Digital thermal sensor test implementation without using main core voltage supply

• US 8,027,798 B2
• Filed: 11/08/2007
• Issued: 09/27/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 11/08/2007
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Shan, David W., Johns, Charles R., Riley, Mack W., Wang, Michael F.
• Primary Examiner(s): Feliciano; Eliseo Ramos
• Assistant Examiner(s): Le; Toan M
• Application Number:
  US11/937,134
• Publication Number:
  US 20090125267A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,419 Days
• Field of Search: 702/104, 702/57, 702/81, 702/99, 702/127, 702130-133, 702/136, 702/60, 702 64- 65, 702 84- 85, 702182-183, 702/189, 374/1, 374/100, 374/137, 374/E15.001, 361/93.8, 361/103, 438/54, 700/299, 713/300, 713/310, 713/320, 713/322
• US Class Current: 702/104
• CPC Class Codes: G01K 15/00 Testing or calibrating of thermometers
• CPC Class Codes: G01K 15/005 Calibration

Abstract

A method and apparatus are provided for calibrating digital thermal sensors. A processor chip with a plurality of digital thermal sensors receives an analog voltage. A test circuit coupled to the processor chip receives a clock signal and a register coupled to the test circuit outputs a value on each clock cycle to a digital thermal sensor in the plurality of digital thermal sensors. The digital thermal sensor transitions an output state in response to the value of the register received in the digital thermal sensor equaling a temperature threshold of the digital thermal sensor. The value of the register at the point of transition is used to calibrate the digital thermal sensor. An incrementer increments the value of the register on each clock cycle in response to the value of the register received in the digital thermal sensor failing to equal the temperature threshold of the digital thermal sensor.

Claims

1. A method for calibrating digital thermal sensors in an analog voltage domain, the method comprising:

powering test logic and a plurality of digital thermal sensors, in a processor chip, with an analog voltage and without enabling a core voltage to any remaining components in the processor chip in order to eliminate any effect of self-heating due to leakage current in the remaining components of the processor chip;

receiving, in the test logic, a clock signal;

outputting a value of a register, on each clock cycle from the clock signal, to each digital thermal sensor in the plurality of digital thermal sensors; and

for each digital thermal sensor in the plurality of digital thermal sensors;

responsive to the value of the register received in the digital thermal sensor failing to equal the temperature threshold of the digital thermal sensor, incrementing the value of the register on each clock cycle from the clock signal, wherein the value of the register is incremented by one on each clock cycle by an incrementer; and

responsive to the value of the register received in the digital thermal sensor equaling a temperature threshold of the digital thermal sensor, transitioning an output state of the digital thermal sensor, wherein the value of the register at the point of transition is used to calibrate the digital thermal sensor.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein incrementing the value of the register on each clock cycle from the clock signal is performed in response to receiving a start signal indicating a second state.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a start signal indicating a first state that initiates a test mode; and

responsive to receiving the start signal indicating the first state, holding the start signal in the first state for a predetermined number of clock cycles so that the value of the register sets to zero, wherein the predetermined number of clock cycles is determined by a size of the register.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein a delta value that indicates the calibration value of the digital thermal sensor is stored in a data structure in a thermal management control unit.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the delta value indicates a difference between the value of the register at the point of transition and a manufacturer'"'"'s test fixture temperature.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein the delta value is used to calibrate the temperatures sensed by the digital thermal sensor in a functional mode.

7. The method of claim 4, wherein the processor chip is placed in a manufacturer'"'"'s test fixture and is given time to stabilize to a test temperature of the manufacturer'"'"'s test fixture.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the digital thermal sensor is set to an initial thermal threshold.

