JPH0311409A - Information processing unit - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To improve working rate without stopping operation on account of a little temperature rise by changing the frequency of a clock signal according to detected temperature, and stopping the operation when the detected temperature becomes higher than element breaking temperature. CONSTITUTION:When the temperature of an information processing part 20 is lower than malfunction temperature, a variable frequency oscillation circuit 10 outputs the clock signal CK1 through a D-type FF circuit 14 and AND circuits 15, 17 according to the detection signal of a thermal switch 31. When the temperature of the processing part 20 becomes higher than the malfunction temperature, the circuit 10 outputs the clock signal CK2 whose cycle is longer than that of CK1 according to the detection signal of the switch 31. Further, when the temperature of the processing part 20 becomes higher than the element breaking temperature, the operation of a CPU or a memory to constitute the processing part 20 is stopped by the thermal switch 32. Thus, even if the operation speed of the processing part 20 becomes slow, the processing part 20 operates surely till just before the element breaking temperature, and the working rate is improved.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Field of Industrial Application] The present invention relates to an information processing device that operates using a clock signal, and more particularly to an information processing device that changes the cycle of a clock signal depending on temperature.

[Prior Art] Microprocessors, memories, etc. operate using clock signals of a predetermined period.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram of a conventional information processing device using such a microprocessor, memory, etc.

In FIG. 2, 40 is a clock signal generation circuit that outputs a clock signal of a predetermined period, 50 is an information processing section such as a microprocessor and memory, which operates according to the clock signal output from the clock signal generation circuit 40, and 60 is an information processing section. This is a temperature detection circuit that detects the temperature of 50 and outputs an interrupt request to the information processing section 50 when the detected temperature exceeds a preset temperature.

In conventional information processing devices using such microprocessors, memories, etc., the period of the clock signal is fixed to a preset value.

Furthermore, microprocessors, memories, and the like use elements such as CMO8 elements whose operating speeds significantly slow down as the temperature rises, and whose operation is guaranteed by a clock signal with a fixed cycle.

Therefore, when the temperature detection circuit 60 detects the temperature of the information processing unit 50 and the detected temperature reaches a temperature predicted to cause malfunction of the microprocessor, memory, etc., it outputs an interrupt request to the microprocessor. However, measures were taken such as stopping the operation of the information processing unit 50 and notifying maintenance personnel.

This is to prevent malfunction of the information processing section/equipment and damage to elements such as the microprocessor and memory.

[Problems to be Solved by the Invention] However, the conventional information processing device with the above configuration does not have the necessary information when using a microprocessor and memory configured with elements such as CMO8 whose operating speed changes significantly depending on temperature. In order to obtain high operating speed, the temperature at which information processing equipment stops operating was set as low as possible.

Therefore, there is a problem in that even if there is a slight temperature rise, the operation of the information processing device must be stopped immediately.

The present invention has been made to solve the above problems,
It is an object of the present invention to provide an information processing device that does not need to stop its operation even if the temperature exceeds a predetermined temperature and can operate continuously and has a high operating rate.

[Means for Solving the Problems] An information processing device according to the present invention includes a clock signal oscillation means that can vary the frequency of a clock signal, an information processing means that operates based on the clock signal, and a temperature detection of the information processing means. a temperature detecting means for changing the frequency of the clock signal outputted by the clock signal oscillating means in accordance with the detected temperature detected by the temperature detecting means; , and operation control means for stopping the operation of the information processing means.

[Function] In the information processing device having the above configuration, the signal control means changes the frequency of the clock signal output by the clock signal oscillation means in accordance with the detected temperature detected by the temperature detection means, so that the detected temperature is equal to or higher than the inhibition breakdown temperature. When this happens, the operation control means stops the operation of the information processing means.

[Example] Hereinafter, an example of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram of an information processing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. In FIG. 1, IO is a variable frequency oscillation circuit 20 that outputs a clock signal with a period corresponding to a control signal.
Reference numeral 30 indicates an information processing unit such as a microprocessor and memory that operates based on a clock signal, and 30 indicates a temperature detection circuit that detects the temperature of the information processing device.

The variable frequency oscillation circuit 10 includes a clock generator 11 and a JK flip-flop tube 12.1 that operates as a count circuit.
3. Consists of 14 D-type flip-flops, etc.
Either the clock signal CKl of the first period or the clock signal CK2 of the second period longer than the first period is output.

The JK flip-flop 12 outputs a first cycle clock signal CK based on the output of the clock generator 11. Further, the JK flip-flop 13 outputs the clock signal CK of the second period based on the clock signal CK1 of the first period.
Outputs 2.

When the D-type flip-flop 14 is outputting a low level rLJ signal, one input of the AND circuit 15 is
A high level rHJ signal is inputted via the OT circuit 16, and a low level rLJ signal is inputted to one input of the AND circuit 17.

Therefore, the AND circuit 15 converts the clock signal CK1 of the first period output from the JK flip-flop 12 into the OR circuit 1.
8 to the information processing section 20.

