System reference with compensation of electrical and mechanical stress and life-time drift effects

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016238647-A1
Application number	US-201514623258-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Feb 16, 2015
Priority date	Feb 16, 2015
Publication date	Aug 18, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

Stress compensated systems and methods of compensating for electrical and mechanical stress are discussed. One example system can include a first circuit and a global stress compensation component. The first circuit can be configured to generate a first signal and can comprise at least one local stress compensation component (e.g., employing dynamic element matching, chopping, etc.). The global stress compensation component can comprise one or more stress sensors configured to sense one or more stress components associated with the system. The global stress compensation component can be configured to receive the first signal and to compensate for stress effects on the first signal.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A system, comprising:
a reference circuit configured to generate at least one reference signal, wherein the reference circuit comprises a first set of local stress compensation components that are configured to compensate for stress effects on the at least one reference signal, wherein the at least one reference signal comprises at least one of a reference voltage, a reference current, or a reference clock frequency; and a global stress compensation component that comprises one or more stress sensors configured to sense one or more stress components associated with the system, wherein the global stress compensation component is configured to compensate for the stress effects on the at least one reference signal based at least in part on the sensed one or more stress components.

2 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the first set of local stress compensation components comprises a first dynamic element matching (DEM) component configured to employ DEM to cycle between at least one of a plurality of transistors of the reference circuit or a plurality of resistors of the reference circuit to compensate for the stress effects on the at least one reference signal.

3 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the reference circuit comprises a current mirror that comprises a plurality of transistors, wherein the first set of local stress compensation components comprises a second dynamic element matching (DEM) component, and wherein the second DEM component is configured to employ DEM to cycle between the plurality of transistors of the current mirror to compensate for the stress effects on the at least one reference signal.

4 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the reference circuit comprises at least one of an amplifier or an analog-to-digital converter (ADC), wherein the first set of local stress compensation components comprises at least one of an auto-zeroing component or a chopper, wherein the auto-zeroing component or the chopper is configured to eliminate an offset of an input signal or an output signal of the amplifier or the ADC.

5 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the one or more stress sensors comprise a plurality of stress sensors, wherein at least two of the plurality of stress sensors are configured to sense distinct stress components of the one or more stress components.

6 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the one or more stress sensors comprise a plurality of stress sensors, and wherein the global stress compensation component comprises a second set of local stress compensation components, wherein the second set of local stress compensation components comprises a dynamic element matching (DEM) component configured to employ dynamic element matching (DEM) to cycle between the plurality of stress sensors to compensate for stress effects on the global stress compensation component.

7 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the global stress compensation component comprises at least one temperature sensor configured to sense at least one temperature associated with the system, wherein the global stress compensation component is configured to compensate for temperature effects on the at least one reference signal based at least in part on the sensed at least one temperature.

8 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the global stress compensation component comprises a sensor analog-to-digital converter (ADC) that measures the one or more stress components based on the sensed one or more stress components.

9 . The system of claim 8 , wherein the global stress compensation component comprises a second set of local stress compensation components, wherein the second set of local stress compensation components comprises at least one of an sensor ADC auto-zeroing component or a sensor ADC chopper, wherein the sensor ADC auto-zeroing component or the sensor ADC chopper is configured to eliminate an offset of an input signal or an output signal of the sensor ADC.

10 . The system of claim 8 , wherein the global stress compensation component comprises a compensation digital-to-analog converter (DAC) configured to receive an output signal from the sensor ADC and to generate a compensation output signal, wherein the global stress compensation component is configured to compensate for the stress effects on the at least one reference signal based at least in part on adjusting the reference voltage based on the compensation output signal.

11 . The system of claim 1 , further comprising a system analog-to-digital converter (ADC) or system time-to-digital converter (TDC), wherein the system ADC or the system TDC is configured to receive the at least one reference signal and comprises a third set of local stress compensation components, wherein the third set of local stress compensation components comprises at least one of a system converter auto-zeroing component or a system converter chopper, wherein the system converter auto-zeroing component or the system converter chopper is configured to eliminate an offset of an input signal or an output signal of the system ADC or system TDC.

12 . The system of claim 11 , further comprising a digital multiplier configured to receive the output signal of the system ADC or the system TDC, wherein the digital multiplier is further configured to compensate for at least one of the stress effects on the at least one reference signal or stress effects on the system ADC or the system TDC.

13 . The system of claim 1 , further comprising a system amplifier configured to receive the at least one reference signal,
Wherein the global stress compensation component comprises a digital programmable amplifier or an analog multiplication component, wherein the digital programmable amplifier or the analog multiplication component is configured to compensate for the stress effects on the at least one reference signal.

14 . A multi-chip package comprising the system of claim 1 , wherein the multi-chip package is arranged in a chip-on-chip configuration.

15 . A method, comprising:
generating at least one reference signal via a reference circuit, wherein generating the reference voltage comprises compensating, via the reference circuit, for stress effects on the at least one reference signal, wherein the at least one reference signal comprises at least one of a reference voltage, a reference current, or a reference clock frequency; sensing at least one stress component via at least one stress sensor; and compensating for the stress effects on the at least one reference signal based on the sensed at least one stress component.

16 . The method of claim 15 , wherein compensating, via the reference circuit, for the stress effects on the at least one reference signal comprises employing dynamic element matching (DEM) to cycle between at least one of a plurality of transistors of the reference circuit or a plurality of resistors of the reference circuit.

17 . The method of claim 15 , wherein compensating, via the reference circuit, for the stress effects on the at least one reference signal comprises chopping or auto-zeroing at least one of an input signal of an amplifier of the reference circuit or an output signal of the amplifier of the reference circuit.

18 . The method of claim 15 , wherein sensing at least one stress component comprises sensing at least two distinct stress components, and wherein compensating for the stress effects on the at least one reference signal based on the sensed at least one stress component comprises compensating for the stress effects on the at least one reference signal based on the sensed at least two

Assignees

• Infineon Technologies Ag

Inventors

• Motz Mario

Classifications

• H10W42/121

  protecting against mechanical damage (H10W76/00, H10W74/00 take precedence) · CPC title

• H10W29/01

  Manufacture or treatment · CPC title

• H10W29/00 Primary

  Generic parts of integrated devices, not otherwise provided for · CPC title

• G05D15/01 Primary

  characterised by the use of electric means · CPC title

• G01N22/00

  Investigating or analysing materials by the use of microwaves or radio waves, i.e. electromagnetic waves with a wavelength of one millimetre or more (G01N3/00 - G01N17/00, G01N24/00 take precedence) · CPC title