A semiconductor drive device includes a drive circuit that drives a semiconductor switching element, a passive element connected to a gate of the semiconductor switching element to prevent a gate current of the semiconductor switching element, a switching element connected in series to the passive element, a control circuit that controls the switching element, and a temperature detection circuit that detects a temperature of the semiconductor switching element. The control circuit controls the switching element such that when the temperature detected by the temperature detection circuit is high, the gate current is prevented more than when the temperature is low.

In an integrated circuit device having a microelectromechanical-system (MEMS) resonator and a temperature transducer, a clock signal is generated by sensing resonant mechanical motion of the MEMS resonator and a temperature signal indicative of temperature of the MEMS resonator is generated via the temperature transducer. The clock signal and the temperature signal are output from the integrated circuit device concurrently.

An object of the present invention is to enhance fault detection accuracy offered by a fault detection apparatus. A microcomputer reads a characteristic signal input thereto. The microcomputer compares a characteristic read from the characteristic signal with a previously established reference value. The previously established reference value represents a characteristic exhibited by a resistor that is connected with a temperature sensor circuit when the temperature sensor circuit operates normally. The microcomputer determines whether the characteristic exhibited by the resistor falls within a detection range. If it is determined that the characteristic falls with the detection range, the temperature sensor circuit is detected to be operational and information indicating that the temperature sensor circuit is operational is output to a host control apparatus. If it is determined that the detection range is exceeded, the temperature sensor circuit is detected to be faulty and information indicating that the temperature sensor circuit is faulty is output to the host control apparatus.

In an integrated circuit device having a microelectromechanical-system (MEMS) resonator and a temperature transducer, a clock signal is generated by sensing resonant mechanical motion of the MEMS resonator and a temperature signal indicative of temperature of the MEMS resonator is generated via the temperature transducer. The clock signal and the temperature signal are output from the integrated circuit device concurrently.

A magnet temperature information output device is disposed on a rotating electrical machine including a stator and a rotor with a permanent magnet, and is arranged to output temperature information regarding a temperature of the permanent magnet. The magnet temperature information output device includes an element arranged to detect a magnetic flux and output an electrical signal responding to the detected magnetic flux as the temperature information. The element is disposed on the stator.

A measuring device and a measuring method are provided. The measuring device includes an oscillating circuit, a time average frequency-frequency lock loop, and a digital signal processing circuit. The oscillation circuit includes an element to be measured and is configured to output a signal having an oscillation frequency correlated with an element value of the element to be measured. The time average frequency-frequency lock loop is configured to receive the signal output by the oscillation circuit and output a frequency control word correlated with the oscillation frequency. The digital signal processing circuit is configured to read the frequency control word output by the time average frequency-frequency lock loop and obtain the element value of the element to be measured according to the read frequency control word. The measuring device is easy to integrate, has small volume, low power consumption, and high reliability, and can achieve high-precision measurement.

A temperature sensor supplying a measurement signal varying linearly to within 10% as a function of the temperature at least over a temperature range, including an oscillator supplied by a supply voltage and supplying a first oscillating signal, said oscillator including first MOS transistors, the voltage at each internal node of the oscillator having a dynamic range equal to the supply voltage, the measuring signal corresponding to the supply voltage.

A measuring device and a measuring method are provided. The measuring device includes an oscillating circuit, a time average frequency-frequency lock loop, and a digital signal processing circuit. The oscillation circuit includes an element to be measured and is configured to output a signal having an oscillation frequency correlated with an element value of the element to be measured. The time average frequency-frequency lock loop is configured to receive the signal output by the oscillation circuit and output a frequency control word correlated with the oscillation frequency. The digital signal processing circuit is configured to read the frequency control word output by the time average frequency-frequency lock loop and obtain the element value of the element to be measured according to the read frequency control word. The measuring device is easy to integrate, has small volume, low power consumption, and high reliability, and can achieve high-precision measurement.

A magnet temperature information output device is disposed on a rotating electrical machine including a stator and a rotor with a permanent magnet, and is arranged to output temperature information regarding a temperature of the permanent magnet. The magnet temperature information output device includes an element arranged to detect a magnetic flux and output an electrical signal responding to the detected magnetic flux as the temperature information. The element is disposed on the stator.

Measurement apparatus, for generating a first output signal indicative of a measurand, comprises: a first oscillator circuit and a second oscillator circuit, each oscillator circuit being arranged to generate a respective oscillating output signal and comprising at least a respective first component having a property determining a respective output frequency of the respective oscillating output signal; a sensor for sensing said measurand, the sensor comprising said first component of the first oscillator circuit, said property of said first component of the first oscillator circuit being dependent upon said measurand; and circuitry arranged to receive said oscillating output signals and generate said first output signal, said first output signal being indicative of a number of cycles of one of the first and second oscillating output signals in a time period determined by a period of the other of said first and second oscillating output signals.