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US 6,363,490 B1Granted
Method and apparatus for monitoring the temperature of a processor
AssigneeIntel Corporation
InventorBorys S. Senyk
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A processor comprises a processing core integrated on the same chip with a temperature sensing diode. The two terminals of the diode are coupled to each of two I-O ports of the processor. In accordance with one embodiment of the present invention, the electrical characteristics across the I-O ports are measured by an external control circuit to calculate a temperature of the processor. This temperature is compared to a threshold, and either an overtemp or undertemp signal is transmitted via a control line.
Claims26
A processor comprising:
- a chip having a processing core integrated thereon;
- a thermal sensor integrated on the chip, the thermal sensor having first and second terminals;
- a first external I-O port coupled to the first terminal for connection to an external control circuit;
- and
- a second external I-O port coupled to the second terminal for connection to the external control circuit.
2 more elements
A computer system comprising:
- a processor having a processing core integrated with a thermal sensor on a substrate;
- a control circuit, external to the processor, coupled to the thermal sensor, to determine if a temperature of the processor, as sensed by the thermal sensor, exceeds a threshold;
- and
- a control line coupled to the control circuit to transmit a signal that indicates if the temperature exceeds the threshold.
1 more element
A method of monitoring a temperature of a processor comprising:
- measuring electrical characteristics across first and second external I-O ports of the processor, the first and second external I-O ports being coupled to a device integrated with a processing core on a chip of the processor;
- calculating the temperature based on the electrical characteristics;
- comparing the temperature to a first threshold;
- and
- transmitting an overtemp signal to the processor via a control line if the temperature exceeds the first threshold.
2 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.