Further, when the D-type flip-flop 14 is outputting a high level rHJ signal, a low level rLJ signal is input to one input of the AND circuit 15 via the NOT circuit 16, and one of the AND circuits 7 High level rH at the input of
A signal of J is input.

Therefore, the AND circuit 17 outputs the second cycle clock signal CK 2 output from the JK flip-flop 13 to the information processing section 2o via the OR circuit 18.

The temperature detection circuit 30 that controls the output of the D-type flip-flop 14 includes a thermal switch 31 that detects a malfunction temperature and a thermal switch 32 that detects a breakdown temperature higher than the malfunction temperature.

The thermal switch 31 outputs a detection signal of high level "H" when the temperature of the information processing section 20 is below the malfunction temperature, and outputs a low level rLJ detection signal when the temperature is above the malfunction temperature. Similarly, the thermal switch 32 outputs a detection signal of high level "H" when the temperature of the information processing section 20 is below the blocking breakdown temperature, and outputs a detection signal of low level rLJ when the temperature is above the blocking breakdown temperature.

Note that the malfunction temperature is set, for example, to 60°C, and the inhibited breakdown temperature is set, for example, to 80°C.

When the temperature of the information processing section 20 is below the malfunction temperature, the thermal switch 31 outputs a detection signal of high level rHJ, so the D-type flip-flop 14 outputs a detection signal of low level rL.
Outputs the J signal. Therefore, the clock generation circuit 10 outputs the clock signal CK1 of the first period.

Moreover, when the temperature of the information processing unit 20 becomes higher than the malfunction temperature,
The thermal switch 31 outputs a detection signal of low level rLJ, and the D-type flip-flop 14 outputs a detection signal of high level rHJ.
Outputs the signal. Therefore, the clock generation circuit 10 outputs the clock signal CK2 of the second period.

Further, when the temperature of the information processing section 20 becomes equal to or higher than the prevention breakdown temperature, the thermal switch 32 outputs a low level rLJ detection signal to the information processing section 20, and the CPU or memory (not shown) constituting the information processing section 20 ) to stop its operation.

Next, the operation of the information processing apparatus shown in FIG. 1 will be explained with reference to the timing chart of FIG. 3.

When the temperature of the information processing unit 20 is below the malfunction temperature, the variable frequency oscillator circuit 10 outputs the first cycle clock signal No. 1244 CK.
1 (see FIG. 3(a)). Therefore, the information processing section 20 is operated by the clock signal CK of the first period (see FIG. 3(e)).

When the temperature of the information processing unit 20 exceeds the malfunction temperature due to an increase in external temperature or a failure of the cooling device (not shown), the thermal switch 31 detects this and detects the low level rLJ. When outputting the signal (see FIG. 3(C)), the clock generation circuit IO outputs the clock signal CK2 of the second period (see FIG. 3(b)). Therefore, the information processing section 20 operates using the clock signal CK2 of the second period (see FIG. 3(e)).

Therefore, although the operating speed of the microprocessor, memory, etc. constituting the information processing section 20 is reduced, the microprocessor, memory, etc., operate reliably without malfunctioning until the temperature reaches the element breakdown temperature.

Further, when the temperature of the information processing unit 20 becomes equal to or higher than the blocking breakdown temperature, the thermal switch 32 outputs a low level rLJ detection signal to the information processing unit 20 (see FIG. 3(d)).
. Therefore, the information processing section 20 stops its operation.

Thereafter, when the temperature of the information processing section 20 decreases and becomes below the blocking breakdown temperature, it operates according to the clock signal CK2 of the second cycle, and when it becomes below the malfunction temperature, it operates according to the clock signal CK1 of the first cycle.

Note that in this embodiment, the information processing unit 20 operates in two stages, the first period of the clock signal CK and the second period of the clock signal CK2, depending on the malfunction temperature and the inhibited breakdown temperature. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and the operation may be performed using a clock signal CK having a cycle of three or more stages.

[Effects of the Invention] As explained above, according to the present invention, since the period of the clock signal that drives the information processing section is changed depending on the temperature of the information processing section, the operating speed of the information processing section is slowed down. Even when the device is in use, it is possible to obtain an information processing device that operates reliably until just before the element breakdown temperature and has a high operating rate.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an information processing device according to an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a block diagram of a conventional information processing device, and FIG. 3 is a block diagram of a conventional information processing device.
5 is a timing chart showing the operation of the information processing device shown in the figure. lO...Variable frequency oscillation circuit, 11...Clock generator, 12.13...JK flip-flop, 14.
...D type flip-flop, 15.17...AND circuit, 1B...NOT circuit, 18...OR circuit, 20
... Information processing section, 30 ... Temperature detection circuit, 31.3
2...Thermal switch.

Claims (1)

[Claims] Clock signal oscillation means that can vary the frequency of a clock signal; information processing means that operates based on the clock signal; temperature detection means that detects the temperature of the information processing means; and the temperature detection means. a signal control means for changing the frequency of a clock signal output by the clock signal oscillation means in accordance with a detected temperature detected by the information processing means; An information processing device comprising: an operation control means for stopping;