Patent ID: 7455452

Claim:
A temperature sensor comprising: a reference voltage generator configured to generate a reference voltage that varies in accordance with variations of a peripheral temperature in a relationship characterized by a first slope, and a temperature sensing voltage that varies in accordance with variations of the peripheral temperature in a relationship characterized by a second slope; a first differential amplifier configured to amplify a voltage difference between a first differential output signal and a second differential output signal to generate a sensor output signal; a latch configured to latch an output signal of the first differential amplifier; and a sensing temperature controller comprising: a second differential amplifier configured to generate the first differential output signal in accordance with a first offset control signal, a second offset control signal, the reference voltage, and the temperature sensing voltage; a first offset adjustment circuit configured to generate the first offset control signal in response to a first control signal, wherein an offset of the second differential amplifier is selectively adjusted in accordance with the first offset control signal; a third differential amplifier configured to generate the second differential output signal in accordance with the reference voltage, the temperature sensing voltage, the first offset control signal, and the second offset control signal; and a second offset adjustment circuit configured to generate the second offset control signal in response to a second control signal having a logic level opposite a logic level of the first control signal, wherein the offset of the second differential amplifier and an offset of the third differential amplifier are downwardly adjusted in accordance with the second offset control signal, wherein the first and second differential output signals vary differently with respect to the peripheral temperature, and wherein the offset of the second differential amplifier and the offset of the third differential amplifier are upwardly adjusted in accordance with the first offset control signal.