Temperature Sensing Circuit With Digital Noise Compensation

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Solution Overview

Problem

The reliability of temperature sensing circuits in memory systems is compromised due to noise in the voltage output, which affects the accuracy of digital codes generated from temperature measurements, leading to inconsistent electrical characteristics in transistors.

Innovation Solution

A temperature sensing circuit that includes an analog voltage generation circuit, an analog-digital converter, and a compensation circuit to convert temperature into a digital code, perform digital calculations, and output a noise-removed operation code, thereby stabilizing the voltage output.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Measurement precision

If temperature is converted directly into a digital code using an analog-digital converter, then the conversion process is simple, but noise in the temperature voltage reduces the accuracy of the digital code

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveaccuracy of digital codeVSAvoidnoise in temperature voltage

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies preliminary action by performing noise removal through digital calculation on the digital code before it is used for temperature sensing operations. The compensation circuit calculates a compensated digital code by removing noise components in advance, ensuring that the temperature voltage accuracy is improved before the code is utilized in subsequent operations.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

2Measurement precision

If a compensation circuit is added to remove noise from temperature voltage, then the accuracy of digital code is improved, but the device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveaccuracy of digital codeVSAvoidcircuit complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces the traditional analog noise filtering mechanism with a digital calculation-based compensation circuit. Instead of using complex analog filters or shielding to remove noise from the temperature voltage, the system converts the voltage to a digital code and then uses digital arithmetic operations to calculate and remove noise components, thereby reducing overall circuit complexity while maintaining or improving accuracy.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

3Reliability

If digital calculation is performed on the digital code to remove noise, then the reliability of voltage output is improved, but the processing time increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvereliability of voltage outputVSAvoidprocessing time

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent changes the parameter representation from analog voltage to digital code, enabling the use of digital calculation methods for noise removal. By performing noise removal through digital arithmetic operations on the digital code rather than through analog processing, the system achieves reliable voltage output while maintaining efficient processing speeds suitable for memory system operations.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

Data Source

PatentUS10908028B2Temperature sensing circuit and semiconductor device having the same

Publication Date: 2021.02.02 SK HYNIX INC

AI summary

Provided herein may be a temperature sensing circuit and a semiconductor device having the same. The temperature sensing circuit may include an analog voltage generation circuit configured to convert a temperature into a voltage and output a temperature voltage, an analog-digital converter configured to convert the temperature voltage into a digital code, and a compensation circuit configured to adjust the digital code and then output an operation code to remove noise from the temperature voltage.