Methods and structure for IC temperature self-monitoring
AssigneeLSI Logic Corporation
InventorsFred Smith, Gabriel Romero
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Methods and systems are provided for thermal self-monitoring of integrated circuits. Temperature is sensed, digitized, encoded, and compared to one or more threshold values by circuits added within an integrated circuit. A signal produced by a thermal diode within an integrated circuit is applied to an analog to digital converter and may be compared to one or more threshold values to produce a digital over temperature condition signal. An appropriate cooling action may be initiated by processing of the digital signal so produced. Also provided are methods and systems to alter the range and resolution of the temperature threshold comparisons.
Claims20
A method for temperature self-monitoring in an integrated circuit comprising:
- coupling a thermal diode within said integrated circuit to a voltage source to generate a thermal potential difference;
- converting said thermal potential difference to a thermal digital value within said integrated circuit wherein the step of converting further comprises applying the thermal potential difference to an input signal path of a flash analog to digital converter to generate the thermal digital value as an output of the flash analog to digital converter wherein the flash analog to digital converter has a reference input signal path coupled to a reference voltage source;
- and
- applying said thermal digital value to an output signal pad of said integrated circuit.
An integrated circuit including:
- a constant current source coupled to a reference voltage source;
- a thermal diode coupled between said constant current source and ground potential to produce a thermal potential difference;
- and
- a flash analog to digital converter having an input signal path coupled to a node at said thermal potential difference and having a reference voltage input signal path coupled to a reference voltage source to generate a thermal digital signal applied to an output pad of said integrated circuit.
A method operable within an integrated circuit, the method comprising:
- generating a signal from a thermal diode within the integrated circuit indicative of the present temperature within the integrated circuit;
- applying the signal to a flash analog to digital converter within the intergrated circuit to generate a thermal digital value indicative of the present temperature within the integrated circuit;
- and
- applying the thermal digital value to output signals of the integrated circuit.
An integrated circuit including:
- thermal diode means for generating a signal indicative of the present temperature within the intergrated circuit;
- flash analog to digital converter means, coupled to receive the thermal diode signal, for converting the thermal diode signal to generate a thermal digital value indicative of the present temperature within the integrated circuit;
- and
- means for applying the thermal digital value to output signals of the integrated circuit.
A system for temperature self-monitoring in an integrated circuit comprising:
- thermal diode means coupled within said integrated circuit to a voltage source for generating a thermal potential difference;
- means for converting said thermal potential difference to a thermal digital value within said integrated circuit wherein the means for converting further comprises flash analog to digital converter means coupled to a reference voltage source and coupled to the thermal diode to convert the thermal potential difference into the thermal digital value;
- and
- means for applying said thermal digital value to an output signal pad of said integrated circuit.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.