IP Library Granted Patent US 7,256,610
Granted Patent B1
US 7,256,610 · App. 10/850,568 · Granted Aug 14, 2007

Programmable system on a chip for temperature monitoring and control

Assignee: Actel Corporation
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 7,256,610
App. No.
10/850,568
Granted
Aug 14, 2007
Kind
B1
Abstract

A programmable system-on-a-chip integrated circuit device includes a programmable logic block, at least one user non-volatile memory block, and temperature sensing and control analog and digital circuits on a single semiconductor integrated circuit chip or a flip chip, face-to-face, or other multiple die configuration. The programmable system-on-a-chip integrated circuit with temperature measuring and control circuitry performs temperature measurement and control functions and can be used to create an on-chip temperature log.

Claims (20)

1. A programmable system-on-a-chip integrated circuit device comprising:

a programmable logic block;

a digital input/output circuit block;

a non-volatile memory block;

an analog circuit block including an analog-to-digital converter;

an analog input/output circuit block including, at least one junction temperature-sensing circuit coupled to a first I/O pad, and at least one programmable MOSFET gate-drive circuit coupled to a second I/O pad; and

a programmable interconnect architecture including programmable elements and interconnect conductors, ones of said programmable elements coupled to said programmable logic block, said non-volatile memory block, said analog circuit block, said analog input/output circuit block, said digital input/output circuit block, and to said interconnect conductors, such that inputs and outputs of said programmable logic block, said non-volatile memory block, said analog circuit block, said analog input/output circuit block, and said digital input/output circuit block can be programmably coupled to one another.

2. The programmable system-on-a-chip integrated circuit device of claim 1 wherein said at least one junction temperature-sensing circuit includes a programmable voltage prescaling circuit.

3. The programmable system-on-a-chip integrated circuit device of claim 1 further including a bandgap reference circuit.

4. The programmable system-on-a-chip integrated circuit device of claim 1 further including a system controller block including a power-up controller configured to apply system power to said programmable logic block, said digital input/output circuit block, said non-volatile memory block, said analog circuit block, and said analog input/output circuit block in a predetermined sequence.

5. The programmable system-on-a-chip integrated circuit device of claim 1 wherein said system controller block further includes a system supervisor block coupled to at least one of said programmable logic block, said digital input/output circuit block, said non-volatile memory block, said analog circuit block, and said analog input/output circuit block, and configured to monitor the junction temperature of at least one junction thermally coupled to a circuit external to the programmable system-on-a-chip integrated circuit device.

6. The programmable system-on-a-chip integrated circuit device of claim 5 wherein said system supervisor block is further configured to control said at least one MOSFET gate-drive circuit in response to the junction temperature of said at least one temperature-sense junction thermally coupled to a circuit external to the programmable system-on-a-chip integrated circuit device.

7. The programmable system-on-a-chip integrated circuit device of claim 6 coupled to a voltage supply in series with a fan motor coupled to said second I/O pad of said programmable system-on-a-chip integrated circuit device.

8. The programmable system-on-a-chip integrated circuit device of claim 6 wherein:

a digital comparator in said programmable logic block has one input programmably coupled to an output of said analog-to-digital converter and another input programmably coupled to a table containing a digital junction-temperature threshold value in said user-available SRAM block in said programmable logic block; and

said system supervisor block is coupled to an output of said digital comparator and is configured to activate said at least one MOSFET gate-drive circuit in response to an output state of said digital comparator.

9. The programmable system-on-a-chip integrated circuit device of claim 6 wherein:

said second I/O pad of said programmable system-on-a-chip integrated circuit device is coupled to a gate of an external MOSFET device having a first source/drain terminal coupled to a first potential and a second source/drain terminal; and

wherein a fan motor is coupled between a second potential and said second source/drain terminal of said external MOSFET device.

10. The programmable system-on-a-chip integrated circuit device of claim 1 , wherein the programmable logic block includes a user-available SRAM block.

Assignments (7)
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded May 29, 2018
From: MORGAN STANLEY SENIOR FUNDING, INC.
To: MICROSEMI CORPORATION; MICROSEMI SEMICONDUCTOR (U.S.), INC.; MICROSEMI FREQUENCY AND TIME CORPORATION; MICROSEMI COMMUNICATIONS, INC.; MICROSEMI SOC CORP.; MICROSEMI CORP. - POWER PRODUCTS GROUP; MICROSEMI CORP. - RF INTEGRATED SOLUTIONS
Reel/Frame 046251/0391 →
PATENT SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Feb 3, 2016
From: MICROSEMI CORPORATION; MICROSEMI SEMICONDUCTOR (U.S.) INC. (F/K/A LEGERITY, INC., ZARLINK SEMICONDUCTOR (V.N.) INC., CENTELLAX, INC., AND ZARLINK SEMICONDUCTOR (U.S.) INC.); MICROSEMI FREQUENCY AND TIME CORPORATION (F/K/A SYMMETRICON, INC.); MICROSEMI COMMUNICATIONS, INC. (F/K/A VITESSE SEMICONDUCTOR CORPORATION); MICROSEMI SOC CORP. (F/K/A ACTEL CORPORATION); MICROSEMI CORP. - POWER PRODUCTS GROUP (F/K/A ADVANCED POWER TECHNOLOGY INC.); MICROSEMI CORP. - RF INTEGRATED SOLUTIONS (F/K/A AML COMMUNICATIONS, INC.)
To: MORGAN STANLEY SENIOR FUNDING, INC.
Reel/Frame 037691/0697 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Jan 19, 2016
From: BANK OF AMERICA, N.A.
To: MICROSEMI CORPORATION; MICROSEMI CORP.-ANALOG MIXED SIGNAL GROUP, A DELAWARE CORPORATION; MICROSEMI SOC CORP., A CALIFORNIA CORPORATION; MICROSEMI SEMICONDUCTOR (U.S.) INC., A DELAWARE CORPORATION; MICROSEMI FREQUENCY AND TIME CORPORATION, A DELAWARE CORPORATION; MICROSEMI COMMUNICATIONS, INC. (F/K/A VITESSE SEMICONDUCTOR CORPORATION), A DELAWARE CORPORATION; MICROSEMI CORP.-MEMORY AND STORAGE SOLUTIONS (F/K/A WHITE ELECTRONIC DESIGNS CORPORATION), AN INDIANA CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 037558/0711 →
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Dec 28, 2015
From: ACTEL CORPORATION
To: MICROSEMI SOC CORP.
Reel/Frame 037393/0572 →
NOTICE OF SUCCESSION OF AGENCY Recorded Apr 9, 2015
From: ROYAL BANK OF CANADA (AS SUCCESSOR TO MORGAN STANLEY & CO. LLC)
To: BANK OF AMERICA, N.A., AS SUCCESSOR AGENT
Reel/Frame 035657/0223 →
PATENT SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Feb 11, 2011
From: WHITE ELECTRONIC DESIGNS CORP.; ACTEL CORPORATION; MICROSEMI CORPORATION
To: MORGAN STANLEY & CO. INCORPORATED
Reel/Frame 025783/0613 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Dec 16, 2004
From: BALASUBRAMANIAN, RABINDRANATH; ZHU, LIMIN; BAKKER, GREGORY
To: ACTEL CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 015464/0315 →
Continuity (2)
Continuation In Part 1084370100 · May 10, 2004
Provisional Application 6049178800 · Jul 31, 2003