Patent ID: 7565258

Claim:
An apparatus comprising: a current sources circuit configured to generate a reference current and an adjustable current; a temperature sensing circuit coupled to the current sources circuit, the temperature sensing circuit configured to measure a circuit temperature and to generate a temperature-indicating signal in response to the circuit temperature and the adjustable current; a reference voltage circuit coupled the current sources circuit and configured to provide a reference signal in response to the reference current; a trip generator circuit coupled to the temperature sensing circuit and the reference voltage circuit and configured to generate a trip point signal if a difference between the reference and the temperature-indicating signals indicates that a threshold circuit temperature has been reached or exceeded; and a bias circuit coupled to the current sources circuit and configured to generate a bias signal, the bias circuit including a first circuit branch having a first node and a first diode in series, and a second circuit branch having a second node, a first branch resistor, and a second diode in series, the bias circuit and the current sources circuit forming a band-gap delta-Vbe loop including a bias generating comparator, and the bias generating comparator including a first input terminal coupled to the first node and a second input terminal coupled to the second node.