Accurate hotspot detection through temperature sensors

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2017168514-A1
Application number	US-201514963790-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Dec 9, 2015
Priority date	Dec 9, 2015
Publication date	Jun 15, 2017
Grant date	—

Abstract

In one embodiment, a temperature management system comprises a plurality of temperature sensors on a chip, and a temperature manager. The temperature manager is configured to receive a plurality of temperature readings from the temperature sensors, to determine a plurality of power values based on the temperature readings, to determine a plurality of temperature values based on the determined power values, the determined temperature values corresponding to a plurality of different locations on the chip, and to estimate a temperature of a hotspot on the chip based on the determined temperature values.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A temperature management system, comprising:
a plurality of temperature sensors on a chip; and a temperature manager configured to receive a plurality of temperature readings from the temperature sensors, to determine a plurality of power values based on the temperature readings, to determine a plurality of temperature values based on the determined power values, the determined temperature values corresponding to a plurality of different locations on the chip, and to estimate a temperature of a hotspot on the chip based on the determined temperature values.

2 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the temperature manager is configured to estimate the temperature of the hotspot based on a largest one of the determined temperature values.

3 . The system of claim 2 , wherein the temperature manager is configured to estimate a location of the hotspot based on the location corresponding to the largest one of the determined temperature values.

4 . The system of claim 1 , wherein each of the power values corresponds to power at a respective one of a plurality of blocks on the chip.

5 . The system of claim 4 , wherein the blocks include one or more processors.

6 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the temperature manager is configured to determine the power values using an inverse of a first influence coefficient matrix comprising a first plurality of coefficients, each of the first plurality of coefficients relating power at a respective one of a plurality of blocks on the chip to a temperature change at a respective one of the temperature sensors.

7 . The system of claim 6 , wherein the temperature manager is configured to determine the temperature values using a second influence coefficient matrix comprising a second plurality of coefficients, each of the second plurality of coefficients relating power at a respective one of the blocks on the chip to a temperature change at a respective one of the locations on the chip.

8 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the temperature manager is configured to compare the estimated temperature of the hotspot to a temperature threshold, and to initiate temperature mitigation if the estimated temperature of the hotspot exceeds the temperature threshold.

9 . The system of claim 8 , wherein the temperature manager is configured to initiate temperature mitigation by commanding a clock source to reduce a frequency of a clock signal, commanding a power source to reduce a supply voltage, or both.

10 . A method for managing temperature, comprising:
receiving temperature readings from a plurality of temperature sensors on a chip; determining a plurality of power values based on the temperature readings; determining a plurality of temperature values based on the determined power values, the determined temperature values corresponding to a plurality of different locations on the chip; and estimating a temperature of a hotspot on the chip based on the determined temperature values.

11 . The method of claim 10 , wherein estimating the temperature of the hotspot comprises determining a largest one of the determined temperature values.

12 . The method of claim 11 , further comprising estimating a location of the hotspot based on the location corresponding to the largest one of the determined temperature values.

13 . The method of claim 10 , wherein each of the power values corresponds to power at a respective one of a plurality of blocks on the chip.

14 . The method of claim 13 , wherein the blocks include one or more processors.

15 . The method of claim 10 , wherein determining the power values comprises determining the power values using an inverse of a first influence coefficient matrix comprising a first plurality of coefficients, each of the first plurality of coefficients relating power at a respective one of a plurality of blocks on the chip to a temperature change at a respective one of the temperature sensors.

16 . The method of claim 15 , wherein determining the temperature values comprises determining the temperature values using a second influence coefficient matrix comprising a second plurality of coefficients, each of the second plurality of coefficients relating power at a respective one of the blocks on the chip to a temperature change at a respective one of the locations on the chip.

17 . The method of claim 10 , further comprising:
comparing the estimated temperature of the hotspot to a temperature threshold; initiating temperature mitigation if the estimated temperature of the hotspot exceeds the temperature threshold.

18 . The method of claim 17 , wherein initiating temperature mitigation comprises commanding a clock source to reduce a frequency of a clock signal, commanding a power source to reduce a supply voltage, or both.

19 . An apparatus for managing temperature, comprising:
means for receiving temperature readings from a plurality of temperature sensors on a chip; means for determining a plurality of power values based on the temperature readings; means for determining a plurality of temperature values based on the determined power values, the determined temperature values corresponding to a plurality of different locations on the chip; and means for estimating a temperature of a hotspot on the chip based on the determined temperature values.

20 . The apparatus of claim 19 , wherein the means for estimating the temperature of the hotspot comprises means for determining a largest one of the determined temperature values.

21 . The apparatus of claim 20 , further comprising means for estimating a location of the hotspot based on the location corresponding to the largest one of the determined temperature values.

22 . The apparatus of claim 19 , wherein each of the power values corresponds to power at a respective one of a plurality of blocks on the chip.

23 . The apparatus of claim 22 , wherein the blocks include one or more processors.

24 . The apparatus of claim 19 , wherein the means for determining the power values comprises means for determining the power values using an inverse of a first influence coefficient matrix comprising a first plurality of coefficients, each of the first plurality of coefficients relating power at a respective one of a plurality of blocks on the chip to a temperature change at a respective one of the temperature sensors.

25 . The apparatus of claim 24 , wherein the means for determining the temperature values comprises means for determining the temperature values using a second influence coefficient matrix comprising a second plurality of coefficients, each of the second plurality of coefficients relating power at a respective one of the blocks on the chip to a temperature change at a respective one of the locations on the chip.

26 . The apparatus of claim 19 , further comprising:
means for comparing the estimated temperature of the hotspot to a temperature threshold; means for initiating temperature mitigation if the estimated temperature of the hotspot exceeds the temperature threshold.

27 . The apparatus of claim 26 , wherein the means for initiating temperature mitigation comprises means for commanding a clock source to reduce a frequency of a clock signal, means for commanding a power source to reduce a supply voltage, or both.

Assignees

• Qualcomm Inc

Inventors

• Mittal Rajat
• Saeidi Mehdi
• Mittal Arpit
• Rahim Emil

Classifications

• G01K13/00

  Thermometers specially adapted for specific purposes · CPC title

• G05F1/463 Primary

  Sources providing an output which depends on temperature · CPC title

• G06F1/3206

  Monitoring of events, devices or parameters that trigger a change in power modality · CPC title

• G06F1/206

  comprising thermal management · CPC title