Method for measuring a temperature in an electronic device having a battery and a memory device

Abstract

A temperature sensing device can be embedded in a memory module or system in order to sense the temperature of the memory module or system. One oscillator generates a temperature variable signal that increases frequency as the temperature of the oscillator increases and decreases frequency when the temperature of the oscillator decreases. A temperature invariant oscillator generates a fixed width signal that is controlled by an oscillator read logic and indicates a temperature sense cycle. An n-bit counter is clocked by the temperature variable signal while the fixed width signal enables/inhibits the counter. The faster the counter counts, the larger the count value at the end of the sense cycle indicated by the fixed width signal. A larger count value indicates a warmer temperature. A smaller count value indicates a colder temperature.

1 . A method for measuring a temperature of an electronic device comprising a chargeable battery and a DRAM having an embedded temperature sensing device, the method comprising:
 measuring an ambient temperature with the temperature sensing device;   measuring the temperature of the battery with the temperature sensing device;   correcting the measured battery temperature in response to the ambient temperature to produce a corrected battery temperature; and   when the corrected battery temperature indicates a temperature acceleration that is greater than a predetermined threshold, reducing a charging current to the battery.