Granted Patent B2

US 7,340,366 · App. 10/795,027 · Granted Mar 4, 2008

Abstract

Claims (213)

1. A method for calibration of an integrated system on-chip including an internal reference source, said method comprising the steps of:

(A) performing an initial calibration step of said internal reference source residing on said integrated system on-chip at a first operating condition;

(B) utilizing initial calibration data obtained at said step (A) to perform at least one subsequent calibration step of said internal reference source residing on said integrated system on-chip at a second operating condition;

applying an external reference source to said integrated system on-chip;

converting an analog value of said external reference source to a digital value by using an internal analog-to-digital conversion circuitry built in said integrated system on-chip to enable a digital comparison of said external reference source to said internal reference source at a second calibration operating condition;

using an internal calibration circuit built in said integrated system on-chip and using said initial calibration data to solve a calibration algorithm at said second calibration operating condition; wherein said calibration algorithm determines subsequent calibration data that corresponds to a lowest operating condition drift of said internal reference source in an operating range; and

storing said subsequent calibration data in a non-volatile memory.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein said step (A) of performing said initial calibration step of said internal reference source at said first operating condition further includes the steps of:

performing said initial calibration step of said internal reference source at a first calibration operating condition to obtain said initial calibration data; and

storing said initial calibration data in an internal non-volatile memory.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein said step of performing said initial calibration step of said internal reference source at said first operating condition further includes the steps of:

obtaining an absolute value of said internal reference source at said first operating condition at said first site; and

storing said absolute value of said internal reference source obtained at said first operating condition at said first site.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein said step of solving said calibration algorithm further includes the steps of:

determining an initial drift of said absolute value of said internal reference source within an operating range between said first calibration operating condition and said second calibration operating condition;

inputting said initial drift of said absolute value of said internal reference source into said calibration algorithm; and

running said calibration algorithm at said second calibration operating condition to identify an optimum calibration data that minimizes an overall drift of said internal reference source.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein said step of storing said subsequent calibration data further includes the step of:

storing said subsequent calibration data in said internal non-volatile memory.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein said step of storing said subsequent calibration data further includes the step of:

storing said subsequent calibration data in an external non-volatile memory.

7. The method of claim 1 further including the steps of:

measuring an actual value of said second operating condition at said subsequent calibration step; wherein said second operating condition at said subsequent calibration step varies within a runtime of said calibration algorithm;

if said actual value of said second operating condition measured at said subsequent calibration step is within an operating range specified by said calibration algorithm, inputting a fixed value of said second operating condition into said calibration algorithm; and

if said actual value of said second operating condition measured at said subsequent calibration step is outside said operating range specified by said calibration algorithm, inputting said measured actual value of said second operating condition into said calibration algorithm.

8. The method of claim 1 further defined by fixing the actual values of said second operating condition without measuring an actual value of the second operating condition.

9. The method of claim 1 further including the steps of:

using said internal sensor built in said integrated system on-chip to measure an actual value of said second operating condition at said subsequent calibration step;

determining an initial drift of said absolute value of said internal reference source within an operating range between said first operating condition and said actual value of said second calibration operating condition;

inputting said initial drift of said absolute value of said internal reference source into a calibration algorithm; and

running said calibration algorithm at said second calibration operating condition to identify optimum calibration data that minimizes an overall drift of said internal reference source within an operating range.

10. The method of claim 1 further including the steps of:

using said external sensor to measure an actual value of said second operating condition at said subsequent calibration step;

determining an initial drift of said absolute value of said internal reference source within an operating range between said first operating condition and said actual value of said second calibration operating condition;

inputting said initial drift of said absolute value of said internal reference source into a calibration algorithm; and

running said calibration algorithm at said second calibration operating condition to identify optimum calibration data that minimizes an overall drift of said internal reference source within an operating range.

11. The method of claim 1 further including the step of:

automatically loading said plurality of internal calibration registers built in said integrated system on-chip with said calibration data obtained at said subsequent calibration step at said second calibration operating condition during said integrated system on-chip system reset sequence.

