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US 6,847,911 B2Granted
Method and apparatus for temperature throttling the access frequency of an integrated circuit
AssigneeInfineon Technologies AG
InventorsJennifer Faye Huckaby, Torsten Partsch, Johnathan Edmonds
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A method of throttling the frequency with which an integrated circuit is accessed includes sensing the temperature of the integrated circuit die and converting the sensed temperature to a digital signal. The digital signal is stored in a register of the integrated circuit. The digital signal is read, and the frequency with which the integrated circuit is accessed is adjusted dependent at least in part upon the temperature of the die as indicated by the digital signal.
Claims21
An integrated circuit formed on a die, said integrated circuit comprising:
- a temperature sensitive circuit (TSC) sensing and issuing an electrical signal indicative of a temperature of the die, said TSC including a temperature sensitive element integral and monolithic with said die;
- an analog to digital converter (ADC) electrically connected to said TSC and receiving said electrical signal, said ADC issuing a digital signal dependent at least in part upon said electrical signal and being indicative of the temperature of the die;
- a register electrically connected to said ADC, said register receiving and storing said digital signal;
- and
- a multiplexer electrically connected to said register and receiving said digital signal therefrom, said multiplexer receiving a normal read data signal and a command signal, said multiplexer issuing a data out signal dependent at least in part upon said command signal, said data out signal being one of said digital signal and said normal read data signal.
2 more elements
A method of throttling the frequency with which an integrated circuit is accessed, comprising:
- sensing the temperature of the integrated circuit die;
- converting the sensed temperature to a digital signal indicative of the die temperature;
- storing the digital signal in a register of the integrated circuit;
- reading the digital signal;
- and
- adjusting the frequency with which the integrated circuit is accessed dependent at least in part upon the temperature of the die as indicated by the digital signal;
- wherein said reading step comprises:
- supplying the digital signal and a normal read data signal to a multiplexer;
- and
- issuing a command signal to said multiplexer to thereby select the digital signal as an output signal of the multiplexer, a control circuit reading said output signal of the multiplexer.
7 more elements
A method of throttling the frequency with which an integrated circuit is accessed, comprising:
- sensing the temperature of the integrated circuit die;
- converting the sensed temperature to a digital signal indicative of the die temperature;
- storing the digital signal in a register of the integrated circuit;
- reading the stored digital signal;
- adjusting the frequency with which the integrated circuit is accessed dependent at least in part upon the temperature of the die as indicated by the digital signal;
- wherein said sensing step comprises transforming with a temperature sensitive element the temperature of the integrated circuit die to an analog electrical signal, the temperature sensitive element being integrally and monolithically formed on the die of the integrated circuit, a supply element that is substantially insensitive to changes in temperature being electrically connected to said temperature sensitive element such that a change in die temperature results in a corresponding change in one of a voltage drop across and a current flow through the temperature sensitive element;
- and
- wherein said temperature sensitive element is a resistor and the supply element is a constant current source.
5 more elements
A method of throttling the frequency with which an integrated circuit is accessed, comprising:
- sensing the temperature of the integrated circuit die;
- converting the sensed temperature to a digital signal indicative of the die temperature;
- storing the digital signal in a register of the integrated circuit;
- reading the stored digital signal;
- adjusting the frequency with which the integrated circuit is accessed dependent at least in part upon the temperature of the die as indicated by the digital signal;
- wherein said sensing step comprises transforming with a temperature sensitive element the temperature of the integrated circuit die to an analog electrical signal, the temperature sensitive element being integrally and monolithically formed on the die of the integrated circuit, a supply element that is substantially insensitive to changes in temperature being electrically connected to said temperature sensitive element such that a change in die temperature results in a corresponding change in one of a voltage drop across and a current flow through the temperature sensitive element;
- wherein said converting step is periodically enabled by an enable signal;
- and
- wherein said enable signal is issued by a clock divider receiving and dividing by a predetermined factor a system clock.
6 more elements
A method of throttling the frequency with which an integrated circuit is accessed, comprising:
- sensing the temperature of the integrated circuit die;
- converting the sensed temperature to a digital signal indicative of the die temperature;
- storing the digital signal in a register of the integrated circuit;
- reading the stored digital signal;
- adjusting the frequency with which the integrated circuit is accessed dependent at least in part upon the temperature of the die as indicated by the digital signal;
- wherein said sensing step comprises transforming with a temperature sensitive element the temperature of the integrated circuit die to an analog electrical signal, the temperature sensitive element being integrally and monolithically formed on the die of the integrated circuit, a supply element that is substantially insensitive to changes in temperature being electrically connected to said temperature sensitive element such that a change in die temperature results in a corresponding change in one of a voltage drop across and a current flow through the temperature sensitive element;
- and
- wherein said converting step is periodically enabled by an enable signal;
- and
- wherein said enable signal is dependent at least in part upon the thermal reaction time of the integrated circuit die.
7 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.