Voltage and temperature sensor for a serializer/deserializer communication application
View Patent ↗The present invention relates to integrated circuits. More specifically, embodiments of the present invention provide methods and systems for determining temperatures of an integrated circuit using an one-point calibration technique, where temperature is determined by a single temperature measurement and calculation using known electrical characteristics of the integrated circuit.
1. A method for determining a temperature measurement, the method comprising:
providing an integrated circuit device;
measuring a first temperature using a temperature sensor;
determining a first reference value for the integrated circuit device at the first temperature, the reference value being based on at least a temperature, a first delay electrical characteristic, and a design constant associated with the integrated circuit, the first reference value being proportional to the first temperature;
measuring a second delay electrical characteristic for the integrated circuit device;
determining a second reference value for the integrated circuit based on the second delay electrical characteristic and an equivalent temperature;
determining a gain value associated with the temperature sensor using at least the first reference value and the second reference value;
generating a line equation using at least the gain value;
measuring a third delay electrical characteristic comprising a differential signal from a first delay core and a second delay core receiving a common feedback voltage; and
determining a third temperature using the third delay electrical characteristic and the line equation.
2. The method of claim 1 wherein the first reference value is proportion to current.
3. The method of claim 1 wherein the first reference value comprises a current proportion to absolute temperature value described by equation IPTAT=K*T*ln(M)/R, where K is Boltzmann's constant, T is absolute temperature in Kelvin, M is the design constant, and R is a resistance value.
4. The method of claim 1 further comprising generating the second reference value using one or more control switches.
5. The method of claim 1 wherein the gain value is a ratio between changing electrical characteristic and corresponding changing temperature.
6. A system for determining a temperature measurement, the system comprising:
a temperature sensor positioned on an integrated circuit, the temperature sensor is associated with a reference value and a line equation for determining a temperature value;
a control element configured to change more variables of the reference value;
a processor configured to determine the temperature value using at least the line equation;
wherein:
the reference proportional to temperature value, a design constant, and a resistance value;
the line equation is determined by calculating a gain factor, the gain factor being based on change in temperature corresponding to change in the one or more variables caused by the control element;
the processor determines the temperature value using reading of one or more delay electrical characteristics comprising a differential signal from a first delay core and a second delay core receiving a common feedback voltage.
7. The system of claim 6 wherein the temperature sensor is configured to determine delay values.
8. The system of claim 6 further comprising a memory element for storing at least the reference value.
9. The system of claim 6 further comprising an interface for transmitting the temperature value.
10. The system of claim 6 further comprising an interface for receiving signals for temperature determination.
11. The system of claim 6 wherein the integrated circuit comprises a plurality of temperature sensors at different locations.
12. The system of claim 6 further comprising a memory storing characterization data associated with the integrated circuit, the characterization data comprising a the design constant.
13. The system of claim 6 wherein the temperature value is determined using a base reference temperature value.
14. A method for determining temperature at a region of an integrated circuit device, the method comprising:
obtaining characterization data associated with the integrated circuit device;
measuring a first temperature using a temperature sensor;
storing the first temperature;
determining a first reference value for the integrated circuit device at the first temperature, the reference value being based on at least a temperature, a first delay electrical characteristic, and a design constant associated with the characterization data, the first reference value being proportional to the first temperature, the first electrical characteristic being a delay value;
measuring a second delay electrical characteristic for the integrated circuit device;
providing a second reference value for the integrated circuit based on the second delay electrical characteristic and an equivalent temperature;
determining a gain value associated with the temperature sensor using at least the first reference value and the second reference value;
generating a line equation using at least the gain value;
determining a third delay electrical characteristic comprising a differential signal from a first delay core and a second delay core receiving a common feedback voltage; and
determining a second temperature using the third delay electrical characteristic and the line equation.
15. The method of claim 14 further comprising determining a second temperature.
16. The method of claim 14 further comprising receiving a request for a temperature reading of the integrated circuit device.
17. The method of claim 14 further comprising determining a second temperature using at least the line equation and the first temperature.
18. The method of claim 14 wherein the equivalent temperature is substantially the same as the first temperature.