12. The method of claim 1 further including the steps of:

using said internal sensor to measure and update a value of the runtime operating condition;

performing a runtime calibration of said internal reference source to obtain an optimum calibration value of said internal reference source at said value of said runtime operating condition;

repeating said steps of updating the value of the runtime operating condition and performing the runtime calibration.

13. The method of claim 1 further including the steps of:

using said external sensor to measure and update a value of the runtime operating condition;

performing a runtime calibration of said internal reference source to obtain an optimum calibration value of said internal reference source at said value of said runtime operating condition;

repeating said steps of updating the value of the runtime operating condition and performing the runtime calibration.

14. A method for calibration of an integrated system on-chip including an internal reference voltage source, said method comprising the steps of:

(A) performing an initial calibration step of said internal reference voltage source residing on said integrated system on-chip by determining a voltage temperature coefficient, then fine tuning a reference voltage at a first temperature; and

(B) utilizing the fine tuned reference voltage obtained at step (A) to signal changes in said voltage temperature coefficient at a second temperature.

15. The method of claim 14 , wherein said step (B) of utilizing said initial calibration data to perform said at least one subsequent calibration step of said internal reference source in said integrated system on-chip at said second temperature further includes the steps of:

applying an external reference source to said integrated system on-chip;

converting an analog value of said external reference source to a digital value by using an internal analog-to-digital conversion circuitry built in said integrated system on-chip to enable a digital comparison of said external reference source to said internal reference source at the second temperature;

using an internal calibration circuit built in said integrated system on-chip and using said initial calibration data to solve a calibration algorithm at said second temperature; wherein said calibration algorithm determines subsequent calibration data that corresponds to a lowest temperature drift of said internal reference source; and

storing said subsequent calibration data in a non-volatile memory.

16. The method of claim 15 further including the steps of:

using said internal temperature sensor to measure and update a value of the runtime operating temperature;

performing a runtime calibration of said internal reference source to obtain an optimum calibration value of said internal reference source at a runtime operating temperature;

repeating said steps of updating the value of the runtime operating temperature and performing the runtime calibration.

17. The method of claim 16 further including the steps of:

using said external temperature sensor to measure and update a value of the runtime operating temperature;

performing a runtime calibration of said internal reference source to obtain an optimum calibration value of said internal reference source at said value of said runtime operating temperature;

repeating said steps of updating the value of the runtime operating temperature and performing the runtime calibration.

18. The method of claim 15 , wherein said step of solving said calibration algorithm further includes the steps of:

determining an initial temperature drift of said absolute value of said internal reference source within a temperature range between said first temperature and said second temperature;

inputting said initial temperature drift of said absolute value of said internal reference source into said calibration algorithm; and

running said calibration algorithm at said second temperature to identify optimum calibration data that minimizes an overall temperature drift of said internal reference source, and to calibrate said calibration value of said internal reference source at said second temperature.

19. The method of claim 15 , wherein said step of storing said subsequent calibration data further includes the step of:

storing said subsequent calibration data in said internal non-volatile memory.

20. The method of claim 15 , wherein said step of storing said subsequent calibration data further includes the step of:

storing said subsequent calibration data in an external non-volatile memory.

21. The method of claim 15 further including the steps of:

measuring an actual value of said second temperature at said subsequent calibration step; wherein said second temperature measured at said subsequent calibration step varies within the runtime of said calibration algorithm;

if said actual value of said second temperature measured at said subsequent calibration step is within a temperature range specified by said calibration algorithm, inputting a fixed value of said second temperature into said calibration algorithm; and

if said actual value of said second temperature measured at said subsequent calibration step is outside said temperature range specified by said calibration algorithm, inputting said measured actual value of said second temperature into said calibration algorithm.

22. The method of claim 15 further defined by fixing the value of the second temperature.

23. The method of claim 15 further including the steps of:

using said internal temperature sensor built in said integrated system on-chip to measure an actual value of said second temperature at said subsequent calibration step;

determining an initial drift of said absolute value of said internal reference source within an operating range between said first temperature and said actual value of said second temperature;

inputting said initial drift of said absolute value of said internal reference source into a calibration algorithm; and

running said calibration algorithm at said second temperature to identify optimum calibration data that minimizes an overall drift of said internal reference source within an operating range.

