Temperature detecting semiconductor device

Abstract

There is provided a technique which is capable of detecting a temperature of a semiconductor device with high precision. A temperature detection circuit detecting a temperature of a semiconductor device includes a first short-cycle oscillator generating a first clock signal having positive temperature characteristics with respect to a frequency, a second short-cycle oscillator generating a second clock signal having negative temperature characteristics with respect to the frequency, and a temperature signal generation unit generating a temperature signal which is varied according to the temperature of the semiconductor device based on the first and second clock signals.

1 .- 8 . (canceled) 
   
   
       9 . A semiconductor device comprising:
 a temperature detection circuit generating a first clock signal and a second clock signal, and comprising a temperature signal generation unit that generates a temperature signal which is varied according to a temperature of said semiconductor device based on said first and second clock signals, said temperature signal generation unit including:   a first counter counting the number of pulses of said first clock signal to a predetermined number and outputting a signal activated while the number is counted, and   a second counter counting the number of pulses of said second clock signal while said signal outputted from said first counter is activated and outputting a signal showing the counted number as said temperature signal.   
   
   
       10 . The semiconductor device according to  claim 9 , wherein the temperature detection circuit further comprises a first oscillator that generates the first clock signal and a second oscillator that generates the second clock signal. 
   
   
       11 . The semiconductor device according to  claim 10 , wherein the first clock signal has positive temperature characteristics with respect to a frequency and the second clock signal has negative temperature characteristics with respect to a frequency. 
   
   
       12 . The semiconductor device according to  claim 9 , further comprising:
 a control circuit sequentially generating a plurality of pulse signals and outputting them to the temperature detection circuit, wherein said temperature detection circuit generates said temperature signal every time said pulse signal is inputted.   
   
   
       13 . The semiconductor device according to  claim 9 , further comprising:
 a tuning circuit adjusting electrical characteristics of an object circuit based on said temperature signal;   a memory circuit storing a plurality of tuning codes for adjusting said electrical characteristics of said object circuit;   inner power supply circuits receiving an adjustment signal from the tuning circuit so as to adjust the electrical characteristics; and   a logic circuit operated by the inner power supply circuits and executing various logical operations, wherein   the tuning circuit, the memory circuit, the inner power supply circuits, and the logic circuit are formed on a single semiconductor substrate.