Memory Die Temperature Sensor Layout for Hotspot Detection
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Solution Overview
Problem
As memory systems increase in size, a single temperature sensor may not accurately measure or detect temperature across the system, leading to unawareness of hotspots and reduced performance and life-cycle.
Innovation Solution
Implementing multiple distributed temperature sensors throughout the memory system to enhance health monitoring report accuracy, performance, and life-cycle by detecting hotspots and adjusting components or clock signals.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If a single temperature sensor is used in the memory system, then the device complexity is reduced, but the measurement precision of temperature across the system deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the single temperature sensing function into multiple distributed temperature sensors positioned at different locations within the memory system. This segmentation allows each sensor to measure temperature in its local region, providing comprehensive temperature coverage across the entire system while maintaining reasonable device complexity through modular sensor integration.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent transitions from a single-point temperature measurement (zero-dimensional) to a distributed spatial temperature measurement (multi-dimensional). By positioning sensors at multiple locations including corners and center regions of the memory device, the system captures temperature distribution across different spatial dimensions, enabling detection of thermal gradients and hotspots that a single sensor cannot detect.
2Measurement precision
If multiple distributed temperature sensors are implemented, then the measurement precision of temperature distribution is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent assigns different functional roles to temperature sensors based on their spatial locations within the memory system. Corner region sensors monitor edge temperatures, while the center region sensor monitors the core temperature. This local quality differentiation allows the system to optimize sensor placement and interpretation of temperature data according to the specific thermal characteristics of each region, reducing the need for uniform high-complexity sensor configurations throughout.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a temperature monitoring component that acts as an intermediary between the distributed temperature sensors and the control system. This intermediary processes temperature data from multiple sensors, identifies hotspots, and generates appropriate control signals, thereby simplifying the overall system architecture by centralizing the complexity of multi-sensor data processing rather than distributing it across all components.
3Reliability
If temperature monitoring is enhanced with distributed sensors, then the reliability of the memory system is improved, but the use of energy increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements periodic temperature monitoring instead of continuous monitoring, where the distributed temperature sensors are activated at regular intervals to measure temperature conditions. This periodic action maintains system reliability by detecting temperature changes and hotspots over time while significantly reducing energy consumption compared to continuous operation of all sensors.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent enables the temperature monitoring system to autonomously identify hotspots and trigger appropriate cooling or power management actions without requiring constant external control. The distributed sensors self-organize to monitor critical regions, and the system automatically responds to temperature anomalies, reducing the energy overhead associated with active control management.
Data Source
AI summary
Methods, systems, and devices for distributed temperature sensors in a die of a memory device are described. For example, the distributed temperature sensors may enable a memory system controller to detect hotspots or uneven temperature distributions across the memory system. The memory system controller may perform health monitoring reporting based on the detected hotspots or uneven temperature distributions. In some examples, the memory system controller may activate, or deactivate, one or more components of regions associated with the hotspots to reduce the temperature of the region or die. Additionally, or alternatively, the memory system controller may adjust or retrain a clock signal to compensate for the detected hotspots or uneven temperature distributions.