User’s Manual

IBM PowerPC 750GX and 750GL RISC Microprocessor

Figure 10-3. Dual PLL Switching Example, 3X to 4X

SYSCLK

3X

4X

GCLK

 

 

 

 

clk blocked

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

10.4 Thermal Assist Unit

With the increasing power dissipation of high-performance processors and operating conditions that span a wider range of temperatures than desktop systems, thermal management becomes an essential part of system design to ensure reliable operation of portable systems. One key aspect of thermal management is ensuring that the junction temperature of the microprocessor does not exceed the operating specification. While the case temperature can be measured with an external thermal sensor, the thermal constant from the junction to the case can be large, and accuracy can be a problem. This might lead to lower overall system performance due to the necessary compensation to alleviate measurement deficiencies.

The 750GX provides the system designer an efficient means of monitoring junction temperature through the incorporation of an on-chip thermal sensor and programmable control logic to enable a thermal-management implementation tightly coupled to the processor for improved performance and reliability.

10.4.1 Thermal Assist Unit Overview

The on-chip thermal assist unit (TAU) is composed of a thermal sensor, a digital-to-analog converter (DAC), a comparator, control logic, and four dedicated Special Purpose Registers (SPRs). See Figure 10-4on page 344 for a block diagram of the TAU.

gx_10.fm.(1.2)

Power and Thermal Management

March 27, 2006

Page 343 of 377