The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Aug. 10, 1999
Filed:
Sep. 15, 1997
Niels Knudsen, Austin, TX (US);
National Instruments Corporation, Austin, TX (US);
Abstract
A system and method for monitoring and regulating the temperature of a D/A converter, thereby reducing inaccuracies caused by temperature drift in the D/A converter comprises a heating device, preferably a transistor, in thermal contact with the D/A converter. The system further includes a temperature sensing control circuit coupled to the D/A converter and the heating device. The temperature sensing control circuit receives a desired temperature signal Vin which indicates a desired temperature for the D/A converter. The temperature sensing control circuit measures the temperature on the D/A converter by calculating a difference in voltage between the base voltage of the D/A converter and the power input signal to the D/A converter. The temperature sensing control circuit then provides a control output to the heating device to regulate the temperature of the D/A converter, wherein the control output is generated in response to the measured temperature of the D/A converter and the desired temperature for the D/A converter. The temperature sensing control circuit operates to repeatedly measure the temperature on the D/A converter and repeatedly provide the control output to the heating device to regulate the temperature of the D/A converter. This operates to reduce inaccuracies caused by temperature drift in the D/A converter.