Semiconductor integrated circuit device with overheating protector and method of protecting semiconductor integrated circuit against overheating

• US 5,870,267 A
• Filed: 07/23/1997
• Issued: 02/09/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 07/25/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Konami Digital Entertainment Company Limited (Konami Holdings Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Konami Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: Kitano, Toyofumi
• Primary Examiner(s): Elms, Richard T.
• Assistant Examiner(s): JACKSON, STEPHEN W
• Application Number:
  US08/899,034
• Time in Patent Office: 566 Days
• Field of Search: 361/23, 361/24, 361/25, 361/103, 361/115, 307/651, 307/117, 340/584, 327/512
• US Class Current: 361/103
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/206 comprising thermal management
• CPC Class Codes: H02H 5/04 responsive to abnormal temperature specially adapted for electric machines H02H7/0852

Abstract

A plurality of LSI circuits including image processing LSI circuits operable in synchronism with a control clock signal from a clock generator are mounted on a graphic board. Temperature sensors are associated with those of the LSI circuits which give off a larger amount of heat than the other LSI circuits. Detected temperature signals from the temperature sensors are supplied to a temperature monitoring microcomputer, which determine respective temperatures of the corresponding LSI circuits based on the supplied detected temperature signals. The temperature monitoring microcomputer determines whether a highest one of the determined temperatures is higher than a first threshold value and a second threshold value which is greater than the first threshold value. If the temperature is higher than the first threshold value and lower than the second threshold value, then the temperature monitoring microcomputer issues a warning signal to a main CPU to suppress overheating of the LSI circuits. If the temperature is higher than the second threshold value, then the temperature monitoring microcomputer issues a clock disable signal to disable the clock generator.

Claims

1. A semiconductor integrated circuit device having overheating protection comprising:

a clock generator for generating a control clock signal;

a semiconductor integrated circuit board supporting a semiconductor integrated circuit for processing data operating in synchronism with the control clock signal generated by said clock generator;

a temperature sensor disposed near said semiconductor integrated circuit for producing a detected temperature signal indicative of a temperature of said semiconductor integrated circuit;

temperature monitoring means for determining the temperature of said semiconductor integrated circuit based on said detected temperature signal from said temperature sensor, for issuing a warning signal if the determined temperature is greater than a first threshold value and lower than a second threshold value, which is greater than said first threshold value, and for issuing a clock disable signal to disable said clock generator if the determined temperature is greater than said second threshold value; and

overheating suppressing means, operating independent of the clock generator, for suppressing overheating of said semiconductor integrated circuit by reducing a rate of data allotted to said semiconductor integrated circuit for processing in response to said warning signal issued by said temperature monitoring means.

2. A method of protecting against overheating a semiconductor integrated circuit for processing data mounted on a semiconductor integrated circuit board and operating in synchronism with a control clock signal from a clock generator, comprising the steps of:

monitoring a temperature of the semiconductor integrated circuit;

issuing a warning signal to effect suppression of overheating of said semiconductor integrated circuit by means functioning independently of said control clock signal operating to reduce a rate of data allotted to said semiconductor integrated circuit for processing if the monitored temperature is greater than a first threshold value and lower than a second threshold value which is greater than said first threshold value; and

issuing a clock disable signal to disable said clock generator if the monitored temperature is greater than said second threshold value.

21. The method of claim 2 wherein said suppression of overheating is effected by means operating independently of said clock signal.

3. A method of protecting against overheating a semiconductor integrated circuit mounted on a semiconductor integrated circuit board and operating in synchronism with a control clock signal from a clock generator, comprising the steps of:

monitoring a temperature of the semiconductor integrated circuit;

issuing a warning signal to suppress overheating of said semiconductor integrated circuit if the monitored temperature is greater than a first threshold value and lower than a second threshold value which is greater than said first threshold value;

issuing a clock disable signal to disable said clock generator if the monitored temperature is greater than said second threshold value; and

issuing a clock enable signal to operate said clock generator again if the monitored temperature is lower than said second threshold value after the monitored temperature is determined as being greater than said second threshold value.

4. A semiconductor integrated circuit device having overheating protection, comprising:

a semiconductor integrated circuit board supporting a semiconductor integrated circuit for processing data;

a temperature sensor for producing a detected temperature signal indicative of a temperature of said semiconductor integrated circuit; and

overheating suppressing means for determining whether the temperature indicated by said detected temperature signal is greater than a first threshold value and a second threshold value which is greater than said first threshold value, for suppressing overheating of said semiconductor integrated circuit by reducing a rate of data allotted to said semiconductor integrated circuit for processing if said temperature is greater than said first threshold value and lower than said second threshold value, and for temporarily stopping operation of said semiconductor integrated circuit if the temperature is greater than said second threshold value.

