Thermal Management system

Abstract

A thermal management system according to an embodiment of the present invention comprises processing units which are provided in a chip, a performance monitor circuit which monitors performances of the processing units and outputs performance data, a thermo sensor which provided in the chip, the thermo sensor outputting a detection signal relating to a chip temperature, a temperature detector unit which outputs temperature data based on the detection signal, and a system controller which stores a table representing a relationship among the performances of the processing units, the chip temperature and a temperature of a hot spot, and estimates a temperature of the hot spot based on the performance data and the temperature data by using the table.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a thermal management system according to a first embodiment;

FIG. 2 is a view showing a table to be stored in a system controller shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a thermal management system according to a modified example of the first embodiment;

FIG. 4 is a view showing a table to be stored in a system controller shown in FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a flow chart showing a flow from forming a chip to thermal management;

FIG. 6 is a flow chart showing a flow of thermal management;

FIG. 7 is a diagram showing a thermal management system according to a second embodiment;

FIG. 8 is a view showing a table to be stored in a system controller shown in FIG. 7;

FIGS. 9A to 9C are diagrams each showing a positional relationship between a thermo sensor and a processing unit serving as a hot spot;

FIG. 10 is a diagram showing a thermal management system according to a modified example of the second embodiment;

FIG. 11 is a diagram showing a thermal management system according to a modified example of the second embodiment; and

FIG. 12 is a diagram showing a thermal management system according to a third embodiment.

Claims

1. A thermal management system comprising: processing units which are provided in a chip;a performance monitor circuit which monitors performances of the processing units and outputs performance data;a thermo sensor which provided in the chip, the thermo sensor outputting a detection signal relating to a chip temperature;a temperature detector unit which outputs temperature data based on the detection signal; anda system controller which stores a table representing a relationship among the performances of the processing units, the chip temperature and a temperature of a hot spot, and estimates a temperature of the hot spot based on the performance data and the temperature data by using the table.

2. The thermal management system according to claim 1, further comprising a cooling system which starts when the temperature of the hot spot is equal to or higher than a predetermined value, and stops when the temperature is lower than the predetermined value.

3. The thermal management system according to claim 1, wherein the table is created based on a result of a test of the chip.

4. The thermal management system according to claim 1, wherein the performances include one of a presence, absence or frequency of activation, and a type or quantity of a task.

5. A thermal management system comprising: processing units which are provided in a chip;a performance monitor circuit which monitors performances of the processing units and outputs performance data;a replica circuit which replicates heat rates of the processing units based on the performance data;a thermo sensor adjacent to the replica circuit, the thermo sensor outputting a detection signal relating to a temperature of the replica circuit;a temperature detector unit which outputs temperature data based on the detection signal; anda system controller which stores a table representing a relationship between the temperature of the replica circuit and a temperature of a hot spot, and estimates the temperature of the hot spot based on the temperature data by using the table.

6. The thermal management system according to claim 5, wherein the performance monitor circuit, the replica circuit, and the thermo sensor are allocated in the chip.

7. The thermal management system according to claim 5, further comprising a cooling system which starts when the temperature of the hot spot is equal to or higher than a predetermined value, and stops when the temperature is lower than the predetermined value.

8. The thermal management system according to claim 5, wherein the table is created based on a result of a test of the chip.

9. The thermal management system according to claim 5, wherein the performances include one of a presence, absence or frequency of activation, and a type or quantity of a task.

10. A thermal management system comprising: processing units which are provided in a chip;a redundancy control circuit provided in the chip, the redundancy control circuit outputting redundancy data which indicates use/disuse of the processing units;a thermo sensor provided in the chip, the thermo sensor outputting a detection signal relating to a chip temperature;a temperature detector unit which outputs temperature data based on the detection signal; anda system controller which stores a table representing use/disuse of the processing units and a relationship between the chip temperature and a temperature of a hot spot, and estimates the temperature of the hot spot based on the redundancy data and the temperature data by using the table.

11. The thermal management system according to claim 10, further comprising a cooling system which starts when the temperature of the hot spot is equal to or higher than a predetermined value, and stops when the temperature is lower than the predetermined value.

12. The thermal management system according to claim 10, wherein the table is created based on a result of a test of the chip.

13. A thermal management system comprising: processing units which are provided in a chip;thermo sensors which are provided in the chip; anda temperature detector unit which outputs temperature data relating to a chip temperature based on a detection signal of at least one of the thermo sensors,wherein use/disuse of the thermo sensors is determined based on use/disuse of the processing units.

14. The thermal management system according to claim 13, wherein the at least one thermo sensor is closed to a processing unit which is used.

15. The thermal management system according to claim 13, wherein the thermo sensors are provided to be associated with the processing units.

16. The thermal management system according to claim 13, wherein the thermo sensors are provided at all of corners of the chip.

17. A thermal management system comprising: a thermo sensor provided in a chip, the thermo sensor outputting a detection signal relating to a chip temperature;a first temperature detector unit which outputs first temperature data based on the detection signal;a second temperature detector unit which outputs second temperature data relating to a temperature of the outside of the chip;a power supply circuit which monitors power consumption of the chip and outputs power data; anda system controller which estimates a temperature of a hot spot from the first and second temperature data and the power data.

18. The thermal management system according to claim 17, further comprising a cooling system which starts when the temperature of the hot spot is equal to or higher than a predetermined value and stops when the temperature is lower than the predetermined value.

19. The thermal management system according to claim 17, wherein the first temperature data represents a minimum temperature of the inside of the chip, and the system controller obtains an average temperature of the inside of the chip from the second temperature data and the power data, and estimates the temperature of the hot spot based on the minimum temperature and the average temperature.

20. The thermal management system according to claim 17, wherein the thermo sensor is provided at a corner of the chip.