Sensor-based thermal specification enabling a real-time metric for compliance

1. A computing system comprising:

an integrated circuit die including a non-volatile memory (NVM) structure, a plurality of temperature sensors and a control unit integrated onto the die, the NVM structure defining a thermal specification and the control unit calculating an average die temperature based on readings from the plurality of temperature sensors, calculating a difference between the average die temperature and a specification temperature, and calculating a value of the difference between the average die temperature and the specification temperature; and

a thermal management system using a real-time control signal to adjust a cooling setting of a cooling system based on the value,

wherein the thermal specification includes a thermal specification curve and the cooling setting is adjusted based on a position of the value with respect to the thermal specification curve.

2. The computing system of claim 1 , wherein the control unit further calculates the specification temperature from the NVM structure based on a power level of the die.

3. The computing system of claim 1 , wherein the control unit applies weights to the readings.

4. The computing system of claim 3 , wherein the die further includes a processor core, the control unit applying the weights based on locations of individual temperature sensors relative to a footprint of the processor core.

5. The computing system of claim 3 , wherein the die further includes a plurality of processor cores, the control unit applying the weights based on locations of individual temperature sensors relative to a footprint of active processor cores.

6. An integrated circuit die comprising:

a plurality of temperature sensors;

a control unit, the control unit calculating an average die temperature based on readings from the plurality of temperature sensors; and

a non-volatile memory (NVM) structure defining a thermal specification, the control unit further calculating a difference between the average die temperature and a specification temperature, wherein the control unit further calculating a value of the difference between the average die temperature and the specification temperature,

wherein the thermal specification includes a thermal specification curve and a cooling setting is adjusted based on a position of the value with respect to the thermal specification curve.

7. The integrated circuit die of claim 6 , wherein the control unit further generates a real-time cooling system control signal based on the value.

8. The integrated circuit die of claim 7 , wherein the control unit applies weights to the readings.

9. The integrated circuit die of claim 8 , wherein the die further includes a processor core, the control unit applying the weights based on locations of individual temperature sensors relative to a footprint of the processor core.

10. The integrated circuit die of claim 8 , further including a plurality of processor cores, the control unit applying the weights based on locations of individual temperature sensors relative to a footprint of active processor cores.

11. The integrated circuit die of claim 6 , wherein the control unit further calculates the specification temperature from the NVM structure based on a power level of the die.

12. A method comprising:

using an integrated circuit of a die to calculate an average die temperature based on readings from a plurality of temperature sensors integrated onto the die; and

calculating a difference between the average die temperature and a thermal specification temperature defined using a non-volatile memory (NVM) structure integrated onto the die, wherein the thermal specification includes a thermal specification curve.

13. The method of claim 12 , further comprising:

calculating a value of the difference between the average die temperature and the thermal specification temperature; and

generating a real-time cooling system control signal based on the value, wherein a cooling setting is generated based on a position of the value with respect to the thermal specification curve.

14. The method of claim 12 , further including applying weights to the readings.

15. The method of claim 14 , further including applying the weights based on locations of individual temperature sensors relative to a footprint of a processor core that is integrated onto the die.

16. The method of claim 14 , further including applying the weights based on locations of individual temperature sensors relative to a footprint of active processor cores that are integrated onto the die.

17. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium comprising a set of embedded controller firmware instructions which, when executed by an embedded controller that is integrated into a computing platform, cause the embedded controller to implement a method of:

using an integrated circuit of a die to calculate an average die temperature based on readings from a plurality of temperature sensors integrated onto the die; and

calculating a difference between the average die temperature and a thermal specification temperature defined using a non-volatile memory (NVM) structure integrated onto the die, wherein the thermal specification includes a thermal specification curve.

18. The medium of claim 17 , further comprising wherein the firmware instructions, when executed, cause the embedded controller to:

calculate a value of the difference between the average die temperature and the thermal specification temperature; and

generate a real-time cooling system control signal based on the value, wherein a cooling setting is generated based on a position of the value with respect to the thermal specification curve.

19. The medium of claim 17 , further comprising wherein the firmware instructions, when executed, cause the embedded controller to apply weights to the readings.

20. The medium of claim 19 , further comprising wherein the firmware instructions, when executed, cause the embedded controller to apply the weights based on locations of individual temperature sensors relative to:

a footprint of a processor core that is integrated onto the die; or

a footprint of active processor cores that are integrated onto the die.