US 11,867,570 B2
Thermal sensor circuit
Philippe Galy, Le Touvet (FR); and Renan Lethiecq, Bernin (FR)
Assigned to STMicroelectronics SA, Montrouge (FR)
Filed by STMicroelectronics SA, Montrouge (FR)
Filed on Mar. 4, 2021, as Appl. No. 17/192,438.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/985,992, filed on Mar. 6, 2020.
Prior Publication US 2021/0278287 A1, Sep. 9, 2021
Int. Cl. G01K 7/01 (2006.01); G01K 7/22 (2006.01); G01K 7/25 (2006.01); H01L 27/12 (2006.01); H01C 7/04 (2006.01); G05F 3/24 (2006.01); H01C 7/00 (2006.01); H01L 29/10 (2006.01); H01L 29/78 (2006.01)
CPC G01K 7/01 (2013.01) [G01K 7/015 (2013.01); G01K 7/22 (2013.01); G01K 7/226 (2013.01); G01K 7/25 (2013.01); G05F 3/245 (2013.01); H01C 7/008 (2013.01); H01C 7/04 (2013.01); H01L 27/1203 (2013.01); H01L 29/1095 (2013.01); H01L 29/7831 (2013.01)] 34 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A temperature sensing circuit, comprising:
a thermistor comprising a first MOS transistor having a first drain, a first source, a first gate and a first body, wherein the first MOS transistor is configured to operate in weak inversion mode with a negative temperature coefficient drain-source resistance;
an output terminal directly electrically connected to the first source and configured to generate a positive temperature coefficient output voltage;
a current source comprising a second MOS transistor having a second drain, a second source, a second gate and a second body, wherein the second gate is directly electrically connected to the output terminal and the first source, the second source is directly electrically connected to a ground node, the second drain is not directly electrically connected to the second gate and the second drain is not directly electrically connected to the output terminal, and wherein the current source is configured to impose a drain-source current of the first MOS transistor;
a bias voltage generator configured to generate a bias voltage; and
wherein the first body is configured to receive the bias voltage, and
wherein the second body is directly electrically connected to a ground node.