Patent ID: 7519498

Claim:
A method for measuring the temperature of a microprocessor through the use of existing electro-static discharge (“ESD”) circuitry, wherein the ESD circuitry is coupled to at least one component and is configured to protect at least one component, comprising: connecting at least one current measuring device to an input/output (I/O) pad of an existing ESD circuit of the microprocessor, wherein the at least one current measuring device is at least configured to measure a current through a diode within the existing ESD circuit; disabling the at least one component that is protected by the existing ESD circuit; applying a predetermined voltage to the existing ESD circuit, wherein the predetermined voltage creates a reverse saturation current through the diode within the existing ESD circuit; measuring with the current measuring device a reverse saturation current through the diode within the existing ESD circuit; determining the temperature of the microprocessor at the existing ESD circuit based upon the reverse saturation current measurement; and generating a thermal map of the microprocessor based on reverse saturation current measurements at a plurality of existing ESDs of the microprocessor by performing the connecting, disabling, applying, and measuring operations on the plurality of existing ESDs of the microprocessor.