Patent ID: 6351360
Filing Date: 2002-02-26
Classification: H03K

Abstract:
An integrated circuit whose temperature is subject to variation with time during operation, including:at least two power devices; a thermal fault detection circuit positioned at a first location nearer to a first one of the power devices than to each other one of the power devices and configured to assert a first signal upon detecting that the temperature of the integrated circuit at the first location has increased to a threshold temperature; a second thermal fault detection circuit positioned at a second location nearer to a second one of the power devices than to each other one of the power devices and configured to assert a second signal upon detecting that the temperature of the integrated circuit at the second location has increased to a second threshold temperature; operating condition detection circuitry coupled to the power devices and configured to assert a third signal upon detecting an undesired operating condition of the first one of the power devices and to assert a fourth signal upon detecting an undesired operating condition of the second one of the power devices; and logic circuitry, coupled to the thermal fault detection circuit, the second thermal fault detection circuit, the operating condition detection circuitry, the first one of the power devices, and the second one of the power devices, and configured to shut down the first one of the power devices in response to concurrent assertion of the first signal and the third signal, and to shut down the second one of the power devices in response to concurrent assertion of the second signal and the fourth signal, but not to shut down the second one of the power devices in response to concurrent assertion of the first signal and the fourth signal.