Semiconductor strain sensor with Wheatstone bridge drive voltage compensation circuit.

摘要

A drive circuit for a strain sensor includes a Wheatstone bridge (5) having semiconductor strain gauges (1-4). A temperature-dependent voltage generator (10) generates a voltage having a predetermined ambient temperature dependency characteristic, a constant voltage generator (11) generates a predetermined constant voltage, and a proportional voltage generator (12) generates a voltage proportional to an externally supplied power source voltage (VCC). A voltage processor (13) receives and arithmetically processes output voltages of the temperature-dependent voltage generator (10), the constant voltage generator (11) and the proportional voltage generator (12) to generate a bridge drive voltage (V13) which changes from a mid value to a predetermined voltage depending on a temperature proportional to the power source voltage. In an amplifier circuit for amplifying a strain output signal from the Wheatstone bridge, both the potentials across an AC coupling capacitor are kept to be equal at a steady-state operation. Detection sensitivity variations due to the temperature dependency characteristic of the strain gauges can be effectively compensated.