5. A semiconductor integrated circuit device having overheating protection, comprising:

a semiconductor integrated circuit board supporting a plurality of semiconductor integrated circuits operating;

a plurality of temperature sensors disposed respectively near said plurality of semiconductor integrated circuits for producing detected temperature signals indicative of temperatures of said plurality of semiconductor integrated circuits; and

overheating suppressing means for determining whether a highest temperature indicated by said detected temperature signals is greater than a first threshold value and a second threshold value which is greater than said first threshold value, for suppressing overheating of said semiconductor integrated circuit if said highest temperature is greater than said first threshold value and lower than said second threshold value, and for temporarily stopping operation of said semiconductor integrated circuit if the highest temperature is greater than said second threshold value.

6. A semiconductor integrated circuit device having overheating protection, comprising:

a semiconductor integrated circuit board supporting a semiconductor integrated circuit, said semiconductor integrated circuit having an image processing circuit;

control means for executing an image processing program using said image processing circuit;

a temperature sensor for producing a detected temperature signal indicative of a temperature of said semiconductor integrated circuit; and

overheating suppressing means for determining whether the temperature indicated by said detected temperature signal is greater than a first threshold value and a second threshold value which is greater than said first threshold value, for suppressing overheating of said semiconductor integrated circuit if said temperature is greater than said first threshold value and lower than said second threshold value, and for temporarily stopping operation of said semiconductor integrated circuit if the temperature is greater than said second threshold value, said overheating suppressing means including said control means being responsive to said warning signal for reducing an amount of data allotted for processing by said image processing circuit.

7. A semiconductor integrated circuit device having overheating protection, comprising:

a semiconductor integrated circuit board supporting a semiconductor integrated circuit;

a temperature sensor for producing a detected temperature signal indicative of a temperature of said semiconductor integrated circuit; and

overheating suppressing means for determining whether the temperature indicated by said detected temperature signal is greater than a first threshold value and a second threshold value which is greater than said first threshold value, for suppressing overheating of said semiconductor integrated circuit if said temperature is greater than said first threshold value and lower than said second threshold value, and for temporarily stopping operation of said semiconductor integrated circuit if the temperature is greater than said second threshold value, said overheating suppressing means including;

cooling means for cooling said semiconductor integrated circuit board; and

actuating means for actuating said cooling means in response to said warning signal.

8. A semiconductor integrated circuit device having overheating protection, comprising:

a clock generator for generating a control clock signal;

a semiconductor integrated circuit board supporting a semiconductor integrated circuit operating having an image processing circuit operating in synchronism with the control clock signal generated by said clock generator;

a temperature sensor disposed near said semiconductor integrated circuit for producing a detected temperature signal indicative of a temperature of said semiconductor integrated circuit;

temperature monitoring means for determining the temperature of said semiconductor integrated circuit based on said detected temperature signal from said temperature sensor, for issuing a warning signal if the determined temperature is greater than a first threshold value and lower than a second threshold value, which is greater than said first threshold value, and for issuing a clock disable signal to disable said clock generator if the determined temperature is greater than said second threshold value; and

overheating suppressing means for suppressing overheating of said semiconductor integrated circuit by reducing an amount of data allotted for processing by said image processing circuit in response to said warning signal.

9. A semiconductor integrated circuit device having overheating protection, comprising:

a clock generator for generating a control clock signal;

a semiconductor integrated circuit board supporting a semiconductor integrated circuit operating in synchronism with the control clock signal generated by said clock generator;

a temperature sensor disposed near said semiconductor integrated circuit for producing a detected temperature signal indicative of a temperature of said semiconductor integrated circuit;

temperature monitoring means for determining the temperature of said semiconductor integrated circuit based on said detected temperature signal from said temperature sensor, for issuing a warning signal if the determined temperature is greater than a first threshold value and lower than a second threshold value, which is greater than said first threshold value, and for issuing a clock disable signal to disable said clock generator if the determined temperature is greater than said second threshold value; and

cooling means for cooling said semiconductor integrated circuit board in response to said warning signal.

10. A semiconductor integrated circuit device having overheating protection, comprising:

a clock generator for generating a control clock signal;

a semiconductor integrated circuit board supporting a plurality of semiconductor integrated circuits operating in synchronism with the control clock signal generated by said clock generator;

a plurality of temperature sensors disposed respectively near said plurality of semiconductor integrated circuits for producing detected temperature signals indicative of temperatures of said plurality of semiconductor integrated circuits;

temperature monitoring means for determining respective temperatures of said plurality of semiconductor integrated circuits based on said detected temperature signals respectively from said plurality of temperature sensors, for issuing a warning signal if a highest temperature of the determined temperatures is greater than a first threshold value and lower than a second threshold value which is greater than said first threshold value, and for issuing a clock disable signal to disable said clock generator if said highest temperature is greater than said second threshold value; and

overheating suppressing means for suppressing overheating of said semiconductor integrated circuit in response to said warning signal issued by said temperature monitoring means.