24. The method of claim 15 further including the steps of:

using said external temperature sensor to measure an actual value of said second temperature at said subsequent calibration step;

determining an initial drift of said absolute value of said internal reference source within an operating range between said first temperature and said actual value of said second temperature;

inputting said initial drift of said absolute value of said internal reference source into a calibration algorithm; and

running said calibration algorithm at said second temperature to identify optimum calibration data that minimizes an overall drift of said internal reference source within an operating range.

25. The method of claim 15 further including the step of:

automatically loading said plurality of internal calibration registers built in said integrated system on-chip with said calibration data obtained at said subsequent calibration step at said second temperature during said integrated system on-chip system reset sequence.

26. The method of claim 14 , wherein said step (A) of performing said initial calibration step of said internal reference source at said first temperature further includes the steps of:

performing said initial calibration step of said internal reference source at a first calibration temperature to obtain initial calibration data; and

storing said initial calibration data in an internal non-volatile memory.

27. The method of claim 26 , wherein said step of performing said initial calibration step of said internal reference source at said first calibration temperature further includes the steps of:

obtaining an initial nominal value of said internal reference source at said first calibration temperature at a first site; and

using the initial nominal value of said internal reference source at said first calibration temperature to further calibrate said internal reference source at a second temperature at a second site.

28. The method of claim 26 , wherein said step of performing said initial calibration step of said internal reference source at said first operating condition further includes the steps of:

obtaining an absolute value of said internal reference source at said first temperature at said first site; and

storing said absolute value of said internal reference source obtained at said first temperature at said first site.

29. A method for calibration of an integrated system on-chip including an internal voltage reference source, said method comprising the steps of:

(A) performing an initial calibration step of said internal voltage reference source residing on said integrated system on-chip at a first temperature at a first site to obtain an initial voltage temperature coefficient;

determining and loading the initial voltage temperature coefficient into a voltage temperature coefficient register;

determining and loading an initial nominal voltage value into a nominal voltage value register; and

digitally calibrating said initial nominal voltage value at said first temperature by using said voltage temperature coefficient whereby said nominal voltage value reaches a corrected calibration value corresponding to said first temperature;

storing said corrected calibration data in an internal non-volatile memory; and

(B) utilizing the corrected calibration data obtained at step (A) to perform at least one subsequent calibration step of said internal voltage reference source residing on said integrated system on-chip at a second temperature at a second site.

30. The method of claim 29 , wherein said step (B) of utilizing said initial calibration data to perform said at least one subsequent calibration step of said internal voltage reference source in said integrated system on-chip at said second condition further includes the steps of:

loading said initial voltage temperature coefficient corresponding to said first temperature from said non-volatile memory into said voltage temperature coefficient register;

loading said stored right calibration value of said nominal voltage value coefficient corresponding to said first temperature from said non-volatile memory into said nominal voltage value coefficient register;

applying an external voltage reference source to said integrated system on-chip;

performing a digital measurement of said external voltage reference source at said second temperature by using an internal analog-to- digital conversion circuitry built in said integrated system on-chip;

directly calculating a change in a value of said internal voltage reference at said second temperature as compared with said value of said internal voltage reference measured at said first temperature thus determining a value of a temperature drift in said value of said internal voltage reference;

finding a calibration value of a voltage temperature coefficient corresponding to said second temperature that optimizes said voltage temperature coefficient in a temperature range of interest by using said value of said temperature drift in said value of said internal voltage reference;

storing said calibration value of said voltage temperature coefficient corresponding to said second temperature in said non-volatile memory;

finding a calibration value that optimizes said nominal voltage level in said internal voltage reference corresponding to said second temperature; and

storing said calibration value of said nominal voltage level corresponding to said second temperature in said non-volatile memory.

31. The method of claim 30 further including the steps of:

using an internal temperature sensor to measure and update a value of a runtime operating temperature;

performing a runtime calibration of said internal voltage reference source to obtain an optimum calibration value of said internal voltage reference source at said value of said runtime operating temperature; and

repeating said steps of updating the value of the runtime operating temperature and performing the runtime calibration.

