Patent US6470238B1 successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US6470238B1
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Method and apparatus to control device temperature
Assignee: Intel Corp
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Filing: 1999-06-17
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Granted: 2002-10-22
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Expires: 2019-06-17
Abstract
Abstract A method for controlling device temperature. The method involves determining access rate to a component, comparing the access rate with a predetermined threshold modified by a weighted value and controlling the temperature of the component through corrective action.
Inventors
- 👤 Puthiya K. Nizar
- 👤 David J. McDonnell
- 👤 Brian K. Langendorf
- 👤 Michael G. LaTondre
- 👤 Jeff L. Rabe
- 👤 Tom A. Sutera
- 👤 Zohar Bogin
- 👤 Vincent E. VonBokern
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-08 19:03
CPC Classifications
G; G06; G06F; G06F13/00; G06F13/14; G06F13/16; G06F13/1668
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 59
Claim 1
Independent Claim
47 words
A method for controlling component temperature, the method comprising: determining access rate to the component; comparing the access rate with a predetermined threshold value, each interface of the component having a weighted value used in said comparing; and controlling temperature of the component by performing corrective action.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
47 words
A method for controlling component temperature, the method comprising: determining access rate to the component; comparing the access rate with a predetermined threshold value, each interface of the component having a weighted value used in said comparing; and controlling temperature of the component by performing corrective action.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
18 words
The method of claim 1 wherein the component is one of a data source and a RDRAM device.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
12 words
The method of claim 1 wherein the component is a memory controller.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
13 words
The method of claim 1 wherein the weighting of each interface is programmable.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
23 words
The method of claim 1 further comprising: programming the weighted value based on at least one of frequency, voltage swing and load characteristics.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
34 words
The method of claim 5 further comprising: counting a number of data transfer requests made to a system memory; and pre-programming a sampling window during which the number of data transfer requests are counted.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
29 words
The method of claim 6 further comprising pre-programming a data threshold which is an amount of data to be transferred before a potential thermal violation of the component occurs.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
18 words
The method of claim 7 further comprising comparing the number of data transfer requests with the data threshold.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
29 words
The method of claim 7 further comprising initiating throttling of data transfer requests if the number of data transfer requests is greater than or equal to the data threshold.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
24 words
The method of claim 9 further comprising pre-programming a throttle time period during which the number of data transfer requests is monitored while throttling.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
21 words
The method of claim 10 further comprising pre-programming a throttling monitoring window which is a sub-unit of the throttle time period.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
19 words
The method of claim 11 further comprising monitoring the number of data transfers made during the throttling monitoring window.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
28 words
The method of claim 12 further comprising pre-programming a value which designates the maximum number of data transfers allowed to be processed before a potential thermal violation occurs.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
27 words
The method of claim 13 further comprising comparing the number of data transfers made during the throttling monitoring window with the value modified by the weighted value.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
19 words
The method of claim 14 further comprising generating a mask control signal to mask the next data transfer request.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
13 words
The method of claim 13 wherein the value is a maximum data value.
Claim 18
Independent Claim
46 words
An apparatus comprising: a throttling decision logic to generate a mask control signal to mask data transfer requests to a component; and a controller coupled to the throttling decision logic, the controller to generate control signals to the throttling logic indicative of processed data transfer requests.
