IP Library › Granted Patent US 11,493,968
Granted Patent B2
US 11,493,968 · App. 16/537,439 · Granted Nov 8, 2022

Reverse bandgap reference circuit with bulk diode, and switch capacitor temperature sensor with duty-cycle output

Inventor: Matthias Eberlein (Holzkirchen, DE)
Assignee: Intel Corporation
G06F1/206G01K7/015G05F1/468G05F3/242G06F1/3203G06F1/06
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,493,968
App. No.
16/537,439
Granted
Nov 8, 2022
Kind
B2
Abstract

An apparatus is provided which generates a reverse bandgap reference using capacitive bias, which is applied to a single n-well diode. The capacitive bias allows for determining the current density precisely by pure timing control. An apparatus is also described for sensing temperature in which a forward-bias diode voltage can be sampled with a capacitor, and large current ratios are possible (e.g., ratio N greater than 1000). Duty cycle of a digital output of the sensor is used to determine the temperature sensed by the sensor.

Claims (48)

1. An apparatus comprising:

a diode comprising a p-n junction between a silicon substrate and a well;

first, second, and third capacitors directly coupled to a cathode terminal of the diode;

a first transistor coupled in series with the first capacitor and also coupled to a power supply node;

a second transistor coupled in series with the second capacitor and also coupled to the power supply node, wherein the first and second transistors are controllable by a switchable signal; and

a third transistor coupled in series with the third capacitor and to an anode of the diode.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 comprises a fourth transistor coupled to the first, second, and third capacitors and to the diode, wherein the fourth transistor is parallel to the diode.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 comprises a fifth transistor coupled to the first capacitor and the first transistor, wherein the fifth transistor is controllable by the switchable signal.

4. The apparatus of claim 3 , wherein the switchable signal is a first switchable signal, wherein the apparatus comprises a sixth transistor coupled to the second capacitor and the second transistor, wherein the sixth transistor is controllable by a second switchable signal.

5. The apparatus of claim 4 , wherein the third transistor is controllable by a third switchable signal.

6. The apparatus of claim 5 , wherein the fourth transistor is controllable by a fourth switchable signal, wherein the fourth switchable signal is a level-shifted version of the first switchable signal.

7. The apparatus of claim 4 , wherein source or drain terminals of the fifth and sixth transistor are coupled to ground.

8. The apparatus of claim 4 comprises:

a seventh transistor coupled to the second transistor, second capacitor, and sixth transistor; and

a fourth capacitor coupled to the seventh transistor.

9. The apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the seventh transistor is controllable by a fifth switchable signal.

10. The apparatus of claim 9 , wherein:

the second switchable signal is a pulse, which arrives after a pulse of the first switchable signal;

the third switchable signal is a pulse wider than a pulse width of the second switchable signal; and

the fifth switchable signal is a pulse, which arrives after the pulse of the first, second, and third switchable signals.

11. The apparatus of claim 9 , wherein the first switchable signal has a pulse width wide enough to charge the first, second, or third capacitors.

12. The apparatus of claim 9 , wherein the second switchable signal has a pulse width wide enough to sample a charge of the second capacitor.

13. The apparatus of claim 9 , wherein the third switchable signal has a pulse width wide enough to sample a charge of the first capacitor.

14. The apparatus of claim 9 , wherein the fifth switchable signal has a pulse width wide enough to add charges on a node which couples the seventh transistor, the second transistor, the second capacitor, and the sixth transistor.

15. An apparatus comprising:

circuitry to generate first, second, third, and fourth switchable signal;

a diode comprising a p-n junction between a silicon substrate and a well; and

first, second, and third capacitors directly coupled to the circuitry and the diode, wherein:

the first switchable signal is to charge the first and second capacitors to an arbitrary voltage level greater than a threshold level, and to discharge the third capacitor;

the second switchable signal to discharge the first and second capacitors through the diode, and to sample a voltage from a charge on the second capacitor;

the third switchable signal to discharge the first capacitor through the diode, and to sample a voltage from a charge on the first capacitor; and

the fourth switchable signal to effectively subtract the sampled voltages on the first and second capacitors.

16. The apparatus of claim 15 comprises a first transistor coupled in series with the first capacitor and also coupled to a power supply node.

17. The apparatus of claim 16 comprises a second transistor coupled in series with the second capacitor and also coupled to the power supply node, wherein the first and second transistors are controllable by the first switchable signal.

18. The apparatus of claim 17 comprises a third transistor coupled in series with the third capacitor and to an anode of the diode.

19. A system comprising:

a memory;

a processor coupled to the memory, wherein the processor includes a bandgap reference generator which includes:

a diode comprising a p-n junction between a silicon substrate and a well;

first, second, and third capacitors directly coupled to a cathode terminal of the diode;

a first transistor coupled in series with the first capacitor and also coupled to a power supply node;

a second transistor coupled in series with the second capacitor and also coupled to the power supply node, wherein the first and second transistors are controllable by a switchable signal; and

a third transistor coupled in series with the third capacitor and to an anode of the diode; and

a wireless interface to allow the processor to communicate with another device.

20. The system of claim 19 comprises:

a fourth transistor coupled to the first, second, and third capacitors and to the diode, wherein the fourth transistor is parallel to the diode;

a fifth transistor coupled to the first capacitor and the first transistor, wherein the fifth transistor is controllable by the switchable signal, wherein the switchable signal is a first switchable signal; and

a sixth transistor coupled to the second capacitor and the second transistor, wherein the sixth transistor is controllable by a second switchable signal.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Aug 28, 2019
From: EBERLEIN, MATTHIAS
To: INTEL CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 050201/0317 →
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20210041928A1 · Feb 11, 2021
Cited By (1)
US 12,638,340