Abstract: A method and system of adaptive power control based on pre package characterization of integrated circuits. Characteristics of a specific integrated circuit are used to adaptively control power of the integrated circuit.

Abstract: An integrated circuit including a temperature sensor, configurable temperature profile logic, at least one controller, and temperature control logic. The temperature sensor provides an operating temperature value. The configurable temperature profile logic provides a configured operating temperature range that is dynamically configurable. The temperature control logic has a first input receiving the operating temperature value, a second input receiving the configured operating temperature range, and at least one output coupled to each controller. The temperature control logic controls one or more controllers to maintain the operating temperature value within the configured operating temperature range. The IC may include an interface mechanism that enables external configuration of the configurable temperature profile logic. The controller may be one or more of a duty cycle controller, a frequency controller, a core voltage controller, a fan controller, and a functional block controller.

Abstract: An apparatus in one example comprises one or more control components that regulate one or more thermal test components to adjust one or more emulated operational characteristics for one or more electronic devices. The thermal test components are coupled with one or more rack-mount frames. The thermal test components create the emulated operational characteristics for the one or more electronic devices to generate one or more emulated environmental effects. The one or more control components obtain one or more measurements of one or more of the one or more emulated operational characteristics and the one or more emulated environmental effects. The one or more control components make a prediction of one or more of one or more actual operational characteristics and one or more actual environmental effects of the one or more electronic devices through employment of one or more of the one or more measurements.

Abstract: A programmable thermal sensor is implemented in an integrated circuit such as a microprocessor. The programmable thermal sensor monitors the temperature of the integrated circuit, and generates an output to indicate that the temperature of the integrated circuit has attained a preprogrammed threshold temperature. In a microprocessor implementation, the microprocessor contains a processor unit, an internal register, microprogram and clock circuitry. The microprogram writes programmable input values, corresponding to threshold temperatures, to the internal register. The programmable thermal sensor reads the programmable input values, and generates an interrupt when the temperature of the microprocessor reaches the threshold temperature. In addition to a programmable thermal sensor, the microprocessor contains a fail safe thermal sensor that halts operation of the microprocessor when the temperature attains a critical temperature.

Abstract: A control device for an exhaust gas sensor is provided to judge the deterioration of a sensor element in real time and promptly complete an activity judgment in an exhaust gas sensor warm-up sequence without resort to learning. An air-fuel ratio sensor is mounted in an exhaust path of an internal combustion engine. The air-fuel ratio sensor is equipped with a sensor element that becomes active when an activity temperature is reached. If the activity of the air-fuel ratio sensor is not judged, a judgment is made whether an element impedance Z of the sensor element is not greater than an activity judgment value Zact (condition A), and whether an intake air amount cumulative value GAsum is not smaller than a sensor activity judgment intake air amount cumulative value GAsumtg (condition B). When either of the two conditions is satisfied, activity of the air-fuel ratio sensor is judged.

Abstract: A system and method are provided for monitoring temperature within a specified integrated circuit. Usefully, the system comprises at least one oscillator device proximate to the integrated circuit for generating signal pulses at a frequency that varies as a function of the temperature adjacent to the oscillator device. The system further comprises a control unit for establishing sample acquisition periods of invariant time duration based on an time invariant reference clock. A sampling component is coupled to count the number of pulses generated by the oscillator device during each of a succession of the time invariant sample acquisition periods, and a threshold component responsive to the respective count values for the succession of sample acquisition periods provides notice when at least some of the count values have a value associated with a prespecified excessive temperature level.

Abstract: A method, apparatus and computer instructions are provided to autonomically monitor and adjust system characteristics based on a customer optimization goal specified in a policy or profile. An autonomic management component is implemented in firmware comprising a set of control algorithms. Response to reading system characteristics from a plurality of sensors, the autononmic management component selects at least one control algorithm from the set and the control algorithm adjusts the parameters of the system characteristic to optimize performance according to the optimization goal specified by the customer.

Abstract: An apparatus in one example comprises one or more control components that emulate one or more operational characteristics of one or more electronic devices through employment of one or more thermal components coupled with a frame.

Abstract: An integrated circuit includes a first temperature sensing device providing an indication of a sensed temperature, a correlation oscillator circuit positioned adjacent to the first temperature sensing device, a plurality of other oscillator circuits, and storage locations storing calibration factors associated with at least the first temperature sensing device and the plurality of other oscillator circuits. A temperature calculation circuit determines temperatures of various locations in the integrated circuit. Each of the temperatures is determined according to an oscillation frequency of a respective one of the other oscillators, the oscillation frequency of the correlation ring oscillator, the temperature of the first temperature sensing device, and one or more stored calibration factors.

