IP Library Granted Patent US 9,977,453
Granted Patent B2
US 9,977,453 · App. 15/143,120 · Granted May 22, 2018

Temperature sensing apparatus

Inventor: Jenn-Gang Chern (Redwood City, CA)
Assignee: SK Hynix Inc.
G05F3/245H03B5/1209H03K3/027H03K3/0322H03L1/02H03L1/022H03K3/0315
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 9,977,453
App. No.
15/143,120
Granted
May 22, 2018
Kind
B2
Abstract

An apparatus for temperature sensing may include: a bias generator suitable for generating a complementary-to-absolute-temperature (CTAT) bias voltage; a regulator suitable for regulating a bias voltage by using CTAT bias voltage and outputting a regulated bias voltage; and a ring oscillator suitable for receiving the regulated bias voltage and generating an oscillation signal based on the regulated bias voltage.

Claims (49)

1. An apparatus comprising:

a bias generator configured to generate a complementary-to-absolute-temperature (CTAT) bias voltage, the bias generator includes a current source driving a bias voltage, and a first transistor coupled with a second transistor in series between the bias voltage and a ground terminal;

a regulator configured to regulate the bias voltage by using the CTAT bias voltage and outputting a regulated bias voltage; and

a ring oscillator configured to receive the regulated bias voltage and generating an oscillation signal based on the regulated bias voltage.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the ring oscillator includes a complementary metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS) ring oscillator having:

a cascade of inverters with odd number of stages in a ring shape, suitable for receiving the regulated bias voltage and outputting an inverted bias voltage; and

a frequency counter suitable for receiving the inverted bias voltage, and counting the inverted bias voltage according to a reference clock to generate the oscillation signal.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the

current source includes a first terminal coupled to a power supply voltage terminal and a second terminal driving the bias voltage.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the first transistor includes a NMOS transistor having a first terminal, a second terminal and a third terminal connected to the first terminal; and

the second transistor includes a PMOS transistor having a first terminal connected to the second terminal of the NMOS transistor, a second terminal and a third terminal connected to the ground terminal.

5. The apparatus of claim 4 , wherein the CTAT bias voltage VR 1 is substantially equal to as follows:

VR 1≈ VTp+VTn

where VTp and VTn are the threshold voltages for the PMOS transistor MP 1 and the NMOS transistor MN 1 , respectively.

6. The apparatus of claim 4 , wherein the regulator includes:

an operational amplifier including a first input terminal for receiving the bias voltage, a second input terminal for outputting the regulated bias voltage, and an output terminal; and

a third transistor coupling between the output terminal of the operational amplifier and the second input terminal of the operational amplifier.

7. The apparatus of claim 6 , wherein the third transistor includes a PMOS transistor having a first terminal connected to the power supply voltage terminal, a second terminal connected to the second input terminal of the operational amplifier, and a third terminal connected to the output terminal of the operational amplifier.

8. An apparatus comprising:

a bias generator configured to generate a temperature complementary voltage, the bias generator including:

a current source having a first terminal coupled to a power supply voltage terminal and a second terminal driving a bias voltage; and

a first transistor and a second transistor coupled in series between the second terminal of the current source and a ground terminal;

a regulator configured to regulate the bias voltage by using the temperature complementary voltage and outputting a regulated bias voltage; and

a ring oscillator configured to receive the regulated bias voltage and generating an oscillation signal based on the regulated bias voltage.

9. The apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the first transistor includes a NMOS transistor having a first terminal, a second terminal and a third terminal connected to the first terminal; and

the second transistor includes a PMOS transistor having a first terminal connected to the second terminal of the NMOS transistor, a second terminal and a third terminal connected to the ground terminal.

10. The apparatus of claim 9 , wherein the temperature complementary bias voltage VR 1 is substantially equal to as follows:

VR 1≈ VTp+VTn

where VTp and VTn are the threshold voltages for the PMOS transistor MP 1 and the NMOS transistor MN 1 , respectively.

11. The apparatus of claim 10 , wherein the ring oscillator includes a complementary metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS) ring oscillator having:

a cascade of inverters with odd number of stages in a ring shape, the regulated bias voltage and outputting an inverted bias voltage; and

a frequency counter the inverted bias voltage, and counting the inverted bias voltage according to a reference clock to generate the oscillation signal.

12. The apparatus of claim 11 , wherein the regulator includes:

an operational amplifier including a first input terminal for receiving the bias voltage, a second input terminal for outputting the regulated bias voltage, and an output terminal; and

a third transistor coupling between the output terminal of the operational amplifier and the second input terminal of the operational amplifier.

13. The apparatus of claim 12 , wherein the third transistor includes a PMOS transistor having a first terminal connected to the power supply voltage terminal, a second terminal connected to the second input terminal of the operational amplifier, and a third terminal connected to the output terminal of the operational amplifier.

14. An apparatus comprising:

a bias generator configured to generate a complementary-to-absolute-temperature (CTAT) bias voltage, the bias generator includes a current source driving a bias voltage, and a first transistor coupled with a second transistor in series between the bias voltage and a ground terminal;

a regulator configured to regulate the bias voltage by using the CTAT bias voltage and outputting a regulated bias voltage; and

a ring oscillator configured to receive the regulated bias voltage and generating an oscillation signal based on the regulated bias voltage, wherein the ring oscillator includes a complementary metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS) ring oscillator having:

a cascade of inverters with odd number of stages in a ring shape, configured to receive the regulated bias voltage and outputting an inverted bias voltage; and

a frequency counter configured to receive the inverted bias voltage, and counting the inverted bias voltage according to a reference clock to generate the oscillation signal.

15. The apparatus of claim 14 , wherein the

current source includes a first terminal coupled to a power supply voltage terminal and a second terminal driving the bias voltage.

16. The apparatus of claim 14 , wherein the first transistor includes a NMOS transistor having a first terminal, a second terminal and a third terminal connected to the first terminal; and

the second transistor includes a PMOS transistor having a first terminal connected to the second terminal of the NMOS transistor, a second terminal and a third terminal connected to the ground terminal.

17. The apparatus of claim 16 , wherein the CTAT bias voltage VR 1 is substantially equal to as follows:

VR 1≈ VTp+VTn

where VTp and VTn are the threshold voltages for the PMOS transistor MP 1 and the NMOS transistor MN 1 , respectively.

Assignments (2)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Dec 15, 2017
From: SK HYNIX MEMORY SOLUTIONS INC.
To: SK HYNIX INC.
Reel/Frame 044899/0443 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded May 27, 2016
From: CHERN, JENN-GANG
To: SK HYNIX MEMORY SOLUTIONS INC.
Reel/Frame 038739/0842 →
Continuity (2)
Provisional Application 62154601 · Apr 29, 2015
Related Publication 20160322976A1 · Nov 3, 2016