Temperature dependent timer circuit
View Patent ↗A timer to provide pulses at a comparator output wherein a frequency of the pulses is dependent on temperature, wherein providing each pulse includes biasing a first input of the comparator at a voltage and operating a transistor in a subthreshold region of operation to change the voltage of the first input of a comparator at a rate dependent upon temperature. The output of the comparator changes state when the voltage of the first input crosses a voltage of a second input of the comparator.
1. A circuit with a temperature dependent timer comprising:
a comparator including a first input, a second input, and an output, the output to provide a timer signal during operation;
a transistor including a first current terminal and a control terminal, the first current terminal coupled to the second input of the comparator;
a first node coupled to the first input of the comparator;
a second node coupled to the second input of the comparator and the first current terminal of the transistor;
a third node coupled to the control terminal of the transistor;
wherein during operation, the third node is biased to place the transistor in a subthreshold region of operation to change a voltage of the second node at a rate dependent upon temperature, the output of the comparator changes state when the voltage of the second node crosses a voltage of the first node.
2. The circuit of claim 1 wherein during operation, the third node is biased to place the transistor in a subthreshold region of operation to change a voltage of the second node at a rate exponentially dependent upon temperature.
3. The circuit of claim 1 further comprising a band gap generator, the change in state of the comparator output is utilized to activate the band gap generator to provide a voltage.
4. The circuit of claim 1 wherein during operation, the output of the comparator provides pulses, wherein a frequency of the pulses is dependent on temperature.
5. The circuit of claim 1 further comprising:
a first capacitor including a first terminal coupled to the first node;
a second capacitor including a first terminal coupled to the second node;
a third capacitor including a first terminal coupled to the third node;
a band gap generator, wherein the change in state of the output of the comparator is utilized to activate the band gap generator to provide a voltage at a generator output, wherein the voltage at the output is used to charge the first capacitor, the second capacitor, and the third capacitor for a period of time.
6. The circuit of claim 5 further comprising a first switch coupled between the generator output and the first capacitor, a second switch coupled between the generator output and the second capacitor, and a third switch coupled between the generator output and the third capacitor, wherein during operation, the first switch, the second switch, and the third switch are closed at a time based on the change of state of the output of the comparator to charge the first capacitor, the second capacitor, and the third capacitor respectively, with the voltage provided at the generator output.
7. The circuit of claim 6 , wherein the generator output is coupled to a resistor ladder, the first switch is connected to a first node of the resistor ladder, the second switch is connected to a second node of the resistor ladder, and the third switch is connected to a third node of the resistor ladder.
8. The circuit of claim 4 further comprising:
a first capacitor including a first terminal coupled to the first node;
a second capacitor including a first terminal coupled to the second node;
a third capacitor including a first terminal coupled to the third node;
wherein during operation, the first capacitor, second capacitor, and third capacitor are charged at a frequency that is dependent upon the rate of discharge of the voltage.
9. The circuit of claim 1 further comprising a capacitor, the second node coupled to the capacitor, wherein during operation, the capacitor is discharged through the transistor.
10. The circuit of claim 1 further comprising a capacitor, wherein during operation, the capacitor is recharged at a frequency that is dependent upon the rate of change of the voltage.
11. The circuit of claim 10 wherein during operation, the capacitor is charged at time determined by the change of state of the output of the comparator.
12. The circuit of claim 11 wherein the capacitor is charged for a predetermined time after the change in state of the output of the comparator.
13. The circuit of claim 1 further comprising:
a reference node to provide a reference voltage, wherein the reference node is charged at a time determined by the change of state of the output of the comparator.
14. The circuit of claim 1 wherein during operation, the third node is biased to place the transistor in a subthreshold region of operation to discharge a voltage of the second node at a rate dependent upon temperature, the output of the comparator changes state when the voltage of the second node discharges below the voltage of the first node.
15. A method of operating a timer, the method comprising:
operating a timer to provide pulses at a comparator output wherein a frequency of the pulses is dependent on temperature, wherein providing each pulse of the pulses includes:
biasing a first input of the comparator at a voltage;
operating a transistor in a subthreshold region of operation to change the voltage of the first input of a comparator at a rate dependent upon temperature, the output of the comparator changes state when the voltage of the first input crosses a voltage of a second input of the comparator.
16. The method of claim 15 wherein the operating a transistor in a subthreshold region of operation to change the voltage of the first input of a comparator at a rate dependent upon temperature includes operating the transistor in a subthreshold region of operation to change the voltage of the first input of the comparator at a rate exponentially dependent upon temperature.
17. The method of claim 15 further comprising using each pulse to refresh a reference voltage of a reference node.
18. The method of claim 17 wherein the using each pulse to refresh a reference voltage includes using each pulse to activate a band gap generator to provide a voltage to refresh the reference voltage, wherein the band gap generator is deactivated before being activated by a next successive pulse of the pulses.
19. The method of claim 17 wherein the using each pulse to refresh a reference voltage of a reference node includes charging a capacitor coupled to the reference node to refresh the reference voltage.
20. The method of claim 15 wherein each pulse of the pulses is used to bias the first input for producing the next successive pulse.
21. The method of claim 20 wherein the first input is coupled to a capacitor that is charged at times based on the pulses.
22. The method of claim 15 wherein the operating a transistor includes operating the transistor in a subthreshold region of operation to discharge the voltage of the first input of the comparator at a rate dependent upon temperature, the output of the comparator changes state when the voltage of the first input discharges below the voltage of the second input of the comparator.