11. The semiconductor integrated circuit device according to claim 10 wherein said overheating suppressing means operates independent of said control clock signal.

12. A semiconductor integrated circuit device having overheating protection, comprising:

a clock generator for generating a control clock signal;

a semiconductor integrated circuit board supporting a semiconductor integrated circuit operating in synchronism with the control clock signal generated by said clock generator, said semiconductor integrated circuit having an image processing circuit;

control means for executing an image processing program using said image processing circuit;

a temperature sensor disposed near said semiconductor integrated circuit for producing a detected temperature signal indicative of a temperature of said semiconductor integrated circuit;

temperature monitoring means for determining the temperature of said semiconductor integrated circuit based on said detected temperature signal from said temperature sensor, for issuing a warning signal if the determined temperature is greater than a first threshold value and lower than a second threshold value which is greater than said first threshold value, and for issuing a clock disable signal to disable said clock generator if the determined temperature is greater than said second threshold value;

overheating suppressing means for suppressing overheating of said semiconductor integrated circuit in response to said warning signal issued by said temperature monitoring means, said overheating suppressing means comprising said control means being responsive to said warning signal for reducing an amount of data allotted for processing by said image processing circuit.

13. The semiconductor integrated circuit device according to claim 12 wherein said overheating suppressing means operates independent of said control clock signal.

14. A semiconductor integrated circuit device having overheating protection, comprising:

a clock generator for generating a control clock signal;

a semiconductor integrated circuit board supporting a semiconductor integrated circuit operating in synchronism with the control clock signal generated by said clock generator;

a temperature sensor disposed near said semiconductor integrated circuit for producing a detected temperature signal indicative of a temperature of said semiconductor integrated circuit;

temperature monitoring means for determining the temperature of said semiconductor integrated circuit based on said detected temperature signal from said temperature sensor, for issuing a warning signal if the determined temperature is greater than a first threshold value and lower than a second threshold value, which is greater than said first threshold value, and for issuing a clock disable signal to disable said clock generator if the determined temperature is greater than said second threshold value; and

overheating suppressing means for suppressing overheating of said semiconductor integrated circuit in response to said warning signal issued by said temperature monitoring means, said overheating suppressing means including;

cooling means for cooling said semiconductor integrated circuit board; and

actuating means for actuating said cooling means in response to said warning signal.

15. The semiconductor integrated circuit device according to claim 14 wherein said overheating suppressing means operates independent of said control clock signal.

16. A method of protecting against overheating a plurality of semiconductor integrated circuits mounted on a semiconductor integrated circuit board and operating in synchronism with a control clock signal from a clock generator, comprising the steps of:

monitoring a highest temperature of respective temperatures of said plurality of semiconductor integrated circuits

issuing a warning signal to effect suppression of overheating of said plurality of semiconductor integrated circuits if the monitored highest temperature is greater than a first threshold value and lower than a second threshold value which is greater than said first threshold value; and

issuing a clock disable signal to disable said clock generator if the monitored highest temperature is greater than said second threshold value.

17. The method of claim 16 wherein said suppression of overheating is effected by means operating independently of said clock signal.

18. A method of protecting against overheating a semiconductor integrated circuit, having an image processing circuit, mounted on a semiconductor integrated circuit board and operating in synchronism with a control clock signal from a clock generator, comprising the steps of:

monitoring a temperature of the semiconductor integrated circuit;

issuing a warning signal to effect suppression of overheating of said semiconductor integrated circuit if the monitored temperature is greater than a first threshold value and lower than a second threshold value which is greater than said first threshold value;

reducing an amount of data allotted for processing by said image processing semiconductor integrated circuit in response to said warning signal; and

issuing a clock disable signal to disable said clock generator if the monitored temperature is greater than said second threshold value.

19. The method of claim 18 wherein said suppression of overheating is effected by means operating independently of said clock signal.

20. A method of protecting against overheating a semiconductor integrated circuit, having an image processing circuit, mounted on a semiconductor integrated circuit board and operating in synchronism with a control clock signal from a clock generator, comprising the steps of:

monitoring a temperature of the semiconductor integrated circuit;

issuing a warning signal to effect suppression of overheating of said semiconductor integrated circuit if the monitored temperature is greater than a first threshold value and lower than a second threshold value which is greater than said first threshold value;

cooling said image processing semiconductor integrated circuit in response to said warning signal; and

issuing a clock disable signal to disable said clock generator if the monitored temperature is greater than said second threshold value.