Patent ID: 7657772
Filing Date: 2010-02-02
Classification: G01K,H01L

Abstract:
1. An integrated circuit, comprising: a temperature sensing circuit (TSC) for producing a signal having a temperature varying characteristic wherein the characteristic is indicative of the temperature of a substrate in which the sensing circuit is located; a temperature cell to receive the TSC signal, measure the temperature varying characteristic of the TSC signal, and produce an output signal indicative thereof; and a control circuit configured to receive the temperature cell output signal and to control a corrective action signal based on a comparison between a temperature corresponding to the temperature cell output signal and a predetermined temperature threshold further comprising multiple TSCs connected to a temperature cell wherein each TSC provides a corresponding TSC output signal to the temperature cell; wherein each TSC output signal is indicative of the temperature associated with the corresponding TSC; wherein temperature cell is configured to generate a temperature cell output signal, wherein the temperature cell output signal is a serial signal wherein each of the TSC output signals comprises a respective time slice of the serial signal.