Abstract: Briefly, a processor and a method to calibrate a temperature reading of a digital thermometer. The calibration is done by using a first temperature value measured by an analog temperature sensor located at one point on the processor die and a second temperature value measured by a digital temperature sensor located at a second point of the processor die.

Abstract: One embodiment of the present invention provides a system that facilitates determining the effects of a temperature variation in a computer system. The system operates by systematically varying the flow of a coolant through the computer system to produce a temperature variation in the computer system while the computer system is operating. While this temperature variation is taking place, the system monitors the computer system to determine effects of the temperature variation on the computer system.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for controlling a safety-critical system, in particular of a motor vehicle, which includes a microcontroller. The microcontroller controls and/or regulates the operating sequences of the safety-critical system, and the microcontroller is composed of a microprocessor and at least one peripheral microprocessor device. In a method for controlling a safety-critical system in which disruption to the operational reliability is to be prevented by changes in the molecular movement of the carrier of the microprocessor, the chip temperature of a chip which is provided with the microprocessor and peripheral device together is measured during an operating sequence and/or program sequence and compared with a maximum permitted chip temperature of the microcontroller. The operating sequence and/or the program sequence is controlled as a function of the temperature comparison.

Abstract: An interrupt signal EMG is put out to a microprocessor 10 when a thermal monitor 40 detects that a package temperature exceeds a reference. The microprocessor then increases a frequency division value N stored in a frequency division value register 31 of a clock mechanism 30. An inputted clock signal MCK is divided by N to generate a system clock signal SCK. Therefore, the frequency of system clock signal SCK decreases when N increases. Consequently, electricity consumption of each function module 20i decreases and the package temperature is reduced.

Abstract: An integrated, on-chip thermal management system providing closed-loop temperature control of an IC device and methods of performing thermal management of an IC device. The thermal management system comprises a temperature detection element, a power modulation element, a control element, and a visibility element. The temperature detection element includes a temperature sensor for detecting die temperature. The power modulation element may reduce the power consumption of an IC device by directly lowering the power consumption of the IC device, by limiting the speed at which the IC device executes instructions, by limiting the number of instructions executed by the IC device, or by a combination of these techniques. The control element allows for control over the behavior of the thermal management system, and the visibility element allows external devices to monitor the status of the thermal management system.

Abstract: The method measures the temperature, emissivity, and other properties of relatively smooth surfaces radiating thermal energy, and is especially adapted for monitoring semiconductor fabrication processes. Temperature is determined by relating measured radiance to the predictions of the Planck radiation law, using knowledge of the emissivity determined from an analysis of the polarization of the thermally emitted radiance. Additional information regarding the properties of thin films, such as thickness and composition, can be computed from the emissivity or the ratio of the emissivities measured at two independent polarizations. Because the data are obtained from the intrinsic thermal radiance, rather than from an extrinsic light source, the measurement can be performed when it is inconvenient or impossible to provide a light source for reflectance measurements.

Abstract: A heat dissipating method is applied to a computer system having a timing signaling mechanism and a temperature sensing unit. Firstly, a process of setting a dissipating temperature operating mode is performed. Then, a periodic signal is regularly transmitted to a basic input output system by the timing signaling mechanism of the computer system, and a temperature of each of hardware devices is regularly sensed by the temperature sensing unit. Subsequently, a heat dissipating unit of each of the hardware devices is actuated to perform a heat dissipation process according to the temperature sensed by the temperature sensing unit and the dissipating temperature operating mode. Therefore, the present invention can control operating intensity of the heat dissipating units and achieve hardware monitoring without requiring additional software or hardware, such that heat dissipating and operation efficiencies of the hardware devices of the computer system can be improved.

Abstract: A device and method for continually monitoring multiple thermal sensors located at hotspots across a processor. The sensors are connected to a sensor cycling and selection block located at a periphery of the die. The output from the sensor selection block is converted into a digital temperature code. Based on the digital temperature code, thermal events trigger various thermal controls. The thermal event triggers may be software-programmable, providing flexible temperature management.

Abstract: A system and method of adjusting a sense amplifier includes providing an amplification control parameter to the sense amplifier. A temperature of the sense amplifier is monitored and the amplification control parameter to the sense amplifier is adjusted according to the temperature of the sense amplifier.

Abstract: A plurality of on-chip temperature sensors are selectively distributed across an integrated circuit. The temperature sensors generate signals indicative of operating temperatures experienced by the portions of the integrated circuit on which the temperature sensors are disposed. Based on the temperatures of the portions of the integrated circuit, operation of particular circuitry of the integrated circuit is dynamically adjusted to counteract the effects of undesirable or unexpected operating temperatures.

Abstract: One embodiment of the present invention provides a multi-chip package including a logic device providing a clock signal having a frequency and a memory device. The memory device receives the clock signal and operates at the clock signal frequency. The memory device includes a temperature sensor providing a temperature signal indicative of a temperature of the memory device, wherein the logic device adjusts the clock signal frequency based on the temperature signal.

Abstract: An on-die temperature control variable is provided to throttle a thermal actuator for cooling an integrated circuit. The integrated circuit includes a storage element to hold the temperature control variable. A temperature sensor is thermally coupled to the integrated circuit to sense an operating temperature of the integrated circuit. A thermal controller is communicatively coupled to the storage element and to the temperature sensor. The thermal controller throttles the thermal actuator when the temperature sensor indicates that the operating temperature of the integrated circuit is below the temperature control variable.

Abstract: Systems and methods for monitoring power in power distribution systems are provided. In one aspect, a system for monitoring power includes a power monitoring device that measures a value of at least one characteristic of power provided to a branch of a power distribution system. The power monitoring device includes an output that provides the value measured. The system further includes a controller having an input to receive the value measured and an output that couples to a first device powered by the branch to send a maximum power signal to the first device to command the first device to operate at a percentage of maximum power.

Abstract: A thermal management that redirects the target of read transactions from a thermally failed Dual Inline Memory Module (DIMM) in one mirror, to the corresponding DIMM in the other mirror. The memory controller or MCH would effectively bias the read transactions toward the mirror that is best able to respond based on thermal feedback. Likewise, this may be used as a temporary redirection that continues for only as long as was required to reduce the operating temperature in the failing DIMM.

Abstract: A temperature adaptive circuit is provided which can perform an ordinary operation of an LSI circuit in a predetermined temperature range by raising the temperature of the LSI circuit up to the predetermined temperature range. The temperature adaptive circuit includes the LSI circuit that selectively performs, based on an instruction, an ordinary operation, which is an operation in a temperature range where the LSI circuit operates normally, or a temperature rise operation, which is an operation of raising the temperature of the LSI circuit to the predetermined temperature range, and a motion control section that outputs an instruction for either of said ordinary operation and said temperature rise operation to said LSI circuit.

Abstract: A system and method are disclosed for measuring the airflow velocity within a chamber in order to qualify electronic equipment based on airflow velocity in combination with temperature rating. Furthermore, a system and method are disclosed for measuring and monitoring the airflow velocity at various positions within an equipment assembly rack during operation in order to determine the position of and eliminate hot-spots that occur based on temperature and airflow velocity tolerance parameters.

Abstract: A system is described that includes a microprocessor and a thermal control subsystem. The microprocessor includes execution resources to support processing of instructions and consumes power. The microprocessor also includes at least one throttling mechanism to reduce the amount of heat generated by the microprocessor. The thermal control subsystem is configured to estimate an amount of power used by the microprocessor and to control the throttling mechanism based on the estimated amount of current power usage to ensure that junction temperature will not exceed the maximum allowed temperature.

Abstract: A circuit for temperature sensing receives a differential voltage that corresponds to the voltage across a forward-biased PN junction. The circuit for temperature sensing provides a first current to the PN junction, and subsequently provides a second current. Also, the temperature of the PN junction is determined based on the difference between the differential voltage when the first current is applied and the differential voltage when the second current is applied. Further, the circuit for temperature sensing self-biases half of the differential signal. The other half of the differential signal is level-shifted by an amount that is fixed and predetermined based on the self-biasing to provide a sub-ranging voltage. A sub-ranging analog-to-digital conversion is performed on the differential voltage in which the sub-ranging voltage is subtracted from the differential voltage during the conversion.

Abstract: An abnormality detection apparatus of an engine temperature adjusting thermostat is provided which is capable of accurately grasping the state of an amount of heat generated by an engine to prevent misdetection of abnormality in the thermostat for improved reliabilty.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus are provided for eliminating hot spots on processor chips in a symmetric multiprocessor (SMP) computer system. Some operations, in particular, floating point multiply/add, repetitively utilize portions of a processor chip to the point that the average power of the affected portions exceeds cooling capabilities. The localized temperature of the affected portions can then exceed design limits. The current invention determines when a hot spot occurs and task swaps the task to another processor prior to the localized temperature becoming too hot. Moving of tasks to processors that have data affinity with the processor reporting a hot spot is considered. Further considerations include prioritizing unused processors and those processors that have not recently reported a hot spot.

