Temperature throttling mechanism for DDR3 memory

摘要

A method for throttling a bus, e.g. a memory bus, may be used to compensate for potential inaccuracy of feedback information received for monitored characteristics, e.g. temperature, reported by sensors configured in monitored devices, e.g. memory devices, accessed through the bus. For example, in case of a memory bus, a memory controller may be configured to throttle the memory bus in a way that maximizes system performance while ensuring that the memory devices keep operating within their thermal limits. Readings obtained from the memory, or from close proximity to the memory, may indicate whether the temperature of the memory has crossed over one or more designated trip points, and one or more algorithms may be executed to perform throttling according to the readings and based on fixed and dynamic throttling modes. The memory controller may infer temperature changes taking place in the memory devices when successive readings are indicating that the temperature of the memory device has remained over a given trip point. Based on these inferences, the memory controller may then change the manner in which the bus is throttled.

主权项

1. A method for throttling a bus coupled to at least one device, the method comprising:
receiving two consecutive signals each indicative of a temperature of the at least one device, wherein the two consecutive signals include a first signal and a second signal; in response the first signal indicating that the temperature of the at least one device exceeds a threshold temperature value, throttling the bus at a first one of a plurality of throttling rates for a first specified length of time, wherein the first specified length of time is determined based on a rate of change of the temperature of the at least one device; and throttling the bus at a second one of the plurality of throttling rates in response to the second signal indicating the temperature of the at least one device exceeds the threshold temperature value.