Temperature Sensor Circuit With Supply-Voltage Delay Compensation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Temperature detection in semiconductor devices is inaccurately performed due to changes in propagation delay caused by variations in supply voltage, affecting the reliability and performance of mobile devices.
Innovation Solution
A temperature sensor circuit that includes a ring oscillator, divider, counter, latch, and supply voltage monitor, which generates a reference voltage kept constant despite changes in supply voltage, allowing accurate temperature detection by compensating for propagation delay changes.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If the temperature sensor circuit is optimized for a predetermined supply voltage (e.g., 1V), then temperature detection accuracy is improved at that specific voltage level, but measurement precision deteriorates when supply voltage varies (e.g., 0.9V or 1.1V) due to propagation delay changes in circuit elements
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies parameter changes by dynamically adjusting the reference voltage level based on the actual supply voltage. The reference voltage generation circuit modifies its output reference voltage according to the detected supply voltage level, ensuring that the comparison operation remains accurate across different voltage conditions. This resolves the contradiction by making the reference parameter adaptive rather than fixed.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements feedback through the reference voltage generation circuit that continuously monitors the supply voltage and adjusts the reference voltage accordingly. This feedback mechanism ensures that temperature detection accuracy is maintained across varying supply voltage levels by compensating for propagation delay changes in real-time.
2Adaptability or versatility
If different supply voltages are supplied to the semiconductor device, then device adaptability and operating range are improved, but temperature detection accuracy deteriorates due to propagation delay variation in the ring oscillator and other circuit elements
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the reference voltage parameter dynamically based on supply voltage variations. When supply voltage changes, the reference voltage generation circuit adjusts the reference voltage proportionally, maintaining the accuracy of temperature detection despite changes in propagation delay caused by different operating voltage levels.
Solution Approach 2:
The reference voltage generation circuit acts as an intermediary that mediates between the variable supply voltage and the temperature detection process. It translates supply voltage variations into corresponding reference voltage adjustments, ensuring that the temperature sensing mechanism remains accurate across different voltage conditions.
3Device complexity
If the reference voltage level is fixed, then circuit simplicity is maintained, but temperature detection accuracy deteriorates when supply voltage varies due to uncorrected propagation delay changes
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces dynamic parameter changes in the reference voltage to compensate for propagation delay variations. By making the reference voltage adaptive rather than fixed, the system maintains temperature detection accuracy across different supply voltage levels, accepting increased circuit complexity as a necessary trade-off for measurement precision.
Data Source
AI summary
A temperature sensor circuit may include a ring oscillator being enabled according to an enable signal and outputting a square wave signal with a first frequency, a divider dividing the first frequency of the square wave signal from the ring oscillator to generate a pulse signal with a second frequency, a counter counting a time interval of the pulse signal outputted from the divider according to an external clock to generate a count signal, a latch temporarily storing a value of the counter signal according to the pulse signal and outputting a digital code, and a supply voltage monitor being enabled according to the pulse signal, comparing a reference voltage to one or more comparison voltages and generating a switching logic signal. The reference voltage is kept at a substantially constant level when a level of a supply voltage changes.