Methods and systems are provided for thermal self-monitoring of integrated
circuits. Temperature is sensed, digitized, encoded, and compared to one or more
threshold values by circuits added within an integrated circuit. A signal produced
by a thermal diode within an integrated circuit is applied to an analog to digital
converter and may be compared to one or more threshold values to produce a digital
over temperature condition signal. An appropriate cooling action may be initiated
by processing of the digital signal so produced. Also provided are methods and
systems to alter the range and resolution of the temperature threshold comparisons.