Integrated circuit temperature sensor systems and methods
View Patent ↗Systems and methods disclosed herein provide temperature monitoring within an integrated circuit. For example, in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention, a bandgap reference circuit provides a reference voltage; a constant current generator provides a constant current; and a reference signal circuit receives the reference voltage and provides a reference signal having a selectable value based on the reference voltage. A bipolar diode receives the constant current and provides a sense signal, with a value of the sense signal corresponding approximately to a temperature value of the integrated circuit. A comparator receives the sense signal and the reference signal and provides a temperature sensor output signal.
1. A programmable logic device comprising:
a plurality of logic blocks;
a plurality of input/output blocks adapted to provide an input/output interface for the programmable logic device;
at least one memory block for storing data during operation of the programmable logic device;
an interconnect structure adapted to route signals among the logic blocks, the input/output blocks, and the memory block;
a configuration port for providing configuration data to the configuration memory cells;
a bandgap reference circuit adapted to provide a reference voltage;
a constant current generator adapted to provide a constant current;
a reference signal circuit adapted to receive the reference voltage and provide a reference signal having a selectable value based on the reference voltage;
a bipolar diode adapted to receive the constant current and provide a sense signal, wherein a value of the sense signal corresponds approximately to a temperature value of the integrated circuit; and
a comparator adapted to receive the sense signal and the reference signal and provide a temperature sensor output signal.
2. The integrated circuit of claim 1 , wherein the bandgap reference circuit and the constant current generator are contained within a source circuit adapted to provide the constant current and the reference voltage.
3. The integrated circuit of claim 2 , wherein the source circuit further comprises a buffer circuit adapted to receive the reference voltage from the bandgap reference circuit and provide the reference voltage to the reference signal circuit, and wherein the reference voltage and the constant current are process and temperature compensated.
4. The integrated circuit of claim 1 , wherein the reference signal circuit comprises:
a resistance ladder adapted to receive the reference voltage and provide a plurality of the selectable values based on the reference voltage; and
a multiplexer adapted to receive the selectable values and provide the reference signal based on one of the selectable values selectable under control of a multiplexer control signal.
5. The integrated circuit of claim 1 , wherein the reference signal circuit comprises:
a resistance ladder adapted to receive the reference voltage and provide a plurality of the selectable values based on the reference voltage;
a multiplexer adapted to receive the selectable values and provide the reference signal based on one of the selectable values selectable under control of a multiplexer control signal;
a decoder adapted to receive a decoder input signal and provide the multiplexer control signal based on the decoder input signal; and
a multiplexer adapted to receive a plurality of multiplexer input signals and select one of the multiplexer input signals to provide as the decoder input signal.
6. The integrated circuit of claim 5 , wherein the multiplexer input signals are provided from within the integrated circuit and/or external to the integrated circuit.
7. The integrated circuit of claim 1 , wherein the bipolar diode comprises a bipolar junction transistor having a base terminal coupled to a collector terminal, and wherein a value of the sense signal corresponds to an emitter-base voltage of the bipolar junction transistor.
8. A programmable logic device comprising:
a plurality of logic blocks;
a plurality of input/output blocks adapted to provide an input/output interface for the programmable logic device;
at least one memory block for storing data during operation of the programmable logic device;
an interconnect structure adapted to route signals among the logic blocks, the input/output blocks, and the memory block;
a configuration port for providing configuration data to the configuration memory cells;
means for providing a reference current;
means for providing a reference voltage;
means for providing a reference signal having a selectable value based on the reference voltage;
means for providing a sense signal based on the reference current and a junction temperature of the integrated circuit; and
means for providing a temperature sensor output signal based on a comparison of the reference signal to the sense signal.
9. The integrated circuit of claim 8 , wherein the reference current and the reference voltage are process and temperature compensated.
10. The integrated circuit of claim 8 , wherein the temperature sensor output signal is a digital signal indicating if a temperature threshold of the junction temperature has been exceeded.
11. The integrated circuit of claim 8 , wherein the integrated circuit is powered down and/or a clock signal is adjusted based on a value of the temperature sensor output signal.
12. The integrated circuit of claim 8 , further comprising means for providing a plurality of input control signals to the reference signal providing means.
13. An integrated circuit comprising:
a bandgap reference circuit adapted to provide a reference voltage;
a constant current generator adapted to provide a constant current;
a reference signal circuit adapted to provide a reference signal having a selectable value based on the reference voltage, the reference signal circuit including a resistance ladder adapted to receive the reference voltage and provide a plurality of the selectable values based on the reference voltage;
a bipolar diode adapted to receive the constant current and provide a sense signal, wherein a value of the sense signal corresponds approximately to a temperature value of the integrated circuit; and
a comparator adapted to receive the sense signal and the reference signal and provide a temperature sensor output signal.
14. The integrated circuit of claim 13 including a multiplexer adapted to receive the selectable values from the resistance ladder and provide the reference signal based on one of the selectable values selectable under control of a multiplexer control signal.
15. The integrated circuit of claim 14 , wherein the multiplexer input signals are provided from within the integrated circuit and/or external to the integrated circuit.
16. The integrated circuit of claim 14 including:
a decoder adapted to receive a decoder input signal and provide the multiplexer control signal based on the decoder input signal; and
a multiplexer adapted to receive a plurality of multiplexer input signals and select one of the multiplexer input signals to provide as the decoder input signal.
17. The integrated circuit of claim 13 , wherein the bipolar diode comprises a bipolar junction transistor having a base terminal coupled to a collector terminal, and wherein a value of the sense signal corresponds to an emitter-base voltage of the bipolar junction transistor.
18. The integrated circuit of claim 13 , wherein the integrated circuit comprises a programmable logic device.
19. The integrated circuit of claim 13 , wherein the bandgap reference circuit and the constant current generator are contained within a source circuit adapted to provide the constant current and the reference voltage.
20. The integrated circuit of claim 13 , wherein the source circuit further comprises a buffer circuit adapted to receive the reference voltage from the bandgap reference circuit and provide the reference voltage to the reference signal circuit, and wherein the reference voltage and the constant current are process and temperature compensated.