Thermal sensors for stacked dies
View Patent ↗The invention relates to a method for obtaining temperature values from at least two thermal sensors arranged on resources within a three-dimensional die structure determining at least a partial three-dimensional temperature distribution for said die structure and controlling activity of said resources of said dies in response to said three-dimensional temperature distribution.
1. A method comprising
obtaining temperature values from at least two thermal sensors arranged on resources within a three-dimensional die structure;
determining at least a partial three-dimensional temperature distribution for said die structure; and
controlling activity of said resources of said dies in response to said three-dimensional temperature distribution.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein said determining includes
comparing temperature values of said at least two thermal sensors with each other;
locating at least one heat source based on said comparing;
identifying at least one resource associated with said at least one heat source; and
wherein said controlling of activity includes throttling activity at least in said at least one identified resource.
3. The method of claim 2 , wherein said activity is throttled if said at least one temperature value associated with said at least one identified resources is above a predefined threshold.
4. The method of claim 2 , wherein said identifying includes identifying a resource associated with the highest of said compared temperature values.
5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising receiving a signal indicating a temperature value above a second predefined threshold.
6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising continuously sensing said temperature values.
7. The method of claim 5 , further comprising sensing said temperature values in response to said received signal.
8. The method of claim 6 , further comprising selecting a specific sensor to be sensed.
9. The method of claim 8 , further comprising providing a control sequence signal for switching elements connected to said sensor.
10. The method of claim 9 , wherein said switching elements comprise multiplexers.
11. The method of claim 1 , further comprising
selecting a specific sensor for evaluation;
wherein said obtained temperature values include a selected temperature value sensed by said selected sensor; and
wherein said comparing comprises comparing said selected temperature value to at least a further one of said obtained temperature values; and
issuing a throttle order for a resource associated with said selected sensor if said selected temperature value is determined to be the highest value in said comparing.
12. The method of claim 11 , further comprising issuing a throttle request for a defined further resource if a temperature value associated with said further resource is higher than said selected temperature value.
13. The method of claim 1 , further comprising checking whether a throttle request exists for a selected resource.
14. The method of claim 13 , further comprising
comparing a selected temperature value associated with said selected resource to a second temperature value associated with the resource which has issued said throttle request; and
issuing a throttle order for said selected resource if said selected temperature value is higher than said second temperature value.
15. The method of claim 2 , wherein said throttling is triggered by a binary throttle order associated with a specific resource.
16. The method of claim 1 , further comprising determining a measure of confidence that at least a selected resource needs to be throttled.
17. The method of claim 16 , wherein said measure of confidence is included in a throttle order.
18. The method of claim 12 , wherein said throttle request is a binary value associated with a requesting resource.
19. The method of claim 2 , wherein at least one of said comparing or said throttling is based on information on relative sensor locations within said die structure.
20. The method of claim 1 , wherein said at least two temperature values are obtained from adjacent sensors within said die structure.
21. A computer program product including computer program code which, when executed, causes a device to execute a method according to claim 1 .
22. A method comprising
obtaining temperature values from a number of selected thermal sensors located on dies within a three-dimensional die structure;
determining at least a partial three-dimensional temperature distribution for said die structure;
controlling activity of resources of said dies in response to said three-dimensional temperature distribution.
23. A device comprising
at least two semiconductor dies packaged together in a three-dimensional die structure;
at least one thermal sensor located on each of said dies;
a control unit connected to and controlling said thermal sensors;
wherein said control unit is adapted to obtain temperature values sensed by said thermal sensors;
determine at least a partial three-dimensional temperature distribution for said die structure; and
issue throttle orders for resources on said dies in dependence of said temperature distribution.
24. The device of claim 23 , wherein said control unit is further adapted to sense a selected thermal sensor.
25. The device of claim 23 , wherein said control unit is adapted to continuously evaluate at least a part of said thermal sensors, said evaluation including said determining of a temperature distribution and said issuing of throttle orders.
26. The device of claim 23 , further comprising a memory element configured for storing said throttle orders.
27. The device of claim 23 , further comprising a memory element configured for storing said temperature values or said temperature distribution.
28. The device of claim 23 , further comprising switching elements coupled between said control unit and said thermal sensors, said switching elements being configured for selecting a specific thermal sensor.
29. The device of claim 28 , wherein said switching elements comprise multiplexers.
30. The device of claim 28 , wherein said switching elements are arranged such that only a single sensor at a time is connected to said control unit.
31. The device of claim 23 , said device further including a sensing unit.
32. The device of claim 31 , wherein said sensing unit comprises an analog-to-digital converter.
33. The device of claim 23 , wherein said thermal sensor comprises a thermal diode.
34. The device of claim 31 , wherein said sensing unit is coupled to a compensation unit configured for modifying values sensed by said sensing unit.
35. The device of claim 31 , wherein said sensing unit or said compensation unit are coupled to a comparator configured for comparing values sensed by said sensing unit.
36. The device of claim 31 , wherein said control unit includes at least one of said sensing unit, said compensation unit and said comparator.
37. The device of claim 23 , wherein said control unit is implemented via software code.