Integrated circuit temperature monitoring and protection system

A system of monitoring the temperature of an integrated circuit, said system situated within said integrated circuit, the system comprising:

• a switch having an input, an output and a control input;
• a temperature sensor thermally coupled to said integrated circuit;
• temperature sensor circuitry coupled to said temperature sensor, said temperature sensor circuitry operative to generate a signal in proportion to the temperature of said integrated circuit;
• clock control circuitry coupled to said temperature sensor circuitry, said clock control circuitry operative to monitor the output of said temperature sensor circuitry;
• and
• wherein said switch is responsive to a command issued by said clock control circuitry upon the temperature of said integrated circuit rising above a predetermined threshold level.

A system for monitoring the temperature of a plurality of integrated circuits, coupled together in cascaded fashion including a first integrated circuit and a last integrated circuit, the system comprising:

• a temperature sensor internal to said integrated circuit;
• temperature sensor circuitry coupled to said temperature sensor, said temperature sensor circuitry internal to each integrated circuit and operative to generate a signal in proportion to the temperature thereof;
• JTAG interface circuitry within each integrated circuit, said JTAG interface circuitry having an input and an output, the output of said JTAG interface circuitry within each integrated circuit coupled to the input to said JTAG interface circuitry in an integrated circuit located downstream therefrom;
• and
• a processor coupled to the input to said JTAG interface circuitry of the first integrated circuit and to the output of said JTAG interface circuitry of the last integrated circuit, said processor operative to monitor the output of said temperature sensor circuitry utilizing said JTAG interface circuitry in each integrated circuit.

A method of monitoring the temperature of an integrated circuit, the method comprising the steps of:

• providing a switch for controlling the distribution of a clock signal to the integrated circuit, said switch responsive to a command to either open or close;
• sensing the temperature of said integrated circuit;
• generating a signal in proportion to said temperature of said integrated circuit;
• monitoring said signal and comparing it to a predetermined threshold level;
• and
• generating a command to open said switch when said signal exceeds said predetermined threshold level thus stopping the clock to the integrated circuit.

A system of monitoring the temperature of an integrated circuit, the system comprising:

• a temperature sensor thermally coupled to said integrated circuit;
• temperature sensor circuitry coupled to said temperature sensor, said temperature sensor circuitry operative to generate a signal in proportion to the temperature of said integrated circuit;
• a processor coupled to said temperature sensor circuitry, said processor operative to monitor the output of said temperature sensor circuitry;
• and
• means for halting a clock signal coupled to the integrated circuit, said means responsive to a command issued by said processor upon the temperature of the integrated circuit exceeding a predetermined threshold level thus protecting said integrated circuit from damage due to an over temperature condition.

A method of monitoring the temperature of an integrated circuit, the method comprising the steps of:

• sensing the temperature of said integrated circuit;
• generating a signal in proportion to said temperature of said integrated circuit;
• monitoring said signal and comparing it to a predetermined threshold level;
• and
• holding the integrated circuit in reset upon said signal exceeding said predetermined threshold thus greatly reducing heat generating activity of the integrated circuit.