MICROARCHITECTURE CONTROL FOR THERMOELECTRIC COOLING

• US 20080236175A1
• Filed: 03/30/2007
• Published: 10/02/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 03/30/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Original Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Inventors: Gonzalez, Jose, Chrysler, Gregory Martin, Chaparro Monferrer, Pedro
• Granted Patent: US 8,209,989 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 62/3.2
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 21/02 using Peltier effect; using Nernst-Ettinghausen effect
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 2321/021 Control thereof
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 2700/16 Sensors measuring the temperature of products
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 23/34 Arrangements for cooling, heating, ventilating or temperature compensation ; Temperature sensing arrangements thermal treatment apparatus H01L21/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 23/38 Cooling arrangements using the Peltier effect
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/00 Indexing scheme for arrangements or methods for connecting or disconnecting semiconductor or solid-state bodies as covered by H01L24/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/0002 Not covered by any one of groups H01L24/00, H01L24/00 and H01L2224/00

Abstract

An integrated circuit is cooled by microarchitecture controlled Peltier effect cooling. In one embodiment, a temperature sensor thermally coupled to at least a portion of the integrated circuit of a die is adapted to provide an output as a function of the temperature of an integrated circuit portion. Operation of a thermoelectric cooler thermally coupled to the integrated circuit portion is controlled as a function of the sensor output, wherein a controller of the integrated circuit controls the thermal electric cooler. Other embodiments are described and claimed.

Claims

1. A device, comprising:

a die having an integrated circuit;

a temperature sensor thermally coupled to at least a portion of said integrated circuit and adapted to provide an output as a function of the temperature of said integrated circuit portion;

a thermoelectric cooler thermally coupled to said integrated circuit portion and adapted to cool at least said portion of said integrated circuit when operated;

wherein said integrated circuit includes a controller responsive to said sensor output and adapted to control operation of said thermoelectric cooler as a function of said sensor output.

2. The device of claim 1 wherein said temperature sensor is integrated on said die and wherein device further comprises:

an integrated heat sink thermally coupled to said die and said thermoelectric cooler is disposed between die and said heat sink;

a thermal interface material disposed between said integrated heat sink and said die wherein said thermoelectric cooler is disposed within said thermal interface material; and

a package wherein said die, thermal interface material and thermoelectric cooler are packaged within said package.

3. The device of claim 1 wherein said device comprises a plurality of temperature sensors disposed on the die, and a plurality of thermoelectric coolers disposed in positions associated with the sensors.

4. The device of claim 1 wherein said device comprises a plurality of temperature sensors, each sensor being thermally coupled to an associated portion of the integrated circuit of the die and adapted to provide an output as a function of the temperature of the associated integrated circuit portion, and a plurality of thermoelectric coolers, each thermoelectric cooler being thermally coupled to an integrated circuit portion associated with a sensor, wherein said controller is adapted to control as a function of each sensor output associated with an integrated circuit portion, operation of at least one of the plurality of thermoelectric coolers, wherein each cooler cools at least the associated portion of said integrated circuit when operated.

5. The device of claim 1 wherein said controller is adapted to compare said sensor output to a predetermined threshold and activate said thermoelectric cooler if the predetermined threshold is exceeded;

and deactivate said thermoelectric cooler if the predetermined threshold is not exceeded.

6. The device of claim 1 wherein said device is a computer system comprising:

a central processing unit which includes said die and thermoelectric cooler;

a memory electronically coupled to said central processing unit;

an input device electronically coupled to said central processing unit;

an output device electronically coupled to said central processing unit; and

a video controller electronically coupled to said central processing unit.

7. The device of claim 4 wherein each integrated circuit portion is a core of a multicore central processing unit.

8. The device of claim 7 wherein said controller is adapted to shift a thread of operation from one core to another core as a function of the outputs of said sensors.

9. A method, comprising:

reading a temperature sensor thermally coupled to at least a portion of an integrated circuit of a die and adapted to provide an output as a function of the temperature of an integrated circuit portion; and

controlling as a function of said sensor output, operation of a thermoelectric cooler thermally coupled to said integrated circuit portion wherein said cooler cools at least said portion of said integrated circuit when operated and wherein said controlling is performed by a controller of said integrated circuit.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein said controlling includes determining operating conditions of the integrated circuit and activating the thermoelectric cooler when predetermined operating conditions are met.

11. The method of claim 9 further comprising:

reading a plurality of temperature sensors, each sensor being thermally coupled to an associated portion of the integrated circuit of the die and adapted to provide an output as a function of the temperature of the associated integrated circuit portion; and

controlling as a function of each sensor output, operation of at least one of a plurality of thermoelectric coolers, each thermoelectric cooler being thermally coupled to an integrated circuit portion associated with a sensor wherein each cooler cools at least the associated portion of said integrated circuit when operated.

12. The method of claim 9 further comprising controlling as a function of said sensor output, operation of said integrated circuit to cool said integrated circuit portion.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein said integrated circuit controlling includes shifting a thread of operation from said integrated circuit portion to a different portion of said integrated circuit if the sensor output exceeds a predetermined threshold.

14. The method of claim 12 wherein said integrated circuit controlling includes suspending operation of said integrated circuit portion if the sensor output exceeds a predetermined threshold.

15. The method of claim 12 wherein said integrated circuit controlling includes reducing at least one of a frequency of operation and a voltage of operation of said integrated circuit portion if the sensor output exceeds a predetermined threshold.