US7349762B2
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Systems and methods for thermal management
Assignee: Toshiba Corp
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Filing: 2005-11-10
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Granted: 2008-03-25
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Expires: 2025-11-10
Abstract
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.
Inventors
- 👤 Takashi Omizo
- 👤 Charles R. Johns
- 👤 Michael F. Wang
- 👤 Kazuaki Yazawa
- 👤 Toshiyuki Hiroi
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-08 13:38
CPC Classifications
G; G05; G05D; G05D23/00; G05D23/19
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 16
Claim 1
Independent Claim
111 words
A system comprising: an integrated circuit having a plurality of functional blocks; a first set of thermal sensors, wherein each of the first set of thermal sensors is coupled to a corresponding one of the functional blocks; and control circuitry coupled to each of the thermal sensors in the first set, wherein the control circuitry is configured to detect thermal events in the functional blocks and to individually adjust operation of one or more of the functional blocks by swapping operations being performed by a first one of the functional blocks and a second one of the functional blocks and thereby reducing temperatures in one or more of the functional blocks.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
111 words
A system comprising: an integrated circuit having a plurality of functional blocks; a first set of thermal sensors, wherein each of the first set of thermal sensors is coupled to a corresponding one of the functional blocks; and control circuitry coupled to each of the thermal sensors in the first set, wherein the control circuitry is configured to detect thermal events in the functional blocks and to individually adjust operation of one or more of the functional blocks by swapping operations being performed by a first one of the functional blocks and a second one of the functional blocks and thereby reducing temperatures in one or more of the functional blocks.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
37 words
The system of claim 1 , wherein the control circuitry is configured to halt operation of at least one of the functional blocks operates and to maintain operation of at least one of the other functional blocks.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
14 words
The system of claim 1 , wherein the functional blocks comprise duplicate functional blocks.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
23 words
The system of claim 3 , wherein the first set of thermal sensors are positioned at identical locations on the duplicate functional blocks.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
13 words
The system of claim 3 , wherein the functional blocks comprise processor cores.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
66 words
The system of claim 5 , wherein the control circuitry is configured to determine whether contexts being executed by one or more of the processor cores are lighter than a first context being executed by a first processor core that is experiencing a thermal event, and to swap the corresponding contexts between the first processor core and one of the processor cores executing a lighter context.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
48 words
The system of claim 6 , wherein the control circuitry is configured to analyze instruction streams associated with one or more of the processor cores and to characterize the context being executed by each of the one or more processor cores based upon the corresponding analyzed instruction stream.
Claim 9
Independent Claim
68 words
A method comprising: monitoring temperatures of a plurality of functional blocks in an integrated circuit; detecting thermal events in the functional blocks; and individually adjusting operation of one or more of the functional blocks by swapping operations being performed by a first one of the functional blocks and a second one of the functional blocks and thereby reducing the temperatures of one or more of the functional blocks.
Claim 10
Independent Claim
68 words
A method comprising: monitoring temperatures of a plurality of functional blocks in an integrated circuit; detecting thermal events in the functional blocks; and individually adjusting operation of one or more of the functional blocks by swapping operations being performed by a first one of the functional blocks and a second one of the functional blocks and thereby reducing the temperatures of one or more of the functional blocks.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
42 words
The method of claim 8 , wherein individually adjusting operation of one or more of the functional blocks comprises halting operation of at least one of the functional blocks operates while maintaining operation of at least one of the other functional blocks.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
14 words
The method of claim 8 , wherein the functional blocks comprise duplicate functional blocks.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
26 words
The method of claim 10 , wherein monitoring temperatures of the plurality of functional blocks comprises monitoring temperatures at identical locations on the duplicate functional blocks.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
24 words
The method of claim 10 , wherein monitoring temperatures of the plurality of functional blocks comprises monitoring temperatures of a plurality of processor cores.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
58 words
The method of claim 12 , further comprising determining whether contexts being executed by one or more of the processor cores are lighter than a first context being executed by a first processor core that is experiencing a thermal event, and swapping contexts between the first processor core and one of the processor cores executing a lighter context.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
42 words
The method of claim 13 , further comprising analyzing instruction streams associated with one or more of the processor cores and characterizing the context being executed by each of the one or more processor cores based upon the corresponding analyzed instruction stream.
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Cited
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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) | 2011-03-25 | 2011-09-24 | 2012-03-25 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2015-03-25 | 2015-09-24 | 2016-03-25 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2019-03-25 | 2019-09-24 | 2020-03-25 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |