Classifications

• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H10—SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES; ELECTRIC SOLID-STATE DEVICES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
  • H10W—GENERIC PACKAGES, INTERCONNECTIONS, CONNECTORS OR OTHER CONSTRUCTIONAL DETAILS OF DEVICES COVERED BY CLASS H10
  • H10W40/00—Arrangements for thermal protection or thermal control
  • H10W40/10—Arrangements for heating

Definitions

• the invention generally relates to a system and a method for controlling and maintaining the internal temperature of the electronic components within an operating temperature range in automobiles.
• Integrated circuit (IC) transistors, and components, such as application specific integrated circuits (ASICs), memories, etc. are designed to work at the optimum operating temperature for their lifetime, usually about 10 years.
• This operating temperature varies with the type of ICs that are manufactured in several grades depending upon operating environment. For example, commercial grade with operating temperature in the range of 0 0 Centigrade (C) to 70 °C (sometimes - 10 °C to 70 °C); industrial grade with operating temperature in the range of -25 °C to 85 °C (sometimes -40 °C to 85 °C); and military grade with operating temperature in the range of -55 °C to 125 °C (sometimes -65 °C to 175 °C).
• Another option to control the logic behavior of components beyond the 1 r operating temperature range is to provide an external aid.
• This external aid usually in the form of additional components, to externally heat (or cool) the required component to keep them within their operating range.
• One such example is use of heat sinks. These heat sinks are available in sizes as small as 0.25" x 0.25" (6.4 mm x 6.4 mm) to fit electronic components which includes temperature stabilization of crystal oscillators, thermal stress testing of integrated circuits, and simulation of heat-emitting components to evaluate performance of cooling systems.
• Such additional/external means of heating however, not only add up to the total cost of functioning of the component, but are also complex and create architectural impediments in the device.
• Another object of the invention is to provide a system and a method of controlling and maintaining the internal temperature of electronic components of a device which is cost effective, yet operates at wider operating temperatures.
• Another object of the invention is to provide a system and related method for controlling and maintaining the internal temperature of the electronic components of a device within the operating temperature range of the electronic components for maximum period of time to enhance the life, efficacy, stability and predictability of the device.
• Yet another object of the invention is to provide a system, and method for controlling maintaining the internal temperature of the electronic components of a device within the operating temperature range of the electronic components at a wider range of external temperature, without employing high grade electronic components or any external means of heating / cooling.
• Another object of the invention is to provide a system, and method for controlling and maintaining the internal temperature of the electronic components of a device within the operating temperature range of the electronic components, for a wider range of external temperature, which is cost-effective and simple in design.
• FIG. 1 illustrates a temperature compensation scheme depicting internal temperature and external temperature over time. Also temperature compensation access periods are indicated as well as components absolute rating limit and upper / lower threshold to activate temperature compensations scheme; and
• FIG. 2 is a flow diagram of the working of the temperature compensation scheme of FIG.1;
• controller is defined as a chip or integrated circuit (IC) that interfaces with a peripheral device.
• IC integrated circuit
• the described embodiments pertain to controlling and maintaining the internal temperature of various electronic components within their operating temperature range by use of temperature compensation mechanisms applied to a plurality of electronic components in a device without any external heating aid or use of higher grade components.
• the described embodiments also provide means of controlling internal temperature of electronic components.
• a system and method for controlling and maintaining the internal temperature of the electronic components of a device within the operating temperature range is used to maintain the temperature of individual components within their operating temperature range and thereby synchronizing the operating range of temperature of individual components to have a wider operating range of temperature for the device.
• an activity based compensation scheme is used to make distinct components within a device, work consistently within their operating temperature range even when the external temperature goes below the minimum / or alternately goes above the maximum.
• a temperature of the electronic component is sensed by an on-board integrated circuit (IC) or an embedded temperature sensor, and when temperature is found to be within a predetermined range or at a threshold - at a lower threshold limit, which limit could be pre- adjusted as component absolute rating limit plus a safety margin, of the electronic component, the other component / device that has even lower operation point diverts more activity on the first electronic component in the manner to ensures that the temperature of higher temperature devices will be kept above the minimum temperature limit.
• IC integrated circuit
• component level activity is increased by memory write/read operations, processor dummy operations and / or cellular device base station check routines / sub routines.
• no separate heating element is required during heating as heating up takes place automatically while component(s) inside the device are activated.
• eMMC type memories an embedded non-volatile memory system, including both flash memory and a flash memory controller, usually integrated on the same silicon die, cannot be used below -20°C.
• FIG. 1 depicts the temperature compensation access periods as well as the components absolute rating limit and upper / lower threshold to activate temperature compensation scheme.
• the temperature of a component is sensed by an on-board or IC embedded temperature sensor, and when temperature is at a lower threshold limit of the electronic component the device that has even lower operation point puts more activity on electronic device in the manner that higher temperature devices temperature will be kept above minimum temperature limit.
• the lower threshold limit is the component specific absolute rating limit, and a safety margin.
• Figure 1 illustrates temperature compensation access scheme showing device internal temperature and external temperature over time. Also temperature compensation access periods are indicated as well as components absolute rating limit and upper/lower threshold to activate temperature compensations scheme.
• FIG. 2 illustrates a flow diagram of the implementing the described embodiments.
• a sensor determines where a particular component is in an idle state. Once the sensor determines that the component is not in an idle state, it then determines whether the temperature of the component is below a certain prescribed threshold. This threshold is usually a lower threshold (Thi), and is either preconfigured in the sensor or the component itself or on a memory. Once the sensor determines that the temperature of the component is below the Thi, the sensor triggers a set of instructions to start a heating routine.
• This heating routine is configured to control access to peripheral systems including the described heating system. In addition, the heating routine is in a control feedback loop with battery components to monitor currently active and inactive components.
• the sensor monitors the temperature of the component (either continuously or in a predetermined interval) and once the temperature reaches an upper threshold (Th u ) or within a prescribed range of the (Th u ), the sensor triggers a set of instructions to end the heating routine.
• the sensor system may be included as part of an on-board system or as a standalone integrated circuit, or an Application Specific Integrated Circuit ("ASIC"), or the sensor system may be included separately as a Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA).
• ASIC Application Specific Integrated Circuit
• FPGA Field Programmable Gate Array
• the sensor system is integrated as an FPGA, or is coupled to an FPGA
• automobile or vehicle specific information may be first obtained to build a vehicle specific history and operating conditions. This history may be used to customize the FPGA according to the vehicle specific history, operating conditions, and accordingly have custom temperature thresholds.

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• 2013
  • 2013-03-19 IN IN814DE2012 patent/IN2012DE00814A/en unknown
  • 2013-03-19 WO PCT/IB2013/000418 patent/WO2013140226A2/en not_active Ceased

Non-Patent Citations (1)

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