32. The method of claim 31 further including the steps of:

using an external temperature sensor to measure and update a value of the runtime operating temperature;

performing a runtime calibration of said internal voltage reference source to obtain an optimum calibration value of said external voltage reference source at said value of said runtime operating temperature; and

repeating said steps of updating the value of the runtime operating temperature and performing the runt ime calibration.

33. The method of claim 30 , wherein said step of finding said calibration value of said voltage temperature coefficient corresponding to said second temperature that optimizes said voltage temperature coefficient in said temperature range of interest by using said value of said temperature drift in said value of said internal voltage reference further includes the steps of:

determining a number of incremental or decremental steps in order to find a right calibration value for said voltage temperature coefficient corresponding to said second temperature; and

using said number of incremental or decremental steps in order to find a right calibration value for said voltage temperature coefficient corresponding to said second temperature within a single iteration procedure.

34. The method of claim 30 , wherein said step of storing said calibration value of said voltage temperature coefficient corresponding to said second temperature in said non-volatile memory further includes the step of:

storing said calibration value of said voltage temperature coefficient corresponding to said second temperature in said internal non-volatile memory.

35. The method of claim 30 , wherein said step of storing said calibration value of said voltage temperature coefficient corresponding to said second temperature in said non-volatile memory further includes the step of:

storing said calibration value of said voltage temperature coefficient corresponding to said second temperature in said external non-volatile memory.

36. The method of claim 30 , wherein said step of storing said calibration level of said nominal voltage value coefficient corresponding to said second temperature in said non-volatile memory further includes the step of:

storing said calibration level of said nominal voltage coefficient corresponding to said second temperature in said internal non-volatile memory.

37. The method of claim 30 , wherein said step of storing said calibration level of said nominal voltage value coefficient corresponding to said second temperature in said non-volatile memory further includes the step of:

storing said calibration level of said nominal voltage coefficient corresponding to said second temperature in said external non-volatile memory.

38. The method of claim 30 further including the step of:

automatically initializing said integrated system on-chip by loading said stored corrected calibration value of said voltage temperature coefficient corresponding to said second temperature into said voltage temperature coefficient register and by loading said stored corrected calibration level of said nominal voltage level corresponding to said second temperature into said nominal voltage value coefficient register.

39. A method for calibration of an integrated system on-chip including an internal time reference source, said method comprising the steps of:

(A) performing an initial calibration step of said internal time reference source residing on said integrated system on-chip by determining a voltage temperature coefficient, at a first operating temperature then fine tuning the time reference source; and

(B) utilizing initial calibration data obtained at step (A) to signal changes in said fine tuned time reference source residing on said integrated system on-chip at a second temperature.

40. The method of claim 39 , wherein said step (B) further includes the steps of:

applying an external time reference source to said integrated system on-chip;

performing a digital measurement of said external time reference source at said second temperature by using internal circuitry built in said integrated system on-chip;

determining an initial drift of said absolute value of said internal time reference source relative to the external time reference source; and

storing calibration data about said initial drift.

41. The method of claim 40 , wherein said step of applying said external time reference source to said integrated system on-chip further includes the step of applying an external pulse train, wherein said step of performing said digital measurement of said external time reference source at said second calibration operating condition further includes the step of:

measuring a period of said external pulse train by using an internal timer built in said integrated system on-chip, wherein said internal timer counts a number of on-chip clock periods that corresponds to said period of said external pulse train;

and wherein said number of counted clock periods gives a relationship between said external time reference and said internal time reference.

42. The method of claim 40 , wherein said step of applying said external time reference source to said integrated system on-chip further includes the step of applying an external crystal or ceramic resonator to an internal oscillator built in said integrated system on-chip, wherein said step of performing said digital measurement of said external time reference source at said second calibration operating condition further includes the steps of:

measuring a period of said external crystal or ceramic resonator by clocking a first internal timer on said external crystal or ceramic resonator, and by clocking a second internal timer on said internal oscillator built in said integrated system on-chip; and

comparing a number of counts counted by said first internal timer and counted by said second internal timer to obtain a relationship between said external time reference and said internal time reference.

