Patent ID: 9651981
Date: 2017-05-16
CPC Classifications: G01K,G05F,H01L

Claim:
1. An integrated chip, comprising: a bandgap reference circuit comprised within a subset of an integrated chip, adjacent to a second section of the integrated chip, and configured to output a reference voltage having a temperature dependence; one or more heating elements comprised within the integrated chip and configured to vary a temperature of the subset by a first amount and to vary a temperature of the second section of the integrated chip by a second amount less than the first amount, wherein the one or more heating elements are configured to vary the temperature of the subset over a temperature range in a step-wise manner that provides for a plurality of discrete temperatures; wherein the one or more heating elements are configured to be coupled to a control element configured to iteratively provide one or more control signals to the one or more heating elements, measure the reference voltage produced by the bandgap reference circuit, and adjust a value of the one or more control signals, so as to measure a plurality of reference voltages at a plurality of step-wise increasing temperature, wherein the control signals vary the temperature of the subset based upon a current value of the control signals or a number of heating elements being driven by the control signals; one or more switching elements coupled between the control element and the one or more heating elements and configured to selectively couple the control element to the one or more heating elements; and a switching controller that is separate from the control element and configured to generate a third control signal that selectively operates the one or more switching elements to connect the control element to the one or more heating elements, wherein upon connecting the control element to the one or more heating elements the one or more heating elements produce heat.