Systems and methods for thermal management
US7349762B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignees
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Nov 10, 2005 |
| Grant date | Mar 25, 2008 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Nov 27, 2025 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG05D23/19
- WIPO fieldControl
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
Systems and methods for sensing temperatures of multiple functional blocks within a digital device and controlling the operation of these functional blocks in a manner that selectively reduces temperatures associated with some of the functional blocks, but not others. One embodiment comprises an integrated circuit having multiple functional blocks (such as processor cores) and a set of thermal sensors coupled to sense the temperatures of the functional blocks. The integrated circuit includes control circuitry configured to receive signals from the thermal sensors, detect thermal events in the functional blocks and to individually adjust operation of the functional blocks to reduce the temperatures causing the thermal events. In one embodiment, the control circuitry includes a detection/control circuit coupled to each of the functional blocks and a thermal management unit configured to evaluate detected thermal events and to determine actions to be taken in response to the thermal events.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.