence that alters a thermal parameter within the thermal domains;

wherein the electronics further comprises monitoring circuitry for monitoring the thermal parameter in each of the thermal domains over a test time period, said monitoring circuitry including sampling circuitry for sampling the thermal parameter at a sampling rate; and

wherein each of the thermal domains has a characterization thermal time constant and wherein the sampling rate is equal to or greater than a reciprocal of the time constant.

9. The thermal characterization chip of claim 8 , wherein the sampling rate of each thermal domain is dynamically adjustable.

10. The temperature sensing device of claim 8 , wherein the sampling circuitry includes a selection signal coupled to the plurality of thermal domains, the selection signal being configured to selectively facilitate the generation of a thermal domain output signal for each thermal domain one at a time.

11. A method of generating a dynamic thermal signature, comprising:

providing a substrate having electronics including semiconductor and thin film circuitry defining a plurality of thermal domains, each of the domains defining a portion of a receiving surface;

contacting the receiving surface with an external influence that affects a heat flux passing through the receiving surface such that a thermal parameter is altered;

monitoring the thermal parameter within each of the plurality of domains over a time period at a sampling rate; and

wherein each domain has a thermal time constant and wherein the sampling rate is equal to or greater than a reciprocal of the time constant.

12. An integrated chip, comprising:

a substrate having overlying electronics, the electronics including semiconductor circuitry and thin film circuitry overlying the semiconductor circuitry;

wherein the electronics define a plurality of thermal domains, each of the domains defining a portion of a receiving surface for receiving an external influence that alters a thermal parameter within the thermal domains; and

means for detecting a change in the thermal parameter including a means for periodically sampling each of the thermal domains to detect changes in the thermal parameter of the thermal domains over time;

wherein the means for periodically sampling the thermal domains comprises:

means for activating each of the thermal domains one at a time; and

circuitry for generating an output signal indicative of a change in the thermal parameter of an activated thermal domain; and

wherein the means for detecting comprises:

a plurality of transistors, each transistor coupled in series with a resistor of an associated thermal domain to form a plurality of voltage divider circuits, each voltage divider circuit being associated with a different thermal domain;

a reference domain having a constant resistance coupled in series to a transistor; and

a control signal that controls a gate terminal of the transistors of each thermal domain and the reference domain in response to an output signal of the voltage divider circuits.