US 12,650,345 B1 · Dynamic temperature sensing cadence

Abstract

An integrated circuit includes a plurality of temperature sensor circuits, placed in respective locations distributed across the integrated circuit, and a control circuit. Ones of the plurality of temperature sensor circuits may be configured to produce respective sets of temperature samples indicating an operating temperature of a respective region of the integrated circuit. The control circuit may be configured to sample, using a particular sample rate, respective temperature samples from a subset of the plurality of temperature sensor circuits. The control circuit may be further configured to determine a particular temperature estimate using one or more of the temperature samples and an operating mode of a functional circuit within the respective regions of the subset of temperature sensors. In response to a determination that the particular temperature estimate satisfies a threshold value, the control circuit may be configured to adjust the particular sample rate for subsequent temperature samples.

Claims20

Dependent claims

An apparatus comprising:

an integrated circuit including:
a plurality of temperature sensor circuits placed in respective locations distributed across the integrated circuit, wherein ones of the plurality of temperature sensor circuits are configured to produce respective sets of temperature samples indicating an operating temperature of a respective region of the integrated circuit;
and
a control circuit configured to:
sample, using a particular sample rate, respective temperature samples from a subset of the plurality of temperature sensor circuits;
determine a particular temperature estimate using one or more of the temperature samples;
adjust the particular temperature estimate based on an operating mode of a functional circuit within the respective regions of the subset of temperature sensors, wherein the operating mode includes one or more indications of an activity level of the functional circuit;
and
in response to a determination that the particular temperature estimate satisfies a threshold value, adjust the particular sample rate for subsequent temperature samples.

6 more elements

A system comprising:

an integrated circuit including:
a plurality of processor cores;
a plurality of temperature sensor circuits distributed among the processor cores;
and
a control circuit;
and
a management circuit configured to adjust an operating parameter of one or more of the processor cores using a temperature estimate received from the integrated circuit;
wherein the control circuit configured to:
collect temperature samples from a particular subset of the temperature sensor circuits using a first sample rate, wherein the particular subset includes temperature sensor circuits associated with a particular one of the processor cores;
determine a particular temperature estimate using the collected temperature samples from the particular subset of temperature sensor circuits;
adjust the particular temperature estimate based on an operating mode of the particular processor core, wherein the operating mode includes one or more indications of an activity level of the particular processor core;
send the particular temperature estimate and an identifier for the particular processor core to the management circuit;
and
determine, based on a comparison of the particular temperature estimate to a threshold value, whether to select a second sample rate for collecting subsequent temperature samples.

11 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Dynamic temperature sensing cadence

Life of this patent

Dynamic temperature sensing cadence

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims20