Semiconductor chip for sensing temperature and semiconductor system including the same

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10115702-B2
Application number	US-201514823322-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 11, 2015
Priority date	Nov 20, 2014
Publication date	Oct 30, 2018
Grant date	Oct 30, 2018

Abstract

In one example embodiment, a semiconductor system includes a first chip configured to generate first temperature information of the first chip, the first temperature information being based on at least one temperature measurement using at least one first temperature sensor. The semiconductor system further includes a second chip including a second temperature sensor configured to be controlled based on at least the first temperature information.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A semiconductor system comprising:
a first chip configured to generate first temperature information of the first chip, the first temperature information being based on at least one temperature measurement using at least one first temperature sensor; and
a second chip including a second temperature sensor configured to be controlled based on at least the first temperature information, the second temperature sensor configured to generate a control signal based on the first temperature information and temperature measured by the second temperature sensor, the control signal adjusting an operation performed on the second chip, wherein
the second chip is a dynamic random access memory (DRAM) chip, and
the control signal is configured to determine a self-refresh interval of the DRAM chip.

2. The semiconductor system of claim 1 , wherein the second temperature sensor comprises:
a sensor activation block configured to generate a start-up signal, the start-up signal being enabled based on the first temperature information; and
a temperature sensor block configured to,
be activated according to the start-up signal, and
generate a temperature code corresponding to a result of measuring the temperature.

3. The semiconductor system of claim 2 , wherein the sensor activation block is configured to generate the start-up signal which is enabled within a period of time when a master signal in the first temperature information switches from a low level to a high level.

4. The semiconductor system of claim 2 , wherein the second temperature sensor further comprises:
a voting block configured to,
verify the temperature code, and
generate a verified temperature code;

a compensation block configured to adjust the verified temperature code based on the first temperature information to generate a compensated temperature code; and
an internal control block configured to generate the control signal for controlling the operation of the second chip according to the compensated temperature code.

5. The semiconductor system of claim 4 , wherein the voting block is configured to change a verification range for the temperature code according to a master signal in the first temperature information.

6. The semiconductor system of claim 4 , wherein the compensation block is configured to add an offset code in the first temperature information to the verified temperature code.

7. The semiconductor system of claim 4 , wherein the internal control block comprises:
a mapping block configured to generate a frequency control signal mapped to the compensated temperature code; and
an oscillator configured to generate the control signal having a frequency corresponding to the frequency control signal.

8. A semiconductor chip comprising:
a temperature sensor configured to be controlled based on temperature information generated according to at least one temperature measured by at least one temperature sensor of a chip connected to the semiconductor chip such that the temperature sensor is configured to generate a control signal based on the at least one temperature measured by the at least one temperature sensor of the chip and the temperature information; and
a function block configured to change an internal operation of the semiconductor chip according to the control signal generated by the temperature sensor, wherein
the semiconductor chip is a dynamic random access memory (DRAM) chip, and
the control signal is configured to determine a self-refresh interval of the DRAM chip.

9. The semiconductor chip of claim 8 , wherein the temperature sensor comprises:
a sensor activation block configured to generate a start-up signal, the start-up signal being enabled based on the temperature information; and
a temperature sensor block configured to,
be activated according to the start-up signal, and
generate a temperature code corresponding to a result of measuring the temperature.

10. The semiconductor chip of claim 9 , wherein the sensor activation block is configured to generate the start-up signal which is enabled within a period of time when a master signal in the temperature information switches from a low level to a high level.

11. The semiconductor chip of claim 9 , wherein the temperature sensor further comprises:
a voting block configured to,
verify the temperature code, and
generate a verified temperature code;

a compensation block configured to adjust the verified temperature code based on the temperature information to generate a compensated temperature code; and
an internal control block configured to generate the control signal for controlling an operation of the semiconductor chip according to the compensated temperature code.

12. The semiconductor chip of claim 11 , wherein the voting block is configured to change a verification range for the temperature code based on a master signal in the temperature information.

13. The semiconductor chip of claim 11 , wherein the compensation block is configured to add an offset code in the temperature information to the verified temperature code.

14. The semiconductor chip of claim 11 , wherein the internal control block comprises:
a mapping block configured to generate a frequency control signal mapped to the compensated temperature code; and
an oscillator configured to generate the control signal having a frequency corresponding to the frequency control signal.

15. A device comprising:
a processor configured to,
generate a first temperature information for controlling operation of the device based on a second temperature information generated by another device, the another device being coupled to the device,
generate a control signal based on the first temperature information and the second temperature information, and
adjust an internal operation of the device based on the control signal, wherein
the device is a dynamic random access memory (DRAM) chip, and
the control signal is configured to determine a self-refresh interval of the DRAM chip.

16. The device of claim 15 , wherein the processor is configured to generate the first temperature information by,
generating a start-up signal, the start-up signal being enabled based on the second temperature information, and
generating a temperature code corresponding to the second temperature information.

17. The device of claim 16 , wherein
the second temperature information includes a master signal, and
the processor is configured to generate the start-up signal within a period of time when the master signal switches from a low level to a high level.

18. The device of claim 16 , wherein the processor is configured to generate the control signal by,
generating a verified temperature code upon verifying the temperature code,
adjusting the verified temperature code based on the second temperature information to generate a compensated temperature code, and
generating the control signal based on the compensated temperature code.

Assignees

• Yu Ki Hun
• Oh Tae Young
• Kim Nam Jong
• Park Kwang Il
• Park Chul Sung
• Samsung Electronics Co Ltd

Inventors

• Yu Ki Hun
• Oh Tae Young
• Kim Nam Jong
• Park Kwang Il
• Park Chul Sung

Classifications

• G11C11/40615

  Internal triggering or timing of refresh, e.g. hidden refresh, self refresh, pseudo-SRAMs · CPC title

• G11C11/40626 Primary

  Temperature related aspects of refresh operations · CPC title

• G01K7/00

  Measuring temperature based on the use of electric or magnetic elements directly sensitive to heat (giving results other than momentary value of temperature G01K3/00) {; Power supply therefor, e.g. using thermoelectric elements} · CPC title

• H10W90/734

  between a chip and a stacked insulating package substrate, interposer or RDL · CPC title

• H10W90/732

  between stacked chips · CPC title