Method and apparatus for programmable thermal sensor for an integrated circuit
First Claim
1. A computer, comprising:
- a clock module, said clock module produces a clock signal having two or more different frequencies;
a processor operatively connected to said clock module, said processor processes instructions in accordance with the clock signal;
a temperature sensor operatively connected to said clock module, said temperature sensor produces a temperature signal based on the temperature of said processor;
a fan;
a fan controller, said fan controller activates the fan in response to the temperature signal, wherein the frequency of the clock signal supplied to said processor varies depending on the temperature of said processor.
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Abstract
A programmable thermal sensor is implemented in an integrated circuit such as a microprocessor. The programmable thermal sensor monitors the temperature of the integrated circuit, and generates an output to indicate that the temperature of the integrated circuit has attained a pre-programmed threshold temperature. In a microprocessor implementation, the microprocessor contains a processor unit, an internal register, microprogram and clock circuitry. The microprogram writes programmable input values, corresponding to threshold temperatures, to the internal register. The programmable thermal sensor reads the programmable input values, and generates an interrupt when the temperature of the microprocessor reaches the threshold temperature. In addition to a programmable thermal sensor, the microprocessor contains a fail safe thermal sensor that halts operation of the microprocessor when the temperature attains a critical temperature.
154 Citations
25 Claims
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1. A computer, comprising:
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a clock module, said clock module produces a clock signal having two or more different frequencies;
a processor operatively connected to said clock module, said processor processes instructions in accordance with the clock signal;
a temperature sensor operatively connected to said clock module, said temperature sensor produces a temperature signal based on the temperature of said processor;
a fan;
a fan controller, said fan controller activates the fan in response to the temperature signal, wherein the frequency of the clock signal supplied to said processor varies depending on the temperature of said processor. - View Dependent Claims (2)
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3. A method for producing a clock signal for a microprocessor, said method comprising:
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(a) providing a fast clock signal;
(b) providing a slow clock signal;
(c) receiving a control signal related to the temperature of the microprocessor; and
(d) selecting between the fast clock signal and slow clock signal in accordance with the control signal, wherein the control signal is influenced by activity of a fan associated with the microprocessor. - View Dependent Claims (4)
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5. A method for producing a clock for a microprocessor, said method comprising:
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(a) producing a clock signal having a frequency which varies in accordance with the chip temperature; and
(b) supplying the clock signal to the microprocessor, wherein the frequency of the clock signal is influenced by activity of a fan associated with the microprocessor which serves as an indicator of the chip temperature. - View Dependent Claims (6)
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7. A method for activating speed of a fan that cools a microprocessor, said method comprising the operations of:
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monitoring temperature of the microprocessor;
producing a control signal based on the temperature of the microprocessor; and
activating the fan in response to the control signal. - View Dependent Claims (8)
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9. A computer system, comprising:
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a processor module, said processor module processes instructions in accordance with a clock signal, and said processor module supports a normal clock mode and a plurality of reduced power modes; and
a temperature sensor thermally coupled to said processor module, said temperature sensor produces a temperature signal based on the temperature of said processor module, wherein the temperature signal from said temperature sensor is used to regulate the temperature of said processor module by altering the frequency of the clock signal, and wherein overheating of said processor module is averted by reducing the frequency of the clock signal to a value associated with one of the reduced power modes. - View Dependent Claims (10)
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11. A thermal management method for a computer system having a microprocessor, the microprocessor performing operations at a rate determined by a clocking frequency, said thermal management method comprising the acts of:
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monitoring the temperature of the microprocessor;
comparing the temperature of the microprocessor to first and second temperature thresholds, the second temperature threshold being greater than the first temperature threshold;
reducing the clocking frequency when the temperature of the microprocessor is greater than the first temperature threshold; and
reducing the clocking frequency a second time when the temperature of the microprocessor exceeds the second temperature threshold. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13)
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14. A computer system, comprising:
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a microprocessor, said microprocessor operating to perform operations in accordance with a clocking frequency;
a fan;
a temperature sensor thermally coupled to said microprocessor, said temperature sensor provides a temperature indication corresponding to the temperature of said microprocessor; and
a thermal manager operatively connected to said microprocessor and said fan, said thermal manager being configured to receive the temperature indication from said temperature sensor, and said thermal manager compares the temperature indication to first and second temperature thresholds, causes the clocking frequency for said microprocessor to be reduced a first time to provide thermal management when the temperature indication indicates that the temperature of said microprocessor exceeds the first temperature threshold, activates said fan when the temperature indication indicates that the temperature of said microprocessor exceeds the first temperature threshold, and causes the clocking frequency to be reduced a second time when the temperature of the microprocessor exceeds the second temperature threshold the second temperature threshold being greater than the first temperature threshold. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18)
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19. A computer system, comprising:
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a microprocessor, said microprocessor operates in accordance with a clock signal having a controllable frequency a fan; and
a thermal management controller operatively connected to said microprocessor and said fan, said thermal management controller operates to thermally manage said microprocessor in accordance with a first cooling mode and a second cooling mode, the first cooling mode involving use of said fan for cooling said microprocessor, and the second cooling mode involving reduction in the controllable frequency of the clock signal for cooling said microprocessor, wherein, with the first cooling mode, said thermal management controller causes said fan to activate to provide thermal cooling. - View Dependent Claims (20)
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21. A computer, comprising:
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a microprocessor that operates in accordance with a clock, the clock having a controllable frequency;
a temperature sensor that measures a temperature;
a fan; and
a thermal controller for providing thermal management of said computer, said thermal controller has a first cooling mode and a second cooling mode, the controllable frequency of the clock is reduced to regulate thermal conditions when in the first cooling mode, and said fan is activated to regulate thermal conditions when in the second cooling mode, wherein when said thermal controller operates in the first cooling mode, the controlled frequency of the clock is reduced when the temperature exceeds a first temperature threshold, and wherein when said thermal controller operates in the second cooling mode, said fan is activated when the temperature exceeds the first temperature threshold. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24, 25)
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Specification