Localized Voltage Switching for IC Thermal Mitigation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Increasing thermal management challenges in integrated circuits (ICs) due to high heat generation from complex processors in wireless communication devices, which affects performance and reliability.
Innovation Solution
A method and apparatus that adjust voltage by using a control circuit to detect temperature thresholds and adjust switches to reduce power provided to IC cores, allowing for independent voltage adjustments across different cores sharing a power domain for thermal mitigation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If processor complexity and operating frequency are increased to meet performance demand, then processing capability is improved, but heat generation increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the power domain into multiple independently controllable voltage regions, each with its own set of switches. This allows selective voltage reduction in specific high-heat areas while maintaining full voltage in other regions, thus managing heat generation without uniformly sacrificing processing capability across the entire processor.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements local quality control by allowing different voltage levels in different spatial regions of the processor. The control circuit can identify specific hot spots and apply voltage reduction only to those localized areas, preserving high performance in cooler regions while mitigating heat in problem areas.
2Temperature
If voltage is reduced to mitigate heat, then thermal management is improved, but processing performance deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs dynamic voltage adjustment where the control circuit continuously monitors temperature and dynamically modifies switch configurations in real-time. This allows the system to adapt voltage levels based on current thermal conditions, maintaining optimal performance when cool and reducing power when hot, rather than using a static voltage reduction approach.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements a feedback mechanism where temperature sensors provide thermal information to the control circuit, which then adjusts switch configurations accordingly. This closed-loop control ensures that voltage reduction is applied only when and where thermal thresholds are exceeded, preventing unnecessary performance degradation.
3Device complexity
If traditional thermal management approaches are used, then thermal control is simplified, but fine-grained power control is lost
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the power domain into multiple segmented voltage regions, each controllable by its own set of switches. This segmentation enables fine-grained power control at the regional level while maintaining a relatively simple overall control architecture, as each segment can be independently managed without requiring complex system-wide control.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent adds a spatial dimension to power control by introducing multiple voltage regions and their associated switch networks. This dimensional expansion allows the system to control power delivery with fine granularity across different physical locations on the chip, transforming a single-dimension global control approach into a multi-dimension localized control system.
Data Source
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AI summary
Apparatuses and methods to adjust voltage for thermal mitigation are provided. The apparatus includes a circuit, a plurality of switches configured to provide power of a power domain to the circuit, a plurality of thermal sensors disposed at different locations about the circuit and configured to detect temperatures at the different locations, and a control circuit configured to determine that one of the detected temperatures at one of the locations exceeds a temperature threshold, and in response, adjust one or more of the plurality of switches in proximity with the one location to reduce power provided to the circuit. The method includes providing power of a power domain through a plurality of switches, detecting a temperature at a location exceeding a temperature threshold, and adjusting the plurality of switches in proximity with the location to reduce the power provided, in response to the detecting the temperature exceeding the temperature threshold.