Frequency/Vid Control - Intel 2ND GENERATION CORE PROCESSOR FAMILY DESKTOP - THERMAL MECHANICAL SPECIFICATIONS AND DESIGN GUIDELINES 01-2011 Specifications

6.2.2.1

Frequency/VID Control

When the Digital Temperature Sensor (DTS) reaches a value of 0 (DTS temperatures
reported via PECI may not equal zero when PROCHOT# is activated, see
Section 6.2.2.5
will be asserted. This indicates the processors' temperature has met or exceeded the
factory calibrated trip temperature and it will take action to reduce the temperature.
Upon activation of the TCC, the processor will stop the core clocks, reduce the core
ratio multiplier by 1 ratio and restart the clocks. All processor activity stops during this
frequency transition which occurs within 2 us. Once the clocks have been restarted at
the new lower frequency, processor activity resumes while the voltage requested by the
VID lines is stepped down to the minimum possible for the particular frequency.
Running the processor at the lower frequency and voltage will reduce power
consumption and should allow the processor to cool off. If after 1ms the processor is
still too hot (the temperature has not dropped below the TCC activation point, DTS still
= 0 and PROCHOT is still active), then a second frequency and voltage transition will
take place. This sequence of temperature checking and Frequency/VID reduction will
continue until either the minimum frequency has been reached or the processor
temperature has dropped below the TCC activation point.
If the processor temperature remains above the TCC activation point even after the
minimum frequency has been reached, then clock modulation (described below) at that
minimum frequency will be initiated.
There is no end user software or hardware mechanism to initiate this automated TCC
activation behavior.
A small amount of hysteresis has been included to prevent rapid active/inactive
transitions of the TCC when the processor temperature is near the TCC activation
temperature. Once the temperature has dropped below the trip temperature, and the
hysteresis timer has expired, the operating frequency and voltage transition back to
the normal system operating point via the intermediate VID/frequency points.
Transition of the VID code will occur first, to insure proper operation as the frequency is
increased. Refer to
54
for further details), the TCC will be activated and the PROCHOT# signal
Figure 6-6 for an illustration of this ordering.
Thermal/Mechanical Specifications and Design Guidelines
Thermal Specifications