Dynamically adjusting supply voltage based on monitored chip temperature
View Patent ↗In an embodiment, a method includes monitoring a temperature of a semiconductor chip and adjusting a supply voltage to the semiconductor chip based on the monitored temperature. The temperature may be monitored by a temperature sensor located on-chip or off-chip. Adjusting the supply voltage includes increasing the supply voltage as a function of the monitored temperature decreasing. The increase to the supply voltage occurs only if the monitored temperature is below a threshold temperature. The supply voltage adjustment is determined by a linear relationship having a negative slope with temperature.
1. A method comprising:
monitoring a temperature of a semiconductor chip;
adjusting a supply voltage to the semiconductor chip by increasing the supply voltage as a continuous function of the monitored temperature decreasing, wherein adjusting the supply voltage occurs only if the monitored temperature is below a threshold temperature and the supply voltage adjusted is determined based on a linear relationship having a negative slope between the supply voltage and the monitored temperature as defined by the continuous function.
2. The method of claim 1 wherein the temperature is monitored by an on-chip temperature sensor.
3. The method of claim 1 wherein the temperature is monitored by an off-chip temperature sensor.
4. The method of claim 1 wherein the negative slope is a programmable value and the method further comprises controlling the linear relationship having the negative slope by writing to a register to change the programmable value.
5. Apparatus comprising:
a temperature sensor for monitoring a temperature of a semiconductor chip;
a controller configured to adjust a supply voltage to the semiconductor chip by increasing the supply voltage as a continuous function of the monitored temperature decreasing, wherein the controller is configured to adjust the supply voltage only if the monitored temperature is below a threshold temperature and the supply voltage adjusted is determined based on a linear relationship having a negative slope between the supply voltage and the monitored temperature as defined by the continuous function.
6. The apparatus of claim 5 wherein the temperature sensor and the controller are located on the semiconductor chip.
7. The apparatus of claim 5 wherein the temperature sensor and the controller are located off the semiconductor chip.
8. The apparatus of claim 5 wherein the controller is configured to send a control signal to a voltage regulator module (VRM) to cause the VRM to adjust the supply voltage.
9. The apparatus of claim 5 further comprising an on-chip thermal diode coupled to the temperature sensor that monitors a junction temperature on the chip.
10. The apparatus of claim 5 wherein the negative slope is a programmable value, the apparatus further comprises a register, and the controller is further configured to control the linear relationship having the negative slope by writing to a register to change the programmable value.
11. Apparatus comprising:
means for monitoring a temperature of a semiconductor chip;
means for adjusting a supply voltage to the semiconductor chip including means for increasing the supply voltage as a continuous function of the monitored temperature decreasing, wherein the means for increasing the supply voltage operates to adjust only if the monitored temperature is below a threshold temperature and the supply voltage adjusted is determined based on a linear relationship having a negative slope between the supply voltage and the monitored temperature as defined by the continuous function.
12. The apparatus of claim 11 wherein the means for monitoring is an on-chip temperature sensor.
13. The apparatus of claim 11 wherein the means for monitoring is an off-chip temperature sensor.
14. The apparatus of claim 11 wherein the negative slope is a programmable value and the apparatus further comprises a means for controlling the linear relationship having the negative slope by writing to a register to change the programmable value.