43. The method of claim 39 , wherein said step (A) of performing said initial calibration step of said internal time reference source at said first operating condition further includes the step of:

storing said voltage temperature coefficient in an internal non-volatile memory built in said integrated system on-chip.

44. The method of claim 43 , wherein said step of performing said initial calibration step of said internal time reference source at said first calibration operating condition to obtain said initial calibration data further includes at least the following step:

determining an initial absolute value of said internal time reference source.

45. The method of claim 39 further including the steps of:

using an internal sensor to measure and update a value of the runtime operating condition;

performing a runtime calibration of said internal time reference source to obtain an optimum calibration value of said internal time reference source at said value of said runtime operating condition;

repeating said steps of updating the value of the runtime operating condition and performing the runtime calibration.

46. The method of claim 39 further including the steps of:

using an external sensor to measure and update a value of a runtime operating temperature;

performing a runtime calibration of said internal time reference source to obtain an optimum calibration value of said internal time reference source at said value of said runtime operating temperature;

repeating said steps of updating the value of the runtime operating temperature and performing the runtime calibration.

47. A method for calibration of an integrated system on-chip including an internal time reference source, said method comprising the steps of:

(A) performing an initial calibration step of said internal time reference source residing on said integrated system on-chip at a first temperature;

performing said initial calibration step of said internal time reference source at said first calibration temperature to obtain said initial calibration data;

storing said initial calibration data in an internal non-volatile memory built in said integrated system on-chip;

determining an initial absolute value of said internal time reference sources; and

(B) utilizing initial calibration data obtained at said step (A) to perform at least one subsequent calibration step of said internal time reference source residing on said integrated system on-chip at a second temperature;

applying an external time reference source to said integrated system on-chip;

performing a digital measurement of said external time reference source at said second calibration temperature by using internal conversion circuitry built in said integrated system on-chip;

determining an initial drift of said absolute value of said internal time reference source relative to the external time reference source; and

storing calibration data about said initial drift in said non-volatile memory.

48. The method of claim 47 further including the steps of:

using an internal sensor to measure and update a value of the runtime operating temperature;

performing runtime calibration of said internal time reference source to obtain an optimum calibration value of said internal time reference source at said value of said runtime operating temperature;

repeating said steps of updating the value of the runtime operating temperature and performing the runtime calibration.

49. The method of claim 47 further including the steps of:

using an external sensor to measure and update a value of the runtime operating condition;

performing runtime calibration of said internal time reference source to obtain an optimum calibration value of said internal time reference source at said value of said runtime operating condition;

repeating said steps of updating the value of the runtime operating condition and performing the runtime calibration.

50. The method of claim 47 , wherein said step of applying said external time reference source to said integrated system on-chip further includes the step of applying an external pulse train, wherein said step of performing said digital measurement of said external time reference source at said second calibration temperature further includes the step of:

measuring a period of said external pulse train by using an internal timer built an said integrated system on-chip, wherein said internal timer counts a number of on-chip clock periods that corresponds to said period of said external pulse train;

and wherein said number of counted clock periods gives a relationship between said external time reference and said internal time reference.

51. The method of claim 47 , wherein said step of applying said external time reference source to said integrated system on-chip further includes the step of applying an external crystal or ceramic resonator to an internal oscillator built in said integrated system on-chip, wherein said step of performing said digital measurement of said external time reference source at said second calibration temperature further includes the steps of:

measuring a period of said external crystal or ceramic resonator by clocking a first internal timer on said external crystal or ceramic resonator, and by clocking a second internal timer on said internal oscillator built in said integrated system on-chip; and

comparing a number of counts counted by said first internal timer and counted by said second internal timer to obtain a relationship between said external time reference and said internal time reference.

52. An apparatus for temperature calibration of an internal reference source residing on an integrated system on-chip, said apparatus comprising:

said internal reference source;

a converter coupled to said internal reference source, and coupled to an external reference source; said converter configured to convert an analog value of said external reference source to a digital value;

a calibration circuit coupled to said converter;

an internal non-volatile memory coupled to said calibration circuit; said internal non-volatile memory configured to store initial calibration data and subsequent calibration data; wherein said calibration circuit is configured to run a calibration algorithm to calibrate said internal reference source to an initial temperature at a first site, and to calibrate said internal reference source to a runtime operating temperature by using said initial calibration data written into said internal non-volatile memory; and

at least one calibration register coupled to said internal reference source, and coupled to said internal non-volatile memory; wherein said calibration register is configured to collect said initial calibration data from said internal non-volatile memory, is configured to upload said initial calibration data into said internal reference source, and is configured to enable said calibration circuit to run said calibration algorithm.

53. The apparatus of claim 52 further including:

an internal temperature sensor coupled to said calibration circuit, said internal temperature sensor configured to substantially regularly measure said runtime operating temperature, wherein said calibration circuit is configured to substantially regularly run said calibration algorithm based on said updated value of said runtime operating temperature in order to substantially regularly calibrate said internal reference source according to said updated runtime operating temperature.

54. The apparatus of claim 52 further including:

an external temperature sensor coupled to said calibration circuit, said external temperature sensor configured to substantially regularly measure said runtime operating temperature; wherein said calibration circuit is configured to substantially regularly run said calibration algorithm based on said updated value of said runtime operating temperature in order to substantially regularly calibrate said internal reference source according to said updated runtime operating temperature.

55. The apparatus of claim 52 further including:

an external non-volatile memory coupled to said calibration circuit; wherein said external non-volatile memory is configured to store said initial calibration data and said subsequent calibration data.

56. A computer-readable storage medium useful in association with an integrated system on-chip; said integrated system on-chip having a processor and memory, said integrated system on-chip being coupled to a calibration test set-up, said calibration test set-up having a nominal voltage value coefficient register and a voltage temperature coefficient register, said computer-readable storage medium including computer-readable code instructions configured to cause said processor to execute the steps of:

determining and loading an initial voltage temperature coefficient corresponding to said first temperature into a voltage temperature coefficient register;

determining and loading an initial nominal voltage value coefficient corresponding to said first temperature into a nominal voltage value coefficient register;

digitally calibrating said voltage reference at said first temperature by fine-tuning said nominal voltage value coefficient whereby said nominal voltage value coefficient reaches a right calibration value corresponding to said first temperature; and

storing said right calibration value of said nominal voltage value coefficient corresponding to said first temperature in a non-volatile memory.

57. A computer-readable storage medium useful in association with an integrated system on-chip; said integrated system on-chip having a processor and memory, said integrated system on-chip being coupled to a calibration test set-up, said calibration test set-up having a nominal voltage value coefficient register and a voltage temperature coefficient register, said computer-readable storage medium including computer-readable code instructions configured to cause said processor to execute the steps of:

(a) determining and loading an initial voltage temperature coefficient corresponding to said first temperature into a voltage temperature coefficient register;

(b) determining and loading an initial calibration value of a nominal voltage value coefficient corresponding to said first temperature into a nominal voltage value coefficient register;

(c) performing a digital measurement corresponding to said second temperature of a predefined analog reference voltage by using an internal on-chip analog-to-digital voltage conversion operation of said predefined analog reference voltage;

(d) calculating a measurement error of said measured digital voltage value of said predefined analog reference voltage corresponding to said second temperature;

(e) finding a calibration value for said voltage temperature coefficient corresponding to said second temperature;

(f) storing said calibration value for said voltage temperature coefficient in said non-volatile memory;

(g) digitally calibrating a voltage reference at said second temperature by fine-tuning said nominal voltage value coefficient whereby said nominal voltage value coefficient reaches a calibration value corresponding to said second temperature;

(h) storing said calibration value of said nominal voltage value coefficient corresponding to said second temperature in said non-volatile memory;

(i) loading said stored voltage temperature coefficient corresponding to said second temperature into said voltage temperature coefficient register;

(j) loading said stored calibration value of said nominal voltage value coefficient corresponding to said second temperature into said nominal voltage value coefficient register; and

(k) initializing said integrated system on-chip by loading said stored right calibration value of said voltage temperature coefficient corresponding to said second temperature into said voltage temperature coefficient register and by loading said stored right calibration value of said nominal voltage value coefficient corresponding to said second temperature into said nominal voltage value coefficient register.

Assignments (17)