US 11,852,544 B2
Temperature sensor for non-volatile memory
Srikanth Machavolu, Colorado Springs, CO (US); Sheshadri Sohani, Kodigehalli (IN); Kapil Jain, Colorado springs, CO (US); and Alan D. DeVilbiss, Colorado Springs, CO (US)
Assigned to Infineon Technologies LLC, San Jose, CA (US)
Filed by Infineon Technologies LLC, San Jose, CA (US)
Filed on Mar. 31, 2021, as Appl. No. 17/219,160.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/153,412, filed on Feb. 25, 2021.
Prior Publication US 2022/0268638 A1, Aug. 25, 2022
Int. Cl. G01K 7/16 (2006.01); G01K 7/01 (2006.01)
CPC G01K 7/16 (2013.01) [G01K 7/01 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. An apparatus comprising:
a resistor circuit comprising a set of resistors configured to control a reference voltage based on a temperature of a memory, each resistor of the set of resistors having a first or second temperature coefficient, and wherein a first resistor of the set of resistors modifies its resistance value based on the temperature of the memory until the reference voltage and an output voltage are equal;
a comparator configured to output count-up signals and count-down signals; and
a counter configured to:
increment and decrement a current count value based on the count-up signals and the count-down signals output by the comparator; and
periodically output a word corresponding to the current count value, the word indicating the temperature of the memory to the first resistor,
wherein the resistor circuit comprises a resistor ladder including a number of second resistors in series with the first resistor, and wherein the first resistor comprises a positive first temperature coefficient, and the number of second resistors include one or more resistors, each having a second temperature coefficient that less than the first temperature coefficient.