Claim 19
Independent Claim
46 words
An apparatus comprising: a throttling decision logic to generate a mask control signal to mask data transfer requests to a component; and a controller coupled to the throttling decision logic, the controller to generate control signals to the throttling logic indicative of processed data transfer requests.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
19 words
The apparatus of claim 17 wherein the data transfer requests are masked component rising above a predetermined thermal specification.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
34 words
The apparatus of claim 17 further comprising a plurality of data transfer request queues coupled to the throttling decision logic, the plurality of data transfer queues to hold data transfer requests generated by devices.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
15 words
The apparatus of claim 19 wherein one of the devices includes a central processing unit.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
15 words
The apparatus of claim 19 wherein one of the devices includes an accelerated graphics port.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
16 words
The apparatus of claim 19 wherein one of the devices includes a peripheral component interconnect device.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
45 words
The apparatus of claim 17 wherein the throttling decision logic further comprises a read throttle decision logic to generate a mask control signal to mask read data transfer requests to the component prior to the temperature of the component rising above a predetermined thermal specification.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
45 words
The apparatus of claim 17 wherein the throttling decision logic further comprises a write throttle decision logic to generate a mask control signal to mask write data transfer requests to the component prior to the temperature of the component rising above a predetermined thermal specification.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
43 words
The apparatus of claim 17 further comprising a sampling window timing generator to generate a sampling window which designates a time duration during which the number of data transfer requests processed is counted by monitoring the control signals designating processed data transfer requests.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
37 words
The apparatus of claim 25 further comprising a counter coupled to the sampling window timing generator, the transfer counter to monitor the control signal to determine the number of data transfer requests processed during the sampling window.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
45 words
The apparatus of claim 26 further comprising a data unit threshold comparator coupled to the sampling window timing generator and the transfer counter, the data unit threshold comparator to compare the number of data requests processed during the sampling window to a data unit threshold.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
30 words
The apparatus of claim 27 further comprising a data unit threshold register coupled to the data unit threshold comparator, the data unit threshold register to hold the data unit threshold.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
61 words
The apparatus of claim 28 further comprising a throttling state controller coupled to the sampling window timing generator and the data unit threshold comparator, the throttling state controller to initiate a throttle regime if the data unit threshold comparator determines that the number of data requests processed during the sampling window is greater than or equal to the data unit threshold.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
46 words
The apparatus of claim 29 further comprising a throttling timer coupled to the throttling state controller, the throttling timer to count a throttling time period during which a predetermined maximum number of data transfer requests in data units are allowed to be processed through the component.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
47 words
The apparatus of claim 30 further comprising a throttling time register coupled to the throttling timer, the throttling time register to hold a value designating the maximum number of data transfer requests in data units allowed to be processed through the component during the throttling time period.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
37 words
The apparatus of claim 31 further comprising a throttling monitoring timer coupled to the throttling timer, the throttling monitoring timer to count a throttling monitoring window time period which is a sub-unit of the throttling time period.
Claim 35
Dependent Claim
30 words
The apparatus of claim 32 further comprising a throttling monitoring window register coupled to the throttling monitoring timer, the throttling monitoring window to hold the throttling monitoring window time period.
Claim 36
Dependent Claim
54 words
The apparatus of claim 33 further comprising a maximum data unit counter coupled to the throttling monitoring timer, the maximum data unit counter to receive the control signal designating the data transfer requests processed and count the number of the data transfer requests processed during each said throttling monitoring window of the throttling time.
Claim 37
Dependent Claim
75 words
The apparatus of claim 34 further comprising a data unit comparator coupled to the maximum data unit counter, the data unit comparator to compare the number of data transfer requests processed during each said throttling monitoring window of the throttling time to a maximum data unit value, the data unit comparator generating a mask control signal if the number of data transfer requests processed is greater than or equal to the maximum data unit value.
Claim 38
Dependent Claim
30 words
The apparatus of claim 35 further comprising a maximum data unit register coupled to the data unit comparator, the maximum data unit register to hold the maximum data unit value.
Claim 39
Independent Claim
93 words
A system comprising: a memory device to accept data transfer requests from various devices; and a controller coupled to the memory device, the controller to control the temperature of the system based on the number of the data transfer requests made and to couple the various devices to the memory device to process the data transfer requests, the controller further comprises a throttling decision logic to generate a mask control signal to mask data transfer requests to the memory device prior to the temperature of the system crossing over a predetermined thermal specification.
Claim 40
Independent Claim
93 words
A system comprising: a memory device to accept data transfer requests from various devices; and a controller coupled to the memory device, the controller to control the temperature of the system based on the number of the data transfer requests made and to couple the various devices to the memory device to process the data transfer requests, the controller further comprises a throttling decision logic to generate a mask control signal to mask data transfer requests to the memory device prior to the temperature of the system crossing over a predetermined thermal specification.
Claim 41
Dependent Claim
23 words
The system of claim 37 wherein the controller is to generate control signals to the throttling decision logic designating processed data transfer requests.
