IP Library › Granted Patent US 10,642,305
Granted Patent B2
US 10,642,305 · App. 16/294,704 · Granted May 5, 2020

High-accuracy CMOS temperature sensor and operating method

Inventors: Joo Sung Lee (Seoul, KR); Joo Seong Kim (Seoul, KR); Kwang Ho Kim (Yongin-si, KR); Sang Ho Kim (Suwon-si, KR)
Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
G05F3/265G01K7/01H03M1/46G05F3/26G05F3/267
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 10,642,305
App. No.
16/294,704
Granted
May 5, 2020
Kind
B2
Abstract

A CMOS temperature sensor is provided. The CMOS temperature sensor, comprises: a bandgap reference circuit outputting a constant bandgap reference voltage regardless of temperature using a first voltage inversely proportional to temperature and a second voltage proportional to temperature and generating a first current proportional to temperature using the second voltage; a reference voltage generator copying the first current and outputting a reference voltage generated using the first voltage and the copied first current; and a temperature information voltage generator copying the first current and outputting a temperature information voltage proportional to temperature.

Claims (33)

1. A CMOS temperature sensor, comprising:

a bandgap reference circuit providing a bandgap reference voltage regardless of temperature using a first voltage inversely proportional to temperature and a second voltage proportional to temperature, and further providing a first current proportional to temperature using the second voltage;

a reference voltage generator copying the first current and providing a reference voltage generated using the first voltage and the copied first current; and

a temperature information voltage generator copying the first current and providing a temperature information voltage proportional to temperature,

wherein the temperature information voltage generator includes a current source controlling a level of the temperature information voltage in response to the reference voltage.

2. The CMOS temperature sensor of claim 1 , wherein the bandgap reference circuit includes a first BJT and a second BJT having commonly connected base terminals, and

the first voltage is a base-emitter voltage of the first BJT, and the second voltage is a difference between the first voltage and a base-emitter voltage of the second BJT.

3. The CMOS temperature sensor of claim 2 , wherein the bandgap reference circuit comprises a first resistor connected to the second BJT, and the first current is a current flowing through the first resistor in response to the second voltage.

4. The CMOS temperature sensor of claim 1 , wherein the current source controls the level of the temperature information voltage, such that the level of the temperature information voltage is not higher than a level of the reference voltage.

5. The CMOS temperature sensor of claim 1 , wherein the bandgap reference circuit includes a first transistor and a second transistor having gates commonly connected at a node and equally dividing the first current.

6. The CMOS temperature sensor of claim 5 , wherein the reference voltage generator and the temperature information voltage generator respectively receive a voltage level at the node, and respectively copy the first current using the voltage level at the node.

7. The CMOS temperature sensor of claim 5 , wherein the reference voltage generator further includes a current source receiving a voltage level at the node and providing the first current.

8. The CMOS temperature sensor of claim 7 , wherein the current source includes at least one transistor having a size different from a size of the first transistor.

9. The CMOS temperature sensor of claim 1 , further comprising:

an analog-digital converter (ADC) receiving the reference voltage and the temperature information voltage, and performing an analog-to-digital conversion of the temperature information voltage to provide a temperature information signal.

10. The CMOS temperature sensor of claim 1 , wherein the reference voltage is generated using the first voltage, the copied first current and a first resistance of a first resistor in the reference voltage generator, and

the temperature information voltage is generated by using the copied first current, the reference voltage, a second resistance of a second resistor in the current source and a third resistance of a third resistor in the temperature information voltage generator.

11. A CMOS temperature sensor, comprising:

a bandgap reference circuit providing a bandgap reference voltage regardless of temperature in relation to a first voltage inversely proportional to temperature and a second voltage proportional to temperature;

a reference voltage generator providing a reference voltage generated by correcting the first voltage into the second voltage; and

a temperature information voltage generator generating a temperature information voltage proportional to temperature on the basis of the second voltage.

12. The CMOS temperature sensor of claim 11 , wherein the bandgap reference circuit includes a first BJT and a second BJT having commonly connected base terminals, and the first voltage is a base-emitter voltage of the first BJT, and the second voltage is a difference between the first voltage and a base-emitter voltage of the second BJT.

13. The CMOS temperature sensor of claim 11 , wherein the temperature information voltage generator includes a current source controlling a level of the temperature information voltage in response to the reference voltage.

14. The CMOS temperature sensor of claim 13 , wherein the current source controls the level of the temperature information voltage such that the level of the temperature information voltage is not higher than a level of the reference voltage.

15. The CMOS temperature sensor of claim 11 , wherein the bandgap reference circuit includes a first transistor and a second transistor having gates commonly connected at a node.

16. The CMOS temperature sensor of claim 15 , wherein the reference voltage generator and the temperature information voltage generator respectively receive a voltage level at the node in order to copy the first current.

17. The CMOS temperature sensor of claim 15 , the reference voltage generator comprises a current source receiving a voltage level at the node and providing the first current.

18. The CMOS temperature sensor of claim 17 , wherein the current source includes at least one transistor having size different from a size of the first transistor.

19. A CMOS temperature sensor, comprising:

a bandgap reference circuit including a first BJT and a second BJT whose base terminals are connected to each other, the bandgap reference circuit generating a temperature-proportional current using a first voltage, which is a base-emitter voltage of the first BJT, and a second voltage based on a difference between the first voltage and a base-emitter voltage of the second BJT;

a reference voltage generator generating a reference voltage on the basis of the temperature-proportional current and the first voltage; and

a temperature information voltage generator generating a temperature information voltage on the basis of the temperature-proportional current, and including a current source controlling a level of the temperature information voltage on the basis of the reference voltage.

20. The CMOS temperature sensor of claim 19 , wherein the current source controls a level of the temperature information voltage, such that the level of the temperature information voltage is not higher than a level of the reference voltage.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Mar 9, 2019
From: LEE, JOO SUNG; KIM, JOO SEONG; KIM, KWANG HO; KIM, SANG HO
To: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
Reel/Frame 048553/0619 →
Priority Claims (1)
KR 10-2018-0027317 · Mar 8, 2018 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20190278316A1 · Sep 12, 2019
Cited By (4)
US 12,235,169 US 12,313,474 US 12,345,762 US 12,535,367