Processor Ring Oscillator Profiling for Temperature-Voltage Separation
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing technologies face challenges in achieving precise and area-efficient digital temperature and voltage profiling within processing units, particularly due to variations in voltage across different regions and the need for non-digital, analog temperature sensors.
Innovation Solution
A method and system for profiling temperature and voltage across different locations within a processor using a pair of ring oscillators with different characteristics, determining voltage and temperature sensitivity coefficients, and calculating deviations from reference values to enable real-time dynamic voltage and frequency scaling.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If a ring oscillator is used to measure temperature, then temperature monitoring capability is provided, but measurement precision deteriorates due to voltage variations affecting frequency
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the temperature measurement function by using two separate ring oscillators with different voltage sensitivities. Each oscillator provides a frequency measurement that is differently affected by voltage variations, allowing the system to separate temperature effects from voltage effects through mathematical processing of the two frequency signals.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the voltage sensitivity parameter of the ring oscillators by designing them with different characteristics (different numbers of inverters or different transistor sizes). This creates oscillators with distinct voltage sensitivity coefficients, enabling the system to differentiate between temperature-induced frequency changes and voltage-induced frequency changes.
2Measurement precision
If voltage regulators are added at each sensor location to control voltage, then voltage control precision is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the voltage control function from the traditional approach of adding physical voltage regulators at each sensor location. Instead, it uses digital signal processing of frequency measurements from multiple oscillators to achieve virtual voltage control, eliminating the need for complex analog voltage regulation circuitry at each measurement point.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the mechanical/electrical system of voltage regulators with a digital processing system. By using digital algorithms to process frequency measurements from oscillators with different voltage sensitivities, the system achieves voltage control functionality without physical voltage regulation hardware.
3Measurement precision
If analog temperature sensors are used, then temperature measurement accuracy is improved, but ease of manufacture deteriorates due to integration difficulties
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates functional copies of temperature sensing capability using ring oscillators that can be fully integrated in standard digital CMOS processes. These oscillators replicate the temperature sensing function traditionally provided by analog sensors, but in a form that is much easier to manufacture and integrate with digital logic.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent substitutes analog temperature sensor hardware with a digital-based oscillation frequency measurement system. The temperature information is encoded in the frequency domain, allowing full digital integration while maintaining temperature measurement functionality that was traditionally the domain of analog sensors.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This approach allows for accurate real-time temperature and voltage profiling, enabling optimized dynamic voltage and frequency scaling decisions that improve power efficiency and thermal management within processing units.
Implementation Method 1
The frequency of a ring oscillator is a function of temperature, but it is also strongly dependent on the process skew and voltage
Implementation Method 2
The frequency of a ring oscillator is a function of temperature, but it is also strongly dependent on the process skew and voltage
Data Source
AI summary
According to one implementation of the present disclosure, a method of profiling the temperature and voltage across different locations within a processor is disclosed. The method includes: in a first stage, determining respective first and second voltage sensitivity coefficients and respective first and second temperature sensitivity coefficients corresponding to a pair of ring oscillators; and in a second stage, determining a voltage deviation and a temperature deviation from a predetermined reference voltage and a predetermined reference temperature respectively, based on the determined respective first and second voltage sensitivity coefficients and the determined respective first and second temperature sensitivity coefficients.