Controlling electrical device based on temperature and voltage
First Claim
1. A system comprising:
- an electrical device operating responsive to a supply voltage during use, wherein the electrical device includes one or more temperature sensors that measure operating temperatures in the electrical device to generate an operating temperature measurement during use;
an acceleration factor generator coupled to receive the operating temperature measurement and a magnitude of the supply voltage, wherein, during use, the acceleration factor generator determines an instantaneous acceleration factor measuring a current acceleration of end of life experienced by the electrical device;
a first controller coupled to receive a difference between a target acceleration factor and the instantaneous acceleration factor, wherein the target acceleration factor is calculated to result in no more than a targeted failure rate over a targeted lifetime, wherein the first controller generates one or more controls to constrain operation of the electrical device responsive to a history of the difference during use; and
a second controller coupled to the first controller and to the electrical device, wherein the second controller constrains the operation of the electrical device during use responsive to the one or more controls from the first controller.
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Accused Products
Abstract
In an embodiment, a lifetime controller is configured to monitor operating conditions for a device, and to control operating conditions based on the previous conditions to improve the reliability characteristics of the device while permitting strenuous use as available. For example, the lifetime controller may permit strenuous use when the device is first powered on. Once a specified amount of strenuous use has occurred, the controller may cause the operating conditions to be reduced to reduce the wear on the device, and thus help to extend the lifetime of the device. Similarly, if a device is used in less strenuous conditions, the controller may accumulate credit which may be expended by permitting the device to operate in more strenuous conditions for a period of time.
51 Citations
23 Claims
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1. A system comprising:
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an electrical device operating responsive to a supply voltage during use, wherein the electrical device includes one or more temperature sensors that measure operating temperatures in the electrical device to generate an operating temperature measurement during use; an acceleration factor generator coupled to receive the operating temperature measurement and a magnitude of the supply voltage, wherein, during use, the acceleration factor generator determines an instantaneous acceleration factor measuring a current acceleration of end of life experienced by the electrical device; a first controller coupled to receive a difference between a target acceleration factor and the instantaneous acceleration factor, wherein the target acceleration factor is calculated to result in no more than a targeted failure rate over a targeted lifetime, wherein the first controller generates one or more controls to constrain operation of the electrical device responsive to a history of the difference during use; and a second controller coupled to the first controller and to the electrical device, wherein the second controller constrains the operation of the electrical device during use responsive to the one or more controls from the first controller. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. A method comprising:
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detecting one or more operating parameters of an electrical device, wherein an operating temperature of a semiconductor substrate in an integrated circuit within the electrical device is one of the operating parameters; generating, responsive to the one or more operating parameters, an acceleration factor that represents an acceleration of an end of life of the electrical device with respect to values of the one or more operating parameters at which the electrical device is expected to meet a defined failure rate at a defined end of life; generating, responsive to the acceleration factor and a target acceleration factor, one or more constraints for operation of the electrical device; and operating the electrical device within the constraints to preserve the defined end of life. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A non-transitory computer accessible storage medium storing a plurality of instructions which, when executed by a processor in an electrical device:
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receive a difference between a target acceleration factor determined to prevent premature end of life for the electrical device and an instantaneous acceleration factor; generate one or more constraints for the operation of the electrical device responsive to the difference; and constrain the operation of the electrical device responsive to the constraints, wherein the constraints permit operation of the electrical circuit above a point at which continuous operation is possible to reach the end of life responsive to a credit accumulated due to the instantaneous acceleration factor being less than the target acceleration factor for one or more previous samples of the instantaneous acceleration factor. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17)
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18. A system comprising:
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an electrical device operating responsive to a supply voltage during use, wherein the electrical device includes one or more sensors that measure one or more operating parameters in the electrical device during use; a monitor circuit coupled to receive the one or more operating parameters wherein, during use, the monitor circuit determines an instantaneous acceleration factor measuring a current acceleration of end of life experienced by the electrical device responsive to the one or more operating parameters; and a controller coupled the monitor circuit, wherein the controller constrains operation of the electrical device responsive to a difference between a target acceleration factor and the instantaneous acceleration factor, wherein the target acceleration factor is calculated to result in no more than a targeted failure rate of the electrical device over a targeted lifetime of the electrical device, wherein the controller constrains operation of the electrical device responsive to a history of the difference during use. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21, 22, 23)
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Specification