TODAY’S PATENT – METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR TEMPERATURE SENSING

This invention was jointly invented by Mark Williams & Loi Tran, was assigned in the name of OPTi inc. On 31 December 1996 which was later granted patent on 22^nd February 2000 bearing grant number. US6029251A. The invention relates to temperature sensing in a computer system. The invention’s system has the additional benefit of not requiring microprocessor instructions & also less expensive parts can be utilized.

A device for measuring temperature is described that produces a signal with a temperature-related frequency. The device has a way to receive temperature input, a way to carry a signal with a frequency related to temperature output, and a way to convert the temperature input to the output signal. An additional benefit of a system constructed in accordance with the invention is its ability to operate in a fail-safe mode, reliably handling overheating or system failure conditions even when the processor reacts to signals in an improper manner as a result of the overheating or system failure condition.