9. A digital thermal sensor calibration apparatus in an analog voltage domain, the apparatus comprising:

test circuit and a plurality of digital thermal sensors in a processor chip that are powered by an analog voltage without enabling a core voltage to any remaining components in the processor chip in order to eliminate any effect of self-heating due to leakage current in the remaining components of the processor chip, wherein the test circuit receives a clock signal;

a register coupled to the test circuit outputs a value on each clock cycle from the clock signal to each digital thermal sensor in the plurality of digital thermal sensors; and

for each digital thermal sensor in the plurality of digital thermal sensors;

an incrementer increments the value of the register on each clock cycle from the clock signal in response to the value of the register received in the digital thermal sensor failing to equal the temperature threshold of the digital thermal sensor, wherein the value of the register is incremented by one on each clock cycle; and

the digital thermal sensor transitions an output state in response to the value of the register received in the digital thermal sensor equaling a temperature threshold of the digital thermal sensor, wherein the value of the register at the point of transition is used to calibrate the digital thermal sensor.

10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein incrementing the value of the register on each clock cycle from the clock signal is performed in response to receiving a start signal indicating a second state.

11. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the test circuit receives a start signal that indicates a first state that initiates a test mode and wherein the value of the register sets to zero in response to the start signal being held in the first state for a predetermined number of clock cycles, wherein the predetermined number of clock cycles is determined by a size of the register.

12. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein a delta value that indicates the calibration value of the digital thermal sensor is stored in a data structure in a thermal management control unit.

13. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the delta value indicates a difference between the value of the register at the point of transition and a manufacturer'"'"'s test fixture temperature.

14. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the delta value is used to calibrate the temperatures sensed by the digital thermal sensor in a functional mode.

15. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the processor chip is placed in a manufacturer'"'"'s test fixture and is given time to stabilize to a test temperature of the manufacturer'"'"'s test fixture.

16. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the digital thermal sensor is set to an initial thermal threshold.

17. A computer program product comprising a non-transitory computer readable medium having a computer readable program for calibrating digital thermal sensors in an analog voltage domain, wherein the computer readable program, when executed in a data processing system, causes the data processing system to:

receive and power test logic and a plurality of digital thermal sensors, in a processor chip, with an analog voltage and without enabling a core voltage to any remaining components in the processor chip in order to eliminate any effect of self-heating due to leakage current in the remaining components of the processor chip;

receive a clock signal;

output a value of a register on each clock cycle from the clock signal to each digital thermal sensor in the plurality of digital thermal sensors; and

for each digital thermal sensor in the plurality of digital thermal sensors;

responsive to the value of the register received in the digital thermal sensor failing to equal the temperature threshold of the digital thermal sensor, increment the value of the register on each clock cycle from the clock signal, wherein the value of the register is incremented by one on each clock cycle by an incrementer; and

responsive to the value of the register received in the digital thermal sensor equaling a temperature threshold of the digital thermal sensor, transition an output state of the digital thermal sensor, wherein the value of the register at the point of transition is used to calibrate the digital thermal sensor.

18. The computer program product of claim 17,

wherein incrementing the value of the register on each clock cycle from the clock signal is performed in response to receiving a start signal indicating a second state.

19. The computer program product of claim 17, wherein the computer readable program further causes the data processing system to:

receive a start signal indicating a first state that initiates a test mode; and

responsive to receiving the start signal indicating the first state, hold the start signal in the first state for a predetermined number of clock cycles so that the value of the register sets to zero, wherein the predetermined number of clock cycles is determined by a size of the register.

20. The computer program product of claim 17, wherein a delta value that indicates the calibration value of the digital thermal sensor is stored in a data structure in a thermal management control unit, wherein the delta value indicates a difference between the value of the register at the point of transition and a manufacturer'"'"'s test fixture temperature, and wherein the delta value is used to calibrate the temperatures sensed by the digital thermal sensor in a functional mode.

21. The computer program product of claim 17, wherein the processor chip is placed in a manufacturer'"'"'s test fixture and is given time to stabilize to a test temperature of the manufacturer'"'"'s test fixture, and wherein the digital thermal sensor is set to an initial thermal threshold.