Temperature control system and method for an integrated circuit
First Claim
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1. A temperature control system for an integrated circuit comprising:
- at least one device which generates heat because of elevated dissipated power values;
a sensor element providing a signal that is proportional to the dissipated power of said at least one heat generating device;
an elaboration circuit receiving the signal proportional to the dissipated power of said at least one heat generating device and configured to generate a turning-off signal; and
a turning-off circuit of said at least one heat generating device responsive to the turning-off signal of said elaboration circuit, said sensor element comprising a temperature sensor providing in output a signal proportional to the temperature of the integrated circuit to said elaboration circuit and that said elaboration circuit receives in input said signal correlated to the working conditions of said at least one heat generating device and it provides in output to said turning-off circuit a turning-off signal when said signal proportional to the temperature overcomes a first prefixed level.
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Abstract
A temperature control system and method for integrated circuits, particularly those having a plurality of channels or power devices. The temperature control system for an integrated circuit includes at least a heat generating device; a sensor element providing a signal correlated to the working conditions of said the heat generating device such as a signal proportional to the dissipated power of the heat generating device; an elaboration circuit of the signal correlated to the working conditions of the heat generating device; and a turning off circuit of said at least a heat generating device responsively to a signal of said elaboration circuit.
10 Citations
19 Claims
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1. A temperature control system for an integrated circuit comprising:
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at least one device which generates heat because of elevated dissipated power values;
a sensor element providing a signal that is proportional to the dissipated power of said at least one heat generating device;
an elaboration circuit receiving the signal proportional to the dissipated power of said at least one heat generating device and configured to generate a turning-off signal; and
a turning-off circuit of said at least one heat generating device responsive to the turning-off signal of said elaboration circuit, said sensor element comprising a temperature sensor providing in output a signal proportional to the temperature of the integrated circuit to said elaboration circuit and that said elaboration circuit receives in input said signal correlated to the working conditions of said at least one heat generating device and it provides in output to said turning-off circuit a turning-off signal when said signal proportional to the temperature overcomes a first prefixed level. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A temperature control method for an integrated circuit having at least one heat generating device, comprising:
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sensing the working conditions of said at least one heat generating device relative to the dissipated power of said at least one heat generating device;
elaborating the information relative to the working conditions of said at least one heat generating device;
generating a turning off signal to said at least one heat generating device in response to the elaborated information.
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10. A temperature control system for an integrated circuit having devices that dissipate power, the system comprising:
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a heat sensing circuit configured to generate a first dissipation signal proportional to the power dissipated by the integrated circuit;
an identification circuit configured to generate an identification signal that identifies the device dissipating the most power in the integrated circuit; and
a control circuit configured to receive the dissipation signal and the identification signal and to generate a turning-off signal to the device dissipating the most power when the dissipation signal reaches a first predetermined value. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. A method for controlling temperature in an integrated circuit having devices that dissipate heat, the method comprising:
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determining power dissipated by the integrated circuit;
comparing dissipated power of the integrated circuit to a first threshold value;
determining which device in the integrated circuit is dissipating the greatest power; and
generating a turning-off signal to the device that is dissipating the greatest power when the dissipated power in the integrated circuit exceeds the first threshold value. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19)
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Specification