Patent ID: 8092083

Claim:
A method comprising: generating multiple base-emitter voltage signals by sequentially providing various currents to a transistor; determining a differential voltage signal according to the multiple base-emitter voltage signals, the differential voltage signal proportional to an environmental temperature associated with the transistor; generating a first base-emitter voltage signal when a first current signal is provided to the transistor; generating a second base-emitter voltage signal when a second current signal is provided to the transistor; determining a difference between the first base-emitter voltage signal and the second base-emitter voltage signal; determining the differential voltage signal, at least in part, according to the determined difference between the first base-emitter voltage signal and the second base-emitter voltage signal; generating a third base-emitter voltage signal when a third current signal is provided to the transistor; determining difference between at least one of the first base-emitter voltage signal and the third base-emitter voltage signal or the second base-emitter voltage signal and the third base-emitter voltage signal; and determining the differential voltage signal, at least in part, according to the determined difference between at least one of the first base-emitter voltage signal and the third base-emitter voltage signal or the second base-emitter voltage signal and the third base-emitter voltage signal; wherein determining the differential voltage signal includes averaging multiple differences determined between various base-emitter voltage signals.