Semiconductor device, thermo-control device, and methods

A temperature control device comprising:

• a temperature determination unit that:
• acquires temperature information of a control target device including a CPU including a plurality of CPU cores, the plurality of CPU cores including (i) first CPU cores to which execution of applications of a first priority are allocated and (ii) second CPU cores to which execution of applications of a second priority are allocated, the second priority being lower than the first priority;
• and
• determine whether a temperature indicated by the acquired temperature information is equal to or higher than a preset threshold;
• a thermal generation control unit for performing thermal generation control on the second CPU cores to control a thermal generation amount in the CPU when the temperature indicated by the temperature information is determined to be equal to or higher than the preset threshold;
• and
• a control target determination unit for determining a CPU core to be subjected to the thermal generation control from among the second CPU cores,
• wherein the preset threshold value includes (i) a first threshold value and (ii) a second threshold value having a value larger than the first threshold value,
• wherein when the temperature indicated by the temperature information is equal to or higher than the first threshold value and lower than the second threshold value, the thermal generation control unit performs first thermal generation control on the second CPU cores, and
• wherein when the temperature indicated by the temperature is equal to or higher than the second threshold value, the thermal generation control unit performs second thermal generation control on the second CPU cores such that the thermal generation amount of the CPU is reduced more by the second thermal generation control than the first thermal generation control.

A method for temperature control, the method comprising:

• acquiring temperature information of a control target device including a CPU including a plurality of CPU cores, the plurality of CPU cores including (i) first CPU cores to which execution of applications of a first priority are allocated and (ii) second CPU cores to which execution of applications of a second priority are allocated, the second priority being lower than the first priority;
• determining whether a temperature indicated by the acquired temperature information is equal to or higher than a preset threshold;
• and
• when the temperature indicated by the temperature information is determined to be equal to or higher than the preset threshold:
• controlling a thermal generation amount in the CPU by performing thermal generation control on the second CPU core;
• and
• determining a CPU core to be subjected to the thermal generation control from among the second CPU cores,
• wherein the preset threshold value includes (i) a first threshold value and (ii) a second threshold value having a value larger than the first threshold value,
• wherein when the temperature indicated by the temperature information is equal to or higher than the first threshold value and lower than the second threshold value, first thermal generation control is performed on the second CPU cores, and
• wherein when the temperature indicated by the temperature is equal to or higher than the second threshold value, second thermal generation control is performed on the second CPU cores such that the thermal generation amount of the CPU is reduced more by the second thermal generation control than the first thermal generation control.