Method and apparatus for configurable thermal management
Embodiments of an apparatus, system and method are described for configurable processor thermal management. An apparatus may comprise, for example, a processor arranged to operate in a plurality of thermal modes comprising a thermal limit down mode, a normal thermal limit mode and a thermal limit up mode, and thermal management logic operative to select a thermal mode based on one or more properties of the apparatus. Other embodiments are described and claimed.
1. A non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising instructions, which, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to:
select one of a plurality of maximum junction temperature (Tjmax) values;
operate the processor within a thermal mode having a temperature limit corresponding to the selected one of the plurality of Tjmax values.
2. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 1 , the processor implemented in a computing device, the medium comprising instructions, which, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to select the one of the plurality of Tjmax values based on a form factor of the computing device.
3. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 1 , the processor implemented in a computing device, the medium comprising instructions, which, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to select the one of the plurality of Tjmax values based on a surface temperature of the computing device.
4. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 1 , the thermal mode comprising at least one frequency or voltage setting based on the selected one of the plurality of Tjmax values.
5. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 1 , comprising instructions, which, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to select another one of the plurality of Tjmax values and operate the processor within another thermal mode having a temperature limit corresponding to the selected another one of the plurality of Tjmax values.
6. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 1 , comprising instructions, which, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to select the one of the plurality of Tjmax values based on information stored in a register coupled to the processor.
7. The computer-readable medium of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the plurality of Tjmax values is less than a maximum functional temperature limit of the processor.
8. The computer-readable medium of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the plurality of Tjmax values is substantially equal to a maximum functional temperature limit of the processor.
9. A method, comprising:
selecting one of a plurality of maximum junction temperature (Tjmax) values;
operating a processor within a thermal mode having a temperature limit corresponding to the selected one of the plurality of Tjmax values.
10. The method of claim 9 , the processor implemented in a computing device, the method comprising selecting the one of the plurality of Tjmax values based on a form factor of the computing device.
11. The method of claim 9 , the processor implemented in a computing device, the method comprising selecting the one of the plurality of Tjmax values based on a surface temperature of the computing device.
12. The method of claim 9 , the thermal mode comprising at least one frequency or voltage setting based on the selected one of the plurality of Tjmax values.
13. The method of claim 9 , comprising:
selecting another one of the plurality of Tjmax values; and
operating the processor within another thermal mode having a temperature limit corresponding to the selected another one of the plurality of Tjmax values.
14. The method of claim 9 , comprising selecting the one of the plurality of Tjmax values based on information stored in a register coupled to the processor.
15. The method of claim 9 , wherein at least one of the plurality of Tjmax values is less than a maximum functional temperature limit of the processor.
16. The method of claim 9 , wherein at least one of the plurality of Tjmax values is substantially equal to a maximum functional temperature limit of the processor.
17. An apparatus, comprising:
a processor arranged to operate at a thermal mode having a temperate limit corresponding to a selected one of a plurality of maximum junction temperature (Tjmax) values,
wherein the processor to dynamically change to operate at the thermal mode.
18. The apparatus of claim 17 , the processor implemented in a computing device, the one of the plurality of Tjmax values selected based on a form factor of the computing device.
19. The apparatus of claim 17 , the processor implemented in a computing device, the one of the plurality of Tjmax values selected based on a surface temperature of the computing device.
20. The apparatus of claim 17 , the thermal mode comprising at least one frequency or voltage setting based on the selected one of the plurality of Tjmax values.
21. The apparatus of claim 17 , the processor arranged to operate at another thermal mode having another temperature limit corresponding to another selected one of the plurality of Tjmax values.
22. The apparatus of claim 17 , the one of the plurality of Tjmax values selected based on information stored in a register coupled to the processor.
23. The apparatus of claim 17 , wherein at least one of the plurality of Tjmax values is less than a maximum functional temperature limit of the processor.
24. The apparatus of claim 17 , wherein at least one of the plurality of Tjmax values is substantially equal to a maximum functional temperature limit of the processor.