US 9,671,767 B2 · Hybrid system and method for determining performance levels based on thermal conditions within a processor

Abstract

A system and method for efficient management of operating modes within an integrated circuit (IC) for optimal power and performance targets. A semiconductor chip includes one or more processing units each of which operates with respective operating parameters. One or more temperature sensors are included to measure a temperature of the one or more processing units during operation. When the measured temperature exceeds a threshold, a power manager on the chip determines a temperature headroom utilizing temperature values based on worst-case ambient temperature. When the measured temperature does not exceed the threshold, the power manager determines the temperature headroom utilizing at least one temperature value based on room ambient temperature. Following, the power manager adjusts the respective operating parameters based on at least the temperature headroom.

Claims20

Dependent claims

A semiconductor chip comprising:

one or more processing units, each operating with respective operating parameters;
one or more temperature sensors configured to determine a measured temperature of the operating one or more processing units;
and
a power manager configured to:
in response to determining the measured temperature exceeds a threshold that is below a maximum temperature limit, determine a temperature headroom by calculating a temperature value for the one or more processing units based on an ambient temperature limit;
in response to determining the measured temperature does not exceed the threshold, determine the temperature headroom by calculating a temperature value for the one or more processing units based on a measured room ambient temperature;
and
adjust the respective operating parameters based on the temperature headroom, wherein the temperature headroom is determined based at least in part on a difference between the calculated temperature value and the maximum temperature limit.

5 more elements

A method comprising:

determining a measured temperature of one or more operating processing units by utilizing one or more temperature sensors, wherein each of the one or more processing units operates with respective operating parameters;
in response to determining the measured temperature exceeds a threshold that is below a maximum temperature limit, determining a temperature headroom by calculating a temperature value for the one or more processing units based on an ambient temperature limit;
in response to determining the measured temperature does not exceed the threshold, determining the temperature headroom by calculating a temperature value for the one or more processing units based on a measured room ambient temperature;
and
adjusting the respective operating parameters based on at least the temperature headroom, wherein the temperature headroom is determined based at least in part on a difference between the calculated temperature value and the maximum temperature limit.

2 more elements

An on-die power management system comprising:

an input adjuster unit;
and
an operation parameter selector;
and
wherein the input adjuster unit is configured to:
receive a measured temperature of one or more operating processing units determined by one or more temperature sensors, wherein each of the one or more processing units operates with respective operating parameters;
in response to determining the measured temperature exceeds a threshold that is below a maximum temperature limit, determine a temperature headroom by calculating a temperature value for the one or more processing units based on an ambient temperature limit;
in response to determining the measured temperature does not exceed the threshold, determine the temperature headroom by calculating a temperature value for the one or more processing units based on a measured room ambient temperature;
and
wherein the operation parameter selector is configured to:
adjust the respective operating parameters based on at least the temperature headroom, wherein the temperature headroom is determined based at least in part on a difference between the calculated temperature value and the maximum temperature limit;
and
convey the adjusted operating parameters to the one or more processing units.

10 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Hybrid system and method for determining performance levels based on thermal conditions within a processor

Life of this patent

Hybrid system and method for determining performance levels based on thermal conditions within a processor

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims20