Thermal sensing method and system

Abstract

The present invention provides a method for determining a hot area of an integrated circuit. A first temperature sensor in a first area of a chip is read, the chip comprising a plurality of chip areas, wherein the first area is a comparison area. The comparison area comprises at least one I/O device that is controlled to simulate other functional I/O devices on the chip. A second temperature sensor in a second area of a chip is read. The readings of the first temperature sensor and the second temperature sensor are compared. If the difference between the first temperature reading and the second temperature reading exceeds a threshold, a first error condition is indicated.

1 . A method for determining a hot area of an integrated circuit, comprising: 
 reading a first temperature sensor in a first area of a chip, the chip comprising a plurality of chip areas, wherein the first area is a comparison area;    wherein the comparison area comprises at least one I/O device that is controlled to simulate other functional I/O devices on the chip;    reading a second temperature sensor in a second area of a chip;    comparing the readings of the first temperature sensor and the second temperature sensor; and    if the difference between the first temperature reading and the second temperature reading exceeds a threshold, indicating a first error condition.    
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the first temperature sensor measures a temperature to generate a current and reading a first temperature sensor comprises detecting the current.  
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the first temperature sensor measures a temperature to generate a voltage and reading a first temperature sensor comprises detecting the voltage.  
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the temperature sensor comprises a pn junction.  
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the temperature sensor comprises a thermal resistor.  
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising: 
 reading a third temperature sensor in a third area of the chip;    comparing the readings of the first temperature sensor and the second temperature sensor, to generate a first comparison value;    comparing the readings of the first temperature sensor and the third temperature sensor, to generate a second comparison value; and    if the difference between the first comparison value and the second comparison value exceeds a threshold, indicating an second error condition.    
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising: 
 selecting the first area of the chip wherein the first temperature sensor is distributed to a relative cold part of the chip; and    selecting the second area of the chip wherein the second temperature sensor is distributed to a relative hot part of the chip.    
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 6 , further comprising: 
 selecting the first area of the chip wherein the first temperature sensor is distributed to a relative cold part of the chip;    selecting the second area of the chip wherein the second temperature sensor is distributed to a relative hot part of the chip; and    selecting the third area of the chip wherein the third temperature sensor is distributed to a relative hot part of the chip.    
     
     
         9 . A processor for determining a hot area of an integrated circuit, the processor including a computer program product comprising a computer-readable medium with a computer program embodied thereon, the computer program comprising: 
 computer code for reading a first temperature sensor in a first area of a chip, the chip comprising a plurality of chip areas, wherein the first area is a comparison area;    wherein the comparison area comprises at least one I/O device that is controlled to simulate other functional I/O devices on the chip;    computer code for reading a second temperature sensor in a second area of a chip;    computer code for comparing the readings of the first temperature sensor and the second temperature sensor; and    computer code for, if the difference between the first temperature reading and the second temperature reading exceeds a threshold, indicating a first error condition.    
     
     
         10 . The processor of  claim 9 , wherein the first temperature sensor measures a temperature to generate a current and computer code for reading a first temperature sensor comprises computer code for detecting the current.  
     
     
         11 . The processor of  claim 9 , wherein the first temperature sensor measures a temperature to generate a voltage and computer code for reading a first temperature sensor comprises computer code for detecting the voltage.  
     
     
         12 . The processor of  claim 9 , wherein the temperature sensor comprises a pn junction.  
     
     
         13 . The processor of  claim 9 , wherein the temperature sensor comprises a thermal resistor.  
     
     
         14 . The processor of  claim 9 , further comprising: 
 computer code for reading a third temperature sensor in a third area of the chip;    computer code for comparing the readings of the first temperature sensor and the second temperature sensor, to generate a first comparison value;    computer code for comparing the readings of the first temperature sensor and the third temperature sensor, to generate a second comparison value; and    computer code for, if the difference between the first comparison value and the second comparison value exceeds a threshold, indicating an second error condition.    
     
     
         15 . The processor of  claim 9 , further comprising: 
 computer code for selecting the first area of the chip wherein the first temperature sensor is distributed to a relative cold part of the chip; and    computer code for selecting the second area of the chip wherein the second temperature sensor is distributed to a relative hot part of the chip.    
     
     
         16 . The processor of  claim 14 , further comprising: 
 computer code for selecting the first area of the chip wherein the first temperature sensor is distributed to a relative cold part of the chip;    computer code for selecting the second area of the chip wherein the second temperature sensor is distributed to a relative hot part of the chip; and    computer code for selecting the third area of the chip wherein the third temperature sensor is distributed to a relative hot part of the chip.