Claim 42
Dependent Claim
35 words
The system of claim 38 further comprising a plurality of data transfer request queues coupled to the throttling decision logic, the plurality of data transfer queues to hold data transfer requests generated by the devices.
Claim 43
Dependent Claim
13 words
The system of claim 39 wherein the devices comprise a central processing unit.
Claim 44
Dependent Claim
13 words
The system of claim 39 wherein the devices comprise an accelerated graphics port.
Claim 45
Dependent Claim
14 words
The system of claim 39 wherein the devices comprise a peripheral component interconnect device.
Claim 46
Dependent Claim
46 words
The system of claim 39 wherein the throttling decision logic further comprises a read throttle decision logic to generate a mask control signal to mask read data transfer requests to the memory device prior to the temperature of the controller rising above a predetermined thermal specification.
Claim 47
Dependent Claim
46 words
The system of claim 43 wherein the throttling decision logic further comprises a write throttle decision logic to generate a mask control signal to mask write data transfer requests to the memory device prior to the temperature of the controller rising above a predetermined thermal specification.
Claim 48
Dependent Claim
43 words
The system of claim 44 further comprising a sampling window timing generator to generate a sampling window which designates a time duration during which the number of data transfer requests processed is counted by monitoring the control signals designating processed data transfer requests.
Claim 49
Dependent Claim
38 words
The system of claim 45 further comprising a transfer counter coupled to the sampling window timing generator, the transfer counter to monitor the control signal to determine the number of data transfer requests processed during the sampling window.
Claim 50
Dependent Claim
45 words
The system of claim 46 further comprising a data unit threshold comparator coupled to the sampling window timing generator and the transfer counter, the data unit threshold comparator to compare the number of data requests processed during the sampling window to a data unit threshold.
Claim 51
Dependent Claim
30 words
The system of claim 47 further comprising a data unit threshold register coupled to the data unit threshold comparator, the data unit threshold register to hold the data unit threshold.
Claim 52
Dependent Claim
62 words
The system of claim 48 further comprising a throttling state controller coupled to the sampling window timing generator and the data unit threshold comparator, the throttling state controller to initiate a throttle regime if the data unit threshold comparator determines that the number of data requests processed during the sampling window is greater than or equal to the data unit threshold comparator.
Claim 53
Dependent Claim
46 words
The system of claim 49 further comprising a throttling timer coupled to the throttling state controller, the throttling timer to count a throttling time period during which a predetermined maximum number of data transfer requests in data units are allowed to be processed through the controller.
Claim 54
Dependent Claim
47 words
The system of claim 50 further comprising a throttling time register coupled to the throttling timer, the throttling time register to hold a value designating the maximum number of data transfer requests in data units allowed to be processed through the controller during the throttling time period.
Claim 55
Dependent Claim
37 words
The system of claim 51 further comprising a throttling monitoring timer coupled to the throttling timer, the throttling monitoring timer to count a throttling monitoring window time period which is a sub-unit of the throttling time period.
Claim 56
Dependent Claim
30 words
The system of claim 52 further comprising a throttling monitoring window register coupled to the throttling monitoring timer, the throttling monitoring window to hold the throttling monitoring window time period.
Claim 57
Dependent Claim
54 words
The system of claim 53 further comprising a maximum data unit counter coupled to the throttling monitoring timer, the maximum data unit counter to receive the control signal designating the data transfer requests processed and count the number of the data transfer requests processed during each the throttling monitoring window of the throttling time.
Claim 58
Dependent Claim
75 words
The system of claim 54 further comprising a data unit comparator coupled to the maximum data unit counter, the data unit comparator to compare the number of data transfer requests processed during each said throttling monitoring window of the throttling time to a maximum data unit value, the data unit comparator generating a mask control signal if the number of data transfer requests processed is greater than or equal to the maximum data unit value.
Claim 59
Dependent Claim
30 words
The system of claim 55 further comprising a maximum data unit register coupled to the data unit comparator, the maximum data unit register to hold the maximum data unit value.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2005-10-21 | 2006-04-22 | 2006-10-22 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2009-10-21 | 2010-04-22 | 2010-10-22 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2013-10-21 | 2014-04-22 | 2014-10-22 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |