ADT7467
Rev. 0| Page 25 of 80
Configuring the THERM Behavior
1. Configure the relevant pin as the THERM timer input.
Setting Bit 1 (THERM timer enable) of Configuration
Register 3 (Reg. 0x78) enables the THERM timer
monitoring functionality. This is disabled on Pin 9 by
default.
Setting Bits 0 and 1 (PIN9FUNC) of Configuration
Register 4 (Reg. 0x7D) enables THERM timer/output
functionality on Pin 9 (Bit 1 of Configuration Register 3,
THERM, must also be set). Pin 9 can also be used as
TACH4.
2. Select the desired fan behavior for THERM timer events.
Assuming that the fans are running, setting Bit 2 (BOOST
bit) of Configuration Register 3 (Reg. 0x78) causes all fans
to run at 100% duty cycle whenever THERM gets asserted.
This allows fail-safe system cooling. If this bit is 0, the fans
run at their current settings and are not affected by
THERM events. If the fans are not already running when
THERM is asserted, the fans do not run to full speed.
3. Select whether THERM timer events should generate
SMBALERT interrupts.
Bit 5 (F4P) of Mask Register 2 (Reg. 0x75), when set, masks
out SMBALERTs when the THERM timer limit value gets
exceeded. This bit should be cleared if SMBALERTs based
on THERM events are required.
4. Select a suitable THERM limit value.
This value determines whether an SMBALERT is generated
on the first THERM assertion, or only if a cumulative
THERM assertion time limit is exceeded. A value of 0x00
causes an SMBALERT to be generated on the first THERM
assertion.
5. Select a THERM monitoring time.
This value specifies how often OS or BIOS level software
checks the THERM timer. For example, BIOS could read
the THERM timer once an hour to determine the
cumulative THERM assertion time. If, for example, the
total THERM assertion time is <22.76 ms in Hour 1,
>182.08 ms in Hour 2, and >5.825 s in Hour 3, this can
indicate that system performance is degrading significantly
because THERM is asserting more frequently on an hourly
basis.
Alternatively, OS or BIOS level software can timestamp
when the system is powered on. If an SMBALERT is
generated due to the THERM timer limit being exceeded,
another timestamp can be taken. The difference in time
can be calculated for a fixed THERM timer limit time. For
example, if it takes one week for a THERM timer limit of
2.914 s to be exceeded and the next time it takes only 1
hour, then this is an indication of a serious degradation in
system performance.
Configuring the THERM Pin as an Output
In addition to monitoring THERM as an input, the ADT7467
can optionally drive THERM low as an output. In cases where
PROCHOT is bidirectional, THERM can be used to throttle the
processor by asserting PROCHOT. The user can preprogram
system-critical thermal limits. If the temperature exceeds a
thermal limit by 0.25°C, THERM asserts low. If the temperature
is still above the thermal limit on the next monitoring cycle,
THERM stays low. THERM remains asserted low until the
temperature is equal to or below the thermal limit. Because the
temperature for that channel is measured only once for every
monitoring cycle, after THERM asserts it is guaranteed to
remain low for at least one monitoring cycle.
The THERM pin can be configured to assert low, if the Remote
1, local, or Remote 2 THERM temperature limits are exceeded
by 0.25°C. The THERM temperature limit registers are at
Registers 0x6A, 0x6B, and 0x6C, respectively. Setting Bit 3 of
Registers 0x5F, 0x60, and 0x61 enables the THERM output
feature for the Remote 1, local, and Remote 2 temperature
channels, respectively. Figure 33 shows how the THERM pin
asserts low as an output in the event of a critical
overtemperature.
ADT7467
MONITORING
CYCLE
TEMP
THERM LIMIT
+0.25°C
THERM
04498-0-027
THERM LIMIT
Figure 33. Asserting THERM as an Output, Based on Tripping THERM Limits
An alternative method of disabling THERM is to program the
THERM temperature limit to –64°C or less in Offset 64 mode,
or −128°C or less in twos complement mode; that is, for
THERM temperature limit values less than –63°C or –128°C,
respectively, THERM is disabled.