Semiconductor device predictive dynamic thermal management

• US 8,930,724 B2
• Filed: 11/23/2011
• Issued: 01/06/2015
• 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
• Primary Examiner(s): Zaman, Faisal M
• Application Number:
  US13/303,882
• Publication Number:
  US 20130046999A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,140 Days
• Field of Search: 713300-340
• 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, in real-time, an operating parameter of the component during a current mode of operation, and

to report a calculated value of the operating parameter in the current mode of operation; and

a power manager configured;

to determine a change in the current 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, in real-time, the current mode of operation of the component to prevent the operating parameter from reaching the calculated value.

2. The semiconductor device of claim 1, wherein the power manager is further configured to predict a future operating temperature of the component based on the determined change in the current mode of operation and to adjust the determined change in the current 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 is configured to predict the future operating temperature based on a previous temperature measurement of the component in the current mode of operation.

4. The semiconductor device of claim 2, wherein the power manager is configured to predict the future operating temperature only when the determined change in the current 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 is configured to scale an operating voltage or an operating frequency of the component based on the stored values to adjust the current mode of operation.

6. The semiconductor device of claim 1, wherein the power manager is configured to suspend operation of the component in the current mode of operation for a given period of time to adjust the current mode of operation.

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 comprises:

a ring-oscillator temperature monitor configured to monitor a temperature of the component.

9. The semiconductor device of claim 1, wherein the monitor is from among a plurality of monitors and the component is from among a plurality of components, the plurality of monitors being configured to monitor operating parameters of the plurality of components and being coupled to each other in a ring structure.

10. The semiconductor device of claim 1, wherein the monitor is configured:

to monitor a temperature of the component, and

to calculate 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 during a current mode of operation;

reporting, in the semiconductor device, a calculated value of the operating parameter in the current mode of operation;

determining, in the semiconductor device, a change in the current 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, the current mode of operation of the component in real-time to prevent the operating parameter from reaching the calculated value.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

predicting a future operating temperature of the component based on the determining,

wherein the adjusting comprises;

adjusting the determined change in the current 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 comprises:

predicting the future operating temperature based on a previous temperature measurement of the component in the current mode of operation.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein the predicting comprises:

predicting the future operating temperature only when the determined change in the current 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 comprises:

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 comprises:

suspending operation of the component in the current mode of operation for a given period of time.

17. The method of claim 11, wherein the storing comprises:

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 comprises:

monitoring a temperature of the component via a ring-oscillator temperature monitor.

19. The method of claim 11, wherein the component is from among a plurality of components, and

wherein the monitoring comprises:

monitoring operating parameters of the plurality of components via a plurality of monitors, the plurality of monitors being coupled to each other in a ring structure.

20. The method of claim 11, wherein the monitoring comprises:

monitoring a temperature of the component, and

wherein the reporting the calculated value comprises;

calculating the calculated value, in terms of a voltage and a frequency of the component, based on the monitored temperature.

21. 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 a first operating parameter of the component during a current mode of operation,

to calculate a value associated with a second operating parameter, different from the first operating parameter, in the current mode of operation, and

to report the calculated value; and

a power manager configured;

to determine a change in the current 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 the current mode of operation of the component in real-time based on a result of the comparison to prevent the second operating parameter from exceeding a threshold value.

22. The semiconductor device of claim 21, wherein the first parameter comprises:

a utilization of the component, and

wherein the second parameter comprises;

an operating temperature of the component.