Patent US6345362B1 successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US6345362B1
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Managing Vt for reduced power using a status table
Assignee: GlobalFoundries Inc
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Filing: 1999-04-06
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Granted: 2002-02-05
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Expires: 2019-04-06
Abstract
Abstract An integrated circuit includes a CPU, a power management unit and plural functional units each dedicated to executing different functions. The power management unit controls the threshold voltage of the different functional units to optimize power/performance operation of the circuit and intelligent power management control responds to the instruction stream and decodes each instruction in turn. This information identifies which of the functional units are required for the particular instruction and by comparing that information to power status, the intelligent power control determines whether the functional units required to execute the command are at the optimum power level. If they are, the command is allowed to proceed, otherwise the intelligent power control either stalls the instruction sequence or modifies process speed.
Inventors
- 👤 Claude Louis Bertin
- 👤 Alvar Antonio Dean
- 👤 Kenneth Joseph Goodnow
- 👤 Scott Whitney Gould
- 👤 Wilbur David Pricer
- 👤 William Robert Tonti
- 👤 Sebastian Theodore Ventrone
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-08 14:34
CPC Classifications
G; G06; G06F; G06F9/00; G06F9/06; G06F9/30; G06F9/38; G06F9/3836; G06F1/00; G06F1/26; G06F1/32; G06F1/3203; G06F1/3234; G06F1/324; G06F1/3287; G06F9/3867; G06F9/3869; Y; Y02; Y02D; Y02D10/00
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 21
Claim 1
Independent Claim
149 words
An integrated circuit comprising: plural functional units subject to different power levels, only one of the power levels maximizing performance of the functional unit; a central processor coupled to the functional units and operating at a current processor speed, the central processor including: a decode unit for receiving and decoding an instruction and for identifying required ones of the functional units for executing the instruction; a status table coupled to the functional units for indicating power level data of the functional units, a logic unit responsive to the decode unit and to the status table to determine if a functional unit required for execution of an instruction is not at the one power level; and an execution unit coupled to the logic unit for enabling execution of the instruction at the current processor speed if the power level data indicates that the required functional units have sufficient power levels.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
149 words
An integrated circuit comprising: plural functional units subject to different power levels, only one of the power levels maximizing performance of the functional unit; a central processor coupled to the functional units and operating at a current processor speed, the central processor including: a decode unit for receiving and decoding an instruction and for identifying required ones of the functional units for executing the instruction; a status table coupled to the functional units for indicating power level data of the functional units, a logic unit responsive to the decode unit and to the status table to determine if a functional unit required for execution of an instruction is not at the one power level; and an execution unit coupled to the logic unit for enabling execution of the instruction at the current processor speed if the power level data indicates that the required functional units have sufficient power levels.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
43 words
The integrated circuit of claim 1 , wherein the execution unit includes means for reducing the execution speed below the current processor speed if the power level data indicates that not all the required ones of the functional units have sufficient power levels.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
20 words
The integrated circuit of claim 1 , which includes means for selectively adjusting the power levels of the functional units.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
30 words
The integrated circuit of claim 3 , wherein the execution unit includes means for stalling execution of instructