Patent ID: 8417202

Claim:
A semiconductor die comprising a semiconductor substrate, wherein the semiconductor substrate comprises a receiver, and wherein the receiver comprises: a resistance element on the semiconductor substrate, wherein the resistance element is configured to provide a first signal; an amplifier circuit on the semiconductor substrate, wherein the amplifier is coupled to the resistance element, wherein the amplifier circuit comprises a plurality of amplifiers arranged serially, and wherein the amplifier circuit is configured to receive the first signal, and based upon the first signal, provide a second signal, an analog-to-digital converter on the semiconductor substrate, wherein the analog-to-digital converter is coupled to the amplifier circuit, and wherein the analog-to-digital converter is configured to convert the second signal to a digital signal; and an automatic gain control circuit on the semiconductor substrate, wherein the automatic gain control circuit is coupled to each of (i) the analog-to-digital converter and (ii) the amplifier circuit, wherein the automatic gain control circuit is configured to, based upon the digital signal, provide a digital gain control signal to the amplifier circuit, wherein the amplifier circuit is configured to, based upon the digital gain control signal, control a respective gain of the plurality of amplifiers of the amplifier circuit, wherein the first signal has a noise component that varies with temperature, and wherein the receiver further comprises a voltage sampling circuit configured to, based upon the first signal, determine a resistance value of the resistance element.