Microprocessor with improved thermal monitoring and protection mechanism

A method for dynamically operating a microprocessor core at a performance-optimum frequency within a temperature range bounded by an upper and lower temperature, the method comprising:

• determining N operating points at which the microprocessor core may reliably operate at the upper temperature, each of the N operating points having a different combination of operating frequency and voltage, wherein the N operating points comprise a highest operating point, a lowest operating point, and a plurality of intermediate operating points, wherein the microprocessor comprises the N operating points;
• monitoring a temperature of the microprocessor core during operation thereof, wherein the microprocessor comprises a temperature sensor that performs said monitoring;
• and
• transitioning operation of the microprocessor core among the N operating points to attempt to keep the operating temperature of the microprocessor core within the temperature range, in response to said monitoring, wherein the microprocessor comprises control logic coupled to the temperature sensor, wherein the control logic performs said transitioning.

A computer program product for use with a computing device, the computer program product comprising:

• a non-transitory computer usable storage medium, having computer readable program code embodied in said medium, for providing a microprocessor, said computer readable program code comprising:
• first program code for providing a temperature sensor, configured to monitor a temperature of core logic of the microprocessor during operation thereof;
• second program code for providing operating point information, from which may be determined N operating points at which the microprocessor core may reliably operate at a first temperature, each of the N operating points having a different combination of operating frequency and voltage, wherein the N operating points comprise a highest operating point, a lowest operating point, and a plurality of operating points intermediate said highest and lowest operating points;
• and
• third program code for providing a control circuit, coupled to said temperature sensor, configured to transition operation of the core logic among the N operating points to attempt to keep the operating temperature of the core logic provided by said temperature sensor within a temperature range whose upper bound is said first temperature.