Temperature sensors

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10481015-B2
Application number	US-201715601680-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 22, 2017
Priority date	Jan 28, 2014
Publication date	Nov 19, 2019
Grant date	Nov 19, 2019

Abstract

The temperature sensor includes a voltage generator and a temperature code generator. The voltage generator includes a first temperature element having a first resistance value and a second temperature element having a second resistance value and utilizes the first and second temperature elements to generate a temperature voltage signal having a voltage level that varies according to a variation in temperature. The voltage generator generates a reference voltage signal having a substantially constant voltage level regardless of the variation in temperature. The temperature code generator compares a voltage level of the temperature voltage signal with a voltage level of the reference voltage signal to generate a plurality of temperature code signals including information on the variation in temperature based on the comparison.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A temperature sensor comprising:
a drive voltage generator suitable for generating a drive voltage signal having a substantially constant voltage level regardless of the variation in temperature;
a reference voltage generator suitable for generating the reference voltage signal in response to the drive voltage signal;
a first driver comprising first and second temperature elements and suitable for generating a pre-temperature voltage signal in response to the drive voltage signal; and
a second driver comprising third and fourth temperature elements and suitable for generating a temperature voltage signal from the pre-temperature voltage signal; and
a temperature code generator suitable for comparing a voltage level of the temperature voltage signal with a voltage level of the reference voltage signal to generate a plurality of temperature code signals including information on the variation in temperature based on the comparison.

2. The temperature sensor of claim 1 , wherein the reference voltage generator comprises:
a first drive element electrically coupled between a power supply voltage terminal and a first node and suitable for supplying electric charge from the power supply voltage terminal to the first node in response to the drive voltage signal; and
a second drive element electrically coupled between the first node and a ground voltage terminal and suitable for being turned on in response to a voltage level at the first node.

3. The temperature sensor of claim 2 , wherein the second drive element is suitable for generating a constant current regardless of the variation in temperature.

4. The temperature sensor of claim 1 , wherein the first driver comprises:
a third drive element electrically coupled between a power supply voltage terminal and a second node and suitable for supplying electric charge from the power supply voltage terminal to the second node in response to the drive voltage signal;
the first temperature element electrically coupled between the second node and a third node wherein the pre-temperature voltage signal is output at the third node and suitable for being turned on in response to a voltage level at the second node; and
the second temperature element electrically coupled between the third node and a ground voltage terminal and suitable for being turned on in response to the voltage level at the second node.

5. The temperature sensor of claim 4 , wherein a voltage level of the pre-temperature voltage signal is adjusted based on the resistance values of the first and second temperature elements.

6. The temperature sensor of claim 4 , wherein the second driver comprises:
a fourth drive element electrically coupled between the power supply voltage terminal and a fourth node and suitable for supplying electric charge from the power supply voltage terminal to the fourth node in response to the drive voltage signal;
the third temperature element electrically coupled between the fourth node and a fifth node, wherein the temperature voltage signal is output at the fifth node and suitable for being turned on in response to a voltage level at the fourth node; and
the second temperature element electrically coupled between the fifth node and the third node and suitable for being turned on in response to the voltage level at the fourth node.

7. The temperature sensor of claim 6 ,
wherein a current flowing through the first temperature element varies according to the variation in temperature;
wherein a current flowing through the second temperature element varies according to the variation in temperature;
wherein a current flowing through the third temperature element varies according to the variation in temperature; and
wherein a current flowing through the fourth temperature element varies according to the variation in temperature.

8. The temperature sensor of claim 6 , wherein a voltage level of the temperature voltage signal is adjusted based on the resistance values of the third and fourth temperature elements and a voltage level of the pre-temperature voltage signal.

9. The temperature sensor of claim 1 , wherein the temperature code generator comprises:
a comparison voltage generator suitable for receiving the reference voltage signal to generate a plurality of comparison voltage signals whose voltage levels sequentially increase;
a comparator suitable for comparing the plurality of comparison voltage signals with the temperature voltage signal to generate a plurality of comparison signals based on the comparison; and
a buffer suitable for buffering the plurality of comparison signals and for generating the buffered comparison signals as the plurality of temperature code signals.

Assignees

• Sk Hynix Inc

Inventors

• Hyun Sang Ah
• Lim Hee Joon

Classifications

• G01K7/16 Primary

  using resistive elements · CPC title

• G01K7/21

  for modifying the output characteristic, e.g. linearising · CPC title

• G01K7/015

  using microstructures, e.g. made of silicon · CPC title