Chip temperature protection using delay lines
First Claim
Patent Images
1. An integrated circuit temperature protection system comprising:
- a delay line contained on a chip, the delay line comprising a plurality of serially connected delay cells;
a counter coupled to the delay line for measuring propagation time of a signal through the delay line;
a temperature detector coupled to the counter for correlating the signal propagation time to a chip temperature and for generating a signal representing the chip temperature; and
a comparator coupled to the temperature detector for comparing the chip temperature to a predetermined operating range.
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Abstract
A temperature protection device determines the operating temperature of an integrated circuit chip. The temperature monitor includes a delay line made up of serially connected delay cells. The propagation time of a signal through the delay cells is determined and this value is correlated to chip temperature. The chip temperature is compared to an operating range for the chip, and if the value is outside a predetermined range, an alert signal is produced.
55 Citations
25 Claims
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1. An integrated circuit temperature protection system comprising:
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a delay line contained on a chip, the delay line comprising a plurality of serially connected delay cells; a counter coupled to the delay line for measuring propagation time of a signal through the delay line; a temperature detector coupled to the counter for correlating the signal propagation time to a chip temperature and for generating a signal representing the chip temperature; and a comparator coupled to the temperature detector for comparing the chip temperature to a predetermined operating range. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A method of protecting an integrated circuit comprising the steps of:
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a) passing a signal through N serially connected delay cells; b) measuring propagation time of the signal through the N cells; c) correlating the propagation time to a chip temperature and outputting a signal representing the chip temperature; and d) comparing the chip temperature to a predetermined range of temperature values. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13)
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14. An integrated circuit temperature protection system comprising:
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a delay line contained on a chip, the delay line comprising a plurality of serially connected delay cells wherein propagation delay time of the delay cells varies with temperature; a reference clock coupled to the delay line for supplying an input signal to the delay line; a counter coupled to the delay line for measuring propagation time of a signal through the delay line; a temperature detector coupled to the counter for correlating the signal propagation time to a chip temperature and for generating a signal representing the chip temperature; and a comparator coupled to the temperature detector for comparing the chip temperature to a predetermined operating range, wherein the comparator is operative for outputting a first signal indicating that the chip temperature is outside the predetermined operating range, the operating range having an upper limit and a lower limit. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
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22. An integrated circuit temperature protection system comprising:
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a delay line comprising a series of repetitive delay elements; a first device for measuring signal propagation delay through the delay line and for computing the delay of an individual delay element; a temperature detector coupled to the first device for correlating the delay of an individual delay element to a chip temperature and for generating a signal representing the chip temperature; control logic coupled to the temperature detector for generating a control signal based on the chip temperature; and a clock generator configured to generate a clock signal, based on the control signal. - View Dependent Claims (23, 24, 25)
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Specification