Patent ID: 8358145
Filing Date: 2013-01-22
Classification: G01R,G06F,G11B,H01L

Abstract:
1. A self-heating integrated circuit (IC), comprising: a drive circuit configured to drive a device; a multi-mode controller configured to selectively operate the drive circuit in one of a first mode when the device is driven and a second mode when the device is not driven based on a temperature of the IC, wherein, in the first mode, the controller is configured to operate the drive circuit to drive the device and, in the second mode, the controller is configured to operate the drive circuit without driving the device to heat the IC to a target temperature; a temperature sensor configured to measure a temperature of the IC; a temperature compensator configured to compute a difference between the target temperature and the measured temperature from the temperature sensor, wherein, in the second mode, the controller is configured to operate the drive circuit to heat the IC based on the difference between the target temperature and the measured temperature; a current sensor configured to measure a current in the drive circuit; and a current difference unit configured to compute a difference between a current command and the measured current from the current sensor, wherein the temperature compensator is configured to output the current command based on the difference between the target temperature and the measured temperature, and wherein, in the second mode, the controller is configured to adjust the current in the drive circuit based on the difference between the current command and the measured current.