ACPI thermal sensing and control in the PC

The ACPI (Advanced Configuration and Power Interface) specification was developed to provide a standardized approach to configuring the hardware, systems, and software necessary for power and thermal management within the PC. Temperature sensors and system monitors are a core part of any reliable thermal management system. This paper discusses ways to use temperature sensing in the PC for optimum conformance to the ACPI specification. While the discussion focuses on PC applications, many of the concepts presented here also apply to electronic systems in general. As we will see, efficient, cost-effective solutions are possible with the right component choices. Components are available that can off-load much of the ACPI requirement from the operating system, thereby enabling the computer to achieve its full performance potential.