Temperature detecting circuit and temperature detecting apparatus using the same

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9523613-B2
Application number	US-201414585355-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 30, 2014
Priority date	Apr 1, 2011
Publication date	Dec 20, 2016
Grant date	Dec 20, 2016

Abstract

A temperature detecting apparatus includes a temperature detecting circuit configured to output a first pulse signal according to a temperature detected by a temperature sensor, and an insulating transformer configured to transmit the first pulse signal to an integrated circuit which is operated by an operation voltage different from that of the temperature detecting circuit. The insulating transformer is installed between the temperature detecting circuit and the integrated circuit. The temperature detecting circuit and the insulating transformer are mounted on a common substrate.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A semiconductor package, comprising:
a first chip;
a second chip; and
a third chip electrically connected to the second chip,
the first chip comprising:
an AD conversion circuit configured to convert a temperature detection signal from a temperature sensor into a digital temperature detection signal;
a triangular wave generation circuit configured to output a digital signal equivalent to a triangular waveform as a time series, the triangular wave generation circuit including one selected from a group consisting of CMOS logic and TTL logic; and
a digital comparator configured to compare the digital temperature detection signal output from the AD conversion circuit and the digital signal output from the triangular wave generation circuit and output a signal with a duty cycle,

the second chip comprising:
an insulating transformer configured to transmit a pulse signal to an integrated circuit which is operated by an operation voltage different from that of the first chip, the pulse signal being generated based on the signal with a duty cycle,
the third chip comprising a signal demodulation circuit,

wherein the first chip and the second chip are mounted on a common substrate, electrically connected to each other, and covered by a resin part,
wherein the third chip is mounted on another substrate different from the common substrate where the first chip and the second chip are mounted,
wherein the second chip is disposed between the first chip and the third chip, and
wherein the first chip, the second chip, and the third chip are commonly covered by the resin part.

2. The semiconductor package of claim 1 , wherein a period for executing the comparison process in the digital comparator comprises four cycles including a first two cycles, a third cycle and a fourth cycle, in which one cycle is defined as a section from a maximum value of the triangular waveform to a next maximum value of the triangular waveform or a section from a minimum value of the triangular waveform to a next minimum value of the triangular waveform.

3. The semiconductor package of claim 2 , wherein a duty ratio is determined by the first two cycles during one period for executing the comparison process.

4. The semiconductor package of claim 1 , wherein when a temperature detected by the temperature sensor reaches a limit value, a detection signal is output from the digital comparator.

5. The semiconductor package of claim 1 , wherein the temperature sensor comprises an element configured to operate with a constant current, the voltage of the element changing in response to a temperature.

6. The semiconductor package of claim 5 , wherein a constant current source includes a current mirror circuit, and wherein the constant current source is configured to flow a current to the temperature sensor and change the current flowing to the temperature sensor based on a value of a resistor connected to the current mirror circuit.

7. The semiconductor package of claim 1 , wherein the triangular wave generation circuit has an oscillation circuit which generates a clock signal of a predetermined period, and the digital signal is generated based on the clock signal.

8. The semiconductor package of claim 1 , wherein a plastic mold is formed at a portion between the insulating transformer and the signal demodulation circuit.

9. The semiconductor package of claim 1 , wherein a copper island is formed on a rear surface of the common substrate,
wherein a bonding pad is formed on the copper island, and
wherein a copper coil is formed at an inner side of the copper island.

10. A semiconductor package, comprising:
a first chips;
a second chip; and
a third chip electrically connected to the second chip,
the first chip comprising:
an AD conversion circuit configured to convert a analog signal detected by a temperature sensor into a digital signal; and
a digital comparator configured to compare the digital signal with a digital triangular wave signal, and output a signal with a duty cycle as a result of the comparison, the second chip comprising:
an insulating transformer configured to transmit a pulse signal to an integrated circuit which is operated by an operation voltage different from that of the first chip, the pulse signal being generated based on the signal with a duty cycle,
the third chip comprising a signal demodulation circuit, and

wherein the first chip and the second chip are mounted on a common substrate, electrically connected to each other, and covered by a resin part,
wherein the third chip is mounted on another substrate different from the common substrate where the first chip and the second chip are mounted,
wherein the second chip is disposed between the first chip and the third chip,
wherein the first chip, the second chip, and the third chip are commonly covered by the resin part.

11. The semiconductor package of claim 10 , wherein the digital comparator has an oscillation circuit which generates a clock signal of a predetermined period and the digital triangular wave signal is generated based on the clock signal.

12. The semiconductor package of claim 11 , wherein the digital comparator has a counter which counts the number of the clock signal generated by the oscillation circuit; and
the digital triangular wave signal is determined by the total of the number of the clock signal.

13. The semiconductor package of claim 10 further comprising:
a constant current source configured to flow a current to the temperature sensor by a current mirror circuit.

14. The semiconductor package of claim 10 , wherein a plastic mold is formed at a portion between the insulating transformer and the signal demodulation circuit.

15. The semiconductor package of claim 10 , wherein a copper island is formed on a rear surface of the common substrate,
wherein a bonding pad is formed on the copper island, and
wherein a copper coil is formed at an inner side of the copper island.

Assignees

• Rohm Co Ltd

Inventors

• Takihara Hirotaka
• Takahashi Shintaro

Classifications

• G01K7/00 Primary

  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

• H01L2924/00

  Electricity · mapped topic

• H01L2924/0002

  Electricity · mapped topic

• H03K2017/0806

  against excessive temperature · CPC title

• H02M1/32 Primary

  Means for protecting converters other than automatic disconnection · CPC title