Temperature control apparatus, temperature control method and device

• US 6,512,209 B1
• Filed: 10/24/2001
• Issued: 01/28/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 07/09/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
• Original Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
• Inventors: Yano, Shinsuke
• Primary Examiner(s): PASCHALL, MARK H
• Application Number:
  US09/983,369
• Time in Patent Office: 461 Days
• Field of Search: 219/497, 219/499, 219/494, 219/501, 219/505, 219/508, 219/483, 236/1.C
• US Class Current: 219/497
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 2321/0212 of electric power, current or voltage
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 23/1919 characterised by the type of controller
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 23/1934 each space being provided with one sensor acting on one or more control means
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/20 Cooling means
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 30/70 Efficient control or regulation technologies, e.g. for control of refrigerant flow, motor or heating

Abstract

A temperature control apparatus, a temperature control method and a device are provided in which the problem of a variation in the operation speed of each device can be alleviated to improve the operation speed of the entire system and reduce failures such as racing, etc., as well as the problem of manufacturing yield for improved reliability in operation, thus contributing to power reduction in temperature control. To this end, a target operating temperature determined based on a target operation speed of each LSI 2 is stored in a ROM 22, and a Peltier element 3 mounted on each LSI 2 is cooled or heated so that the temperature of each LSI2 detected by a temperature detecting section 21 is controlled to a target operating temperature stored in the ROM 22.

Claims

1. A temperature control apparatus comprising:

a target operating temperature storage section for storing a target operating temperature of a device which is determined based on a predetermined target operation speed of said device;

a temperature detection section for detecting the temperature of said device;

a cooling or heating section for cooling or heating said device; and

a control section for controlling said cooling or heating section based on a detected temperature of said device detected by said temperature detection section and said target operating temperature stored in said target operating temperature storage section.

5. The temperature control apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said device comprises a semiconductor device.

6. The temperature control apparatus according to claim 5, wherein said device comprises an LSI.

7. The temperature control apparatus according to claim 5, wherein said target operating temperature storage section comprises a memory in said device.

8. The temperature control apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said cooling or heating section comprises a Peltier element.

9. The temperature control apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said cooling or heating section comprises a heat pipe connected with a cooling or heating unit.

10. The temperature control apparatus according to claim 9, wherein in cases where there are a plurality of devices which are cooled or heated by said heat pipe, those of said devices which are high in their cooling or heating level are arranged nearer to said cooling or heating unit than those devices which are low in their low cooling or heating level are.

2. A temperature control apparatus comprising:

a target operating temperature storage section for storing a target operating temperature of a predetermined device which is determined based on a predetermined target operation speed of at least said predetermined device among a plurality of devices;

a temperature detection section for detecting the temperature of at least said predetermined device among said plurality of devices;

a cooling or heating section for cooling or heating said plurality of devices; and

a control section for controlling said cooling or heating section based on a detected temperature of said predetermined device detected by said temperature detection section and said target operating temperature of said predetermined device stored in said target operating temperature storage section.

3. The temperature control apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the target operating temperatures of said plurality of devices are mutually similar to one another.

4. The temperature control apparatus according to claim 2, wherein said temperature detection section detects the temperature of a device located in the vicinity of the center of said plurality of devices.

11. A device with its operation speed determined by a temperature thereof, in which the temperature of said device is controlled to a target operating temperature corresponding to a predetermined target operation speed by a temperature control apparatus in order to make said device operate at said predetermined target operation speed, said device comprising a storage section for storing said target operating temperature as data which is given to said temperature control apparatus.

12. The device according to claim 11, further comprising a temperature detection section for giving an actual temperature of said device to said temperature control apparatus.

13. An apparatus having a device whose temperature is to be controlled, said apparatus comprising:

a target operating temperature storage section for storing a target operating temperature of said device which is determined based on a predetermined target operation speed of said device;

a temperature detection section for detecting the temperature of said device;

a cooling or heating section for cooling or heating said device; and

a control section for controlling said cooling or heating section based on a detected temperature of said device detected by said temperature detection section and said target operating temperature stored in said target operating temperature storage section.

14. An apparatus having a plurality of devices whose temperatures are to be controlled, said apparatus comprising:

a target operating temperature storage section for storing a target operating temperature of a predetermined device which is determined based on a predetermined target operation speed of at least said predetermined device among said plurality of devices;

a temperature detection section for detecting the temperature of at least said predetermined device among said plurality of devices;

a cooling or heating section for cooling or heating said plurality of devices; and

a control section for controlling said cooling or heating section based on a detected temperature of said predetermined device detected by said temperature detection section and said target operating temperature of said predetermined device stored in said target operating temperature storage section.

15. A temperature control method comprising:

a first step of storing in advance a target operating temperature for operating a device at a predetermined target operation speed based on a relation between an operation speed and a temperature of said device;

a second step of detecting the temperature of said device; and

a third step of cooling or heating said device based on a detected temperature of said device detected in said second step and said target operating temperature stored in said first step.