Datasheet 89
Thermal Specifications and Design Considerations
if the system tries to enable the T C C via on -demand mode at the same time autom atic
mode is enabled and a high temperature condition exists, automatic mode will take
precedence.
An external signal, PROCHOT# (processor hot) is asserted when the processor detects
that its temperature is above the thermal trip point. Bus snooping and interrupt
latching are also active while the TCC is active.
Besides the thermal sensor and thermal control circuit, the Intel Thermal Monitor also
includes one ACPI register, one performance counter register, three model specific
registers (MSR), and one I/O pin (PROCHOT#). All are a v ailable to monitor and control
the state of the Intel Thermal Monitor feature. The Intel Thermal Monitor can be
configured to generate an interrupt upon the assertion or deassertion of PROCHOT#.
Note: PROCHOT# will not be asserted when the processor is in the Stop Grant, Sleep, Deep
Sleep, and Deeper Sleep low power states (internal clocks stopped), hence the thermal
diode reading must be used as a safeguard to maintain the processor junction
temperature within maximum specification. If the platform thermal solution is not able
to maintain the processor junction temperature within the maximum specification, the
system must initiate an orderly shutdown to prevent damage. If the processor enters
one of the above low power states with PROCHOT# already asserted, PROCHOT# will
remain asserted until the processor exits the low power state and the processor
junction temperature drops below the thermal trip point.
If Intel Thermal Monitor automatic mode is disabled, the processor will be operating out
of specification. Regardless of enabling the automatic or on-demand modes, in the
event of a catastrophic cooling failure, the processor will automatically shut down when
the silicon has reached a temperature of approximately 125°C. At this point the
THERMTRIP# signal will go active. THERMTRIP# activation is independent of processor
activity and does not generate any bus cycles. When THERMTRIP# is asserted, the
processor core voltage must be shut down within the time specified in Chapter 3.
5.1.4 Digital Thermal Sensor (DTS)
The processor also contains an on-die DTS that can be read via a MSR (no I/O
interface). In a dual core implementation of the Intel Core Duo processor, each core will
have a unique D T S whose temper ature is accessible via processor MSR. The DTS is the
preferred method of reading the processor die temperature since it can be located
much closer to the hottest portions of the die and can thus more accurately track the
die temperature and potential activation of processor core clock modulation via the
Intel Thermal Monitor. The DTS is only valid while the processor is in the normal
operating state (C0 state).
Unlike traditional thermal devices, the DTS will output a temperature relative to the
maximum supported operating temperature of the processor (TJ,max). It is the
responsibility of software to convert the relative temperature to an absolute
temperature. The temperature returned by the DTS will always be at or below TJ,max.
Over temperature conditions are detectable via an Out Of Spec status bit. This bit is
also part of the digital thermal sensor MSR. When this bit is set, the processor is
operating out of specification and immediate shutdown of the system should occur. The
processor operation and code execution is not guar anteed once the activ ation of the
Out of Spec status bit is set.
The DTS relative temperature readout corresponds to the Intel Thermal Monitor (TM1/
TM2) trigger point. When the DTS indicates maximum processor core temperature has
been reached the TM1 or TM2 hardware thermal control mechanism will activate. The
D TS and TM1/TM2 temperature may not correspond to the thermal diode reading since
the thermal diode is located in a separate portion of the die and thermal gradient
between the individual core DTS. Additionally, the thermal gradient from DTS to
thermal diode can vary substantially due to changes in processor power, mechanical