Semiconductor Device Predictive Dynamic Thermal Management

• US 20130046999A1
• Filed: 11/23/2011
• Published: 02/21/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 08/17/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Avago Technologies International Sales Pte Limited (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Broadcom Corporation (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Inventors: Jung, Hwisung
• Granted Patent: US 8,930,724 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 713/300
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/206 comprising thermal management
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3206 Monitoring of events, devices or parameters that trigger a change in power modality
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/324 by lowering clock frequency
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3296 by lowering the supply or operating voltage
• 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 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
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 10/00 Energy efficient computing, e.g. low power processors, power management or thermal management

Abstract

A semiconductor device includes a memory storing a lookup table including stored values associated with modes of operation of a component of the semiconductor device. A monitor monitors an operating parameter of the component in real-time, and reports a calculated value associated with the same. A power manager determines a change in the mode of operation of the component based on a comparison of the calculated value with a corresponding stored value, and adjusts a current mode of operation of the component in real-time.

Claims

1. A semiconductor device comprising:

a memory configured to store a lookup table including stored values associated with modes of operation of a component of the semiconductor device;

a monitor configured to monitor an operating parameter of the component in real-time, and to report a calculated value associated with the same; and

a power manager configured to determine a change in the mode of operation of the component based on a comparison of the calculated value with a corresponding stored value from the stored values, and to adjust a current mode of operation of the component in real-time.

2. The semiconductor device of claim 1, wherein the power manager is configured to predict a future operating temperature of the component based on the determined change in the mode of operation, and to adjust the mode of operation of the component based on a comparison of the predicted future operating temperature with a temperature threshold.

3. The semiconductor device of claim 2, wherein the power manager predicts the future operating temperature based on previous temperature measurements of the component in the current mode of operation.

4. The semiconductor device of claim 2, wherein the power manager predicts the future operating temperature only when it is determined that the change in the mode of operation of the component indicates an increase in a temperature of the component.

5. The semiconductor device of claim 1, wherein the power manager adjusts the current mode of operation by scaling an operating voltage or an operating frequency of the component based on the stored values.

6. The semiconductor device of claim 1, wherein the power manager adjusts the current mode by suspending operation of the component for a given period of time.

7. The semiconductor device of claim 1, wherein the stored values are classified according to a process corner, a voltage, and a frequency associated with the component, and correspond with temperatures associated with the modes of operation of the component.

8. The semiconductor device of claim 1, wherein the monitor is a ring-oscillator temperature monitor configured to monitor a temperature of the component.

9. The semiconductor device of claim 1, wherein the semiconductor device includes a plurality of monitors to monitor operating parameters of a plurality of components, the plurality of monitors being connected to each other in a ring structure.

10. The semiconductor device of claim 1, wherein the monitor monitors a temperature of the component and calculates the calculated value in terms of a voltage and a frequency of the component based on the monitored temperature.

11. A method comprising:

storing, in a semiconductor device, a lookup table including stored values associated with modes of operation of a component of the semiconductor device;

monitoring, in the semiconductor device, an operating parameter of the component in real-time;

reporting, in the semiconductor device, a calculated value associated with the monitored operating parameter;

determining, in the semiconductor device, a change in the mode of operation of the component based on a comparison of the calculated value with a corresponding stored value; and

adjusting, in the semiconductor device, a current mode of operation of the component in real-time.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

predicting a future operating temperature of the component based on the determining, wherein the adjusting includes adjusting the mode of operation of the component based on a comparison of the predicted future operating temperature with a temperature threshold.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the predicting includes predicting the future operating temperature based on previous temperature measurements of the component in the current mode of operation.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein the predicting includes predicting the future operating temperature only when it is determined that the change in the mode of operation of the component indicates an increase in a temperature of the component.

15. The method of claim 11, wherein the adjusting the current mode of operation includes scaling an operating voltage or an operating frequency of the component based on the stored values.

16. The method of claim 11, wherein the adjusting the current mode of operation includes suspending operation of the component for a given period of time.

17. The method of claim 11, wherein the storing includes classifying the stored values according to a process corner, a voltage, and a frequency associated with the component, the stored values corresponding with temperatures associated with the modes of operation of the component.

18. The method of claim 11, wherein the monitoring includes monitoring a temperature of the component via a ring-oscillator temperature monitor.

19. The method of claim 11, wherein the monitoring includes monitoring operating parameters of a plurality of components via a plurality of monitors, the plurality of monitors being connected to each other in a ring structure.

20. The method of claim 11, wherein the monitoring includes monitoring a temperature of the component, and the reporting the calculated value includes calculating the calculated value in terms of a voltage and a frequency of the component based on the monitoring the temperature.