ESTIMATING TEMPERATURE OF MEMORY ELEMENTS

摘要

The invention relates to a method for determining a temperature (T) of a plurality of memory elements (10) having a temperature-dependent probability (P) of assuming a particular bit value, the method comprising: triggering (110) the plurality of memory elements (10) to assume the particular bit value; reading out (120) the contents of the plurality of memory elements (10) to obtain read data (D), and processing (130) the read data (D) for determining a value (Vact) indicative of the temperature (T). The invention also relates to a program product comprising instructions for causing a processor to perform the method. Such computer program is advantageously used in a smartcard, which then does not need any structural modification at all. The invention further relates to a system for determining a temperature (T) of a plurality of memory elements (10). Such system is advantageously implemented in an integrated circuit, wherein the plurality of memory elements (10) forms part of an integrated memory. The invention provides that temperature (T) can be determined without the need for a separate temperature sensor. The only real requirement is the presence of a plurality of memory elements (10) having a temperature-dependent probability (P) of assuming particular bit value.