Integrated Circuit Cooling Frequency Adjustor for Thermal Management
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Solution Overview
Problem
Mobile devices face challenges in cooling algorithms that balance power-saving and performance improvement while preventing overheating, as passive cooling methods often degrade performance and active cooling consumes additional energy.
Innovation Solution
An integrated circuit with a cooling frequency adjustor and thermal sensors that dynamically adjust clip frequencies based on temperature readings, using tables to store and manage clip frequencies and timestamps to optimize clock signals for the central processing unit, thereby controlling temperature without degrading performance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If passive cooling is used by decreasing operating frequency, then temperature is reduced, but performance is degraded
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements dynamic frequency adjustment by introducing a cooling frequency adjustor that dynamically selects clip frequencies from multiple predefined levels based on real-time temperature conditions. Instead of a static frequency reduction, the system adaptively changes frequency according to thermal states, allowing the device to maintain high performance when cool and reduce frequency only when necessary for cooling.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the operating parameter (frequency) based on temperature conditions by selecting from multiple predefined clip frequency levels. The cooling frequency adjustor modifies the frequency parameter dynamically according to temperature thresholds, enabling the device to optimize between performance and cooling by adjusting this key operational parameter in response to thermal conditions.
2Temperature
If cooling frequency is dynamically adjusted, then thermal management is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the frequency control into multiple discrete clip frequency levels stored in a predefined table, with each level corresponding to specific temperature ranges. The cooling frequency adjustor selects from these segmented frequency options based on temperature conditions, simplifying the control logic compared to continuous frequency adjustment while still achieving dynamic thermal management.
Solution Approach 2:
The cooling frequency adjustor serves as an intermediary component between the temperature sensing system and the clock management unit. It receives temperature information, processes it according to the predefined clip frequency table, and outputs the appropriate frequency control signals to the clock management unit, thereby mediating the complex thermal management task through a dedicated intermediate controller.
Data Source
AI summary
In one example embodiment, an integrated circuit includes a memory configured to store a first table listing a plurality of clip frequencies respectively corresponding to a plurality of reference temperatures, and a second table listing one or more of the plurality of clip frequencies and a plurality of timestamps each respectively corresponding to the one or more of the plurality of clip frequencies. The integrated circuit further includes a cooling frequency adjustor configured to select one of the plurality of clip frequencies stored in the first table as a first clip frequency, and store a current timestamp of the first clip frequency in the second table. The integrated circuit further includes a central processing unit (CPU) configured to control an operation of the cooling frequency adjustor.