Abstract: A method includes providing an integrated circuit (IC) having a plurality of oscillators at distributed locations in the IC, determining a respective rate of oscillation of each of the oscillators, and detecting variations in local temperature in the IC based on the determined rates of oscillation. Other embodiments are described and claimed.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a memory controller is coupled to a memory subsystem and controls accesses to the memory subsystem. In addition, a temperature sensor is positioned to detect a temperature associated with the memory subsystem. In this embodiment, the memory controller is configured to selectively insert one or more idle clock cycles between a first memory access and a second memory access depending upon the sensed temperature. In a further embodiment, a sensor is positioned to detect a power condition associated with the memory subsystem. In this embodiment, the memory controller is configured to selectively insert one or more idle clock cycles between a first memory access and a second memory access depending upon the detected power condition.

Abstract: One embodiment of the present invention provides a system that regulates heat within an asynchronous circuit. During operation, the system monitors a temperature within the asynchronous circuit. If the temperature exceeds a threshold value, the system introduces a delay into the asynchronous circuit that causes signals to propagate more slowly through the asynchronous circuit. This causes circuit elements within the asynchronous circuit to switch less frequently and consequently causes the circuit elements to generate less heat.

Abstract: A multi-stage dynamic braking resistor network (23) is provided that includes a plurality of dynamic brake resistors (1a–d) for dissipating, as heat, regenerative energy inputted onto a system bus (17) by a motor or actuator (19), and a plurality of switches (31a–d) for connecting the dynamic brake resistors (1a–d) to and from the system bus (17), respectively. The multi-stage dynamic braking resistor network (23) further includes a control circuit (25) for controlling the switches (31a–d) such that the dynamic brake resistors (1a–d) are connected to and from the system bus (17) on the basis of a predetermined voltage threshold of the system bus and on the basis of a predetermined rotation pattern.

Abstract: A method for displaying a changing combustor condition including: sensing the combustor condition in real time using a sensor array in a gas path of the combustor; generating data from the sensor array representative of the combustor condition at a plurality of positions in the gas path; transmitting the generated data to a computer system proximate to a controller for the combustor; generating a graphical representation of the real time showing combustor conditions in the gas path, and displaying the graphical representation in real time on the computer system.

Abstract: A temperature monitor includes a temperature sensor, a transmitter, and a controller. The temperature sensor generates a temperature signal based upon a detected temperature and the controller controls the temperature sensor to generate the temperature signal and controls the transmitter to transmit the temperature signal along with a time at a first predetermined interval.

Abstract: An integrated circuit such as a processor measures its own temperature with a temperature sensor. The measured temperature is compared to an upper limit value stored in the integrated circuit. An output terminal of the integrated circuit is asserted according to the comparison. In one mode of operation, the output terminal is asserted when the measured temperature is greater than the upper limit value and deasserted when the measured temperature goes below a lower limit value. A second output terminal is asserted when the temperature is above a second upper limit value, thereby indicating that temperature has exceeded a safe limit.

Abstract: A temperature detection cell includes a circuit for producing a voltage that increases with temperature, a circuit producing a voltage that decreases with temperature, and a comparison circuit to compare the increasing voltage with the decreasing voltage. The comparison circuit produces a warning signal when the temperature reaches a detection threshold such that the decreasing voltage becomes lower than the increasing voltage. The cell also has a test circuit to determine the detection threshold of the cell. Also disclosed is a method for testing a temperature detection cell, during which the detection threshold of a cell is determined from measurements of the increasing voltage and the decreasing voltage at a reference temperature.

Abstract: A system and method are provided for sensing a physical stimulus of an integrated circuit. The system and method operate with one or more active thermal sensors embedded in the die of an integrated circuit to provide highly accurate die temperature measurements. The system and method are able to monitor and control the die temperature of the integrated circuit to avoid an integrated circuit malfunction due to an undesirable temperature condition.

Abstract: Predictions may be made regarding heat removal requirements depending on certain operational characteristics of an information processing system which have been monitored over time. A fan may be controlled based on the observed operational characteristics and based on the predictions made regarding the heat removal requirements for the system. For example, system utilization by applications may be monitored, possibly along with system performance parameters such as power level and frequency. These and other operational characteristics may be used to predict heat generation so that a fan may be controlled to anticipate temperature changes and thereby flatten temperature curves over time. This may be done in addition to monitoring the ambient temperature of the system and reacting to temperature spikes that may have already occurred.

Abstract: A portable computer and system controlling method thereof. The portable computer includes a heat dissipating module, a microphone, a spectrum analysis module, and a controlling module. The heat dissipating module has a fan module. The fan module has a corresponding system acoustic level. The microphone collects surrounding noises, acoustically isolated from the fan module. The spectrum analysis module is connected to the microphone, analyzing the surrounding noises collected from the microphone to obtain a surrounding acoustic level. The controlling module has a predetermined temperature of the element, connected to the heat dissipating module and the spectrum analysis module, respectively. The predetermined temperature of the element substitutes for the maximum temperature, and the surrounding acoustic level substitutes for the maximum system acoustic level.

Abstract: An integrated, on-chip thermal management system providing closed-loop temperature control of an IC device and methods of performing thermal management of an IC device. The thermal management system comprises a temperature detection element, a power modulation element, a control element, and a visibility element. The temperature detection element includes a temperature sensor for detecting die temperature. The power modulation element may reduce the power consumption of an IC device by directly lowering the power consumption of the IC device, by limiting the speed at which the IC device executes instructions, by limiting the number of instructions executed by the IC device, or by a combination of these techniques. The control element allows for control over the behavior of the thermal management system, and the visibility element allows external devices to monitor the status of the thermal management system.

Abstract: A computer system and a control method thereof allowing one of a power control circuit thereof and a CPU cooling part thereof to selectively use information of an internal temperature of a CPU that is detected by a temperature sensor.

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.

Abstract: A cooling fan including a fan module, a microcontroller, and a bus interface. The microcontroller is coupled to the fan module and is capable of adjusting a speed of the cooling fan based on a status of a second cooling fan and adjusting the speed of the cooling fan based on a temperature detected. The bus interface is in communication with the microcontroller, the second cooling fan, and the system to receive and output data.

Abstract: A computer system comprises a host processor, and a service processor for providing system management functions within the computer system. One or more external communication devices are provided, for example ethernet ports. The external communication devices include at least one management communication device that communicates with the service processor. The management communication device is controlled by a signal from the service processor and is operative to send and receive data only when it receives the signal from the service processor.

Abstract: One embodiment of the present invention provides a system that detects a thermal anomaly in a computer system. During operation, the system derives an estimated signal for a thermal sensor in the computer system, wherein the estimated signal is derived from correlations with other instrumentation signals in the computer system. Next, the system compares an actual signal from the thermal sensor with the estimated signal to determine whether a thermal anomaly exists in the computer system. If a thermal anomaly exists, the system generates an alarm.

Abstract: A controller and method are provided for monitoring and controlling a temperature of an integrated circuit to inhibit damage from a thermal problem. The controller and method allow for individual temperature thresholds for each of one or more temperature sensors. Digital filtering of values received from temperature sensors is also provided. A variety of actions can be selected for execution upon a determination of an over-temperature condition of the integrated circuit, including assert an over-temperature pin, assert an over-temperature bit in an error register of said controller, assert an over-temperature bit in an error register of said microprocessor, issue an over-temperature interrupt to a service bus of said integrated circuit, cause a trap, slow an operating frequency of said integrated circuit, stop said integrated circuit, and do nothing.

Abstract: A temperature monitoring technique that eliminates the need for bipolar devices. In one embodiment of the present invention, a long-channel MOS transistor is configured in a diode connection to sense change in temperature. The diode drives a linear regulator and an oscillator. The oscillator in turn drives a counter, which counts pulses for a fixed period of time. The system clock on the chip is used as a temperature-independent frequency to generate a count. The temperature-dependent frequency is counted for a fixed number of system clock cycles. The present invention eliminates band gap circuitry currently used in most thermal sensing devices to provide a temperature-independent reference.

Abstract: Disclosed is an apparatus incorporating hardware based logic and a predetermined default list of software affecting responses to be taken in connection with temperatures sensed by thermal sensors checking the temperature of portions of computer logic. At the time application software is loaded, the software can modify the default response list. The list of responses to be taken and the over temperature conditions at which they are to be activated are stored in hardware directly accessible by hardware based thermal sensor monitoring logic for direct control of the hardware. The control can alter conditions such as clock frequency, stopping use of application software, interrupting OS functionality, removing power from components and so forth.

Abstract: A control system and method for a battery charger. The system includes a processor that receives inputs from a battery current sensor and temperature sensors within the batteries. The processor terminates and resumes charging in response to measured battery temperatures compared to stored reference values in order to prevent high temperatures associated with damage to the batteries.