Automated method and apparatus for processor thermal validation

• Main Author: HERMERDING JAMES G
• Format: Patent
• Language: English
• Published: 01.07.2004
• Edition: 7
• Subjects: MEASURING; MEASURING QUANTITY OF HEAT; MEASURING TEMPERATURE; PHYSICS; TESTING; THERMALLY-SENSITIVE ELEMENTS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR

A method and corresponding software for automatically validating a computer platform thermal solution. An application program is employed to selectively execute thermal stress code to cause the platform's processor to dissipate an amount of power corresponding to a predetermined value, such as a thermal design power dissipation value specified by the processor's manufacturer. In one embodiment, tests are performed while operating at this power dissipation level to determine if a thermal overload condition exists, which may be determined by the processor's temperature, an indication that the processor is throttled, or a signal provided by the processor indicating the processor has detected a thermal overload condition. In another embodiment, a thermal resistance value is calculated based on the processor power dissipation, the temperature of the processor, and the ambient temperature of the test environment. In one embodiment the entire validation process is automatically performed by the application program without requiring any extraneous test equipment or temperature probes.