# US 10,372,182 B2 · Reducing thermal cycling fatigue

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- Number: US 10,372,182 B2
- Document ID: US10372182B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 15/405,850
- Filed: 2017-01-13
- Published: 2018-07-19
- Granted: 2019-08-06
- Earliest claimed: 2017-01-13
- Assignees: International Business Machines Corporation
- Applicants: International Business Machines Corporation
- Inventors: Eric J. Campbell; Sarah K. Czaplewski-Campbell; Jennifer I. Bennett
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10372182B2

## CPC

- G06F 1/266: {Arrangements to supply power to external peripherals either directly from the computer or under computer control, e.g. supply of power through the communication port, computer controlled power-strips}
- G06F 1/206: {comprising thermal management}
- H05K 1/0212: {Printed circuits or mounted components having integral heating means}
- H05K 1/0271: {Arrangements for reducing stress or warp in rigid printed circuit boards, e.g. caused by loads, vibrations or differences in thermal expansion}
- H05K 3/3436: {having an array of bottom contacts, e.g. pad grid array or ball grid array components}
- H10W 40/00: Arrangements for thermal protection or thermal control (integrated devices comprising arrangements for thermal protection H10D89/60)
- H10W 40/10: Arrangements for heating
- H10W 40/22: characterised by their shape, e.g. having conical or cylindrical projections
- H10W 76/15: Containers comprising an insulating or insulated base
- H05K 2201/10151: Sensor
- H05K 2201/10734: Ball grid array [BGA]; Bump grid array
- H10W 72/252: {comprising solid metals or solid metalloids, e.g. PbSn, Ag or Cu}
- H10W 72/877: {Bump connectors and die-attach connectors}
- H10W 76/12: characterised by their shape
- H10W 90/724: {between a chip and a stacked insulating package substrate, interposer or RDL}
- H10W 90/736: {between a chip and a stacked lead frame, conducting package substrate or heat sink}
- Y02D 10/00: Energy efficient computing, e.g. low power processors, power management or thermal management
- Y02P 70/50: Manufacturing or production processes characterised by the final manufactured product
- G06F: ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING (computer systems based on specific computational models G06N)
- H05K: PRINTED CIRCUITS; CASINGS OR CONSTRUCTIONAL DETAILS OF ELECTRIC APPARATUS; MANUFACTURE OF ASSEMBLAGES OF ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS
- H10W: GENERIC PACKAGES, INTERCONNECTIONS, CONNECTORS OR OTHER CONSTRUCTIONAL DETAILS OF DEVICES COVERED BY CLASS H10
- Y02D: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES IN INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGIES [ICT], I.E. INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGIES AIMING AT THE REDUCTION OF THEIR OWN ENERGY USE
- Y02P: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES IN THE PRODUCTION OR PROCESSING OF GOODS

## Abstract

An approach to reduce thermal cycling fatigue associated with an identified component in an electrical system. The approach includes a controller determining power to the electrical system is turned off and initiating power from an external power source to one or more heating elements in a vicinity of the identified component. The approach includes a controller receiving a first temperature from one or more temperature sensors in the vicinity of the identified component and determining whether the first temperature is within a predetermined temperature range. Responsive to the controller determining that the first temperature is not within the predetermined temperature range, the approach includes the controller adjusting a power level of the one or more heating elements.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A method to reduce thermal cycling fatigue associated with an identified component in an electrical system, the method comprising:
determining, by a controller, whether the identified component is sensitive to thermal cycling fatigue by utilizing accelerated thermal cycling testing of the identified component in an electronic assembly and analysis of field returns of the identified component in the electrical system;
responsive to a determination that the identified component is sensitive to thermal cycling fatigue, determining, by the controller, power to the electrical system is turned off;
initiating, by the controller, power from an external power source to one or more heating elements in a vicinity of the identified component;
receiving, by the controller, a first temperature from one or more temperature sensors in the vicinity of the identified component;
determining, by the controller, whether the first temperature is within a predetermined temperature range; and
responsive to determining that the first temperature is not within the predetermined temperature range, adjusting, by the controller, a power level of the one or more heating elements.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, further comprising:
responsive to adjusting the power level of the one or more heating elements, querying, by the controller, the one or more temperature sensors for a second temperature; and
determining, by the controller, that the second temperature is within the predetermined temperature range.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, further comprising:
responsive to determining that the temperature is within the predetermined temperature range, turning off, by the controller, power from the external power source to the one or more heating elements.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more heating elements are one of embedded in or are located on at least a portion of a surface of: a printed circuit board in the vicinity of the identified component, a module substrate of the identified component, a semiconductor chip in the identified component, a lid of the identified component, or a heat sink for the identified component.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the external power source is one of an alternating current source or a direct current source, and wherein the direct current source is a battery.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, further comprises reducing, by the controller, pump out of a thermal interface material thermally coupling a semiconductor chip to at least one of a module lid or a heat sink.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1 further comprises monitoring, by the controller, the one or more temperature sensors in the vicinity of the identified component to maintain a received second temperature within the predetermined temperature range.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein determining power to the electrical system includes maintaining, by the controller, power to the identified component from an external power source without using the one or more heating elements or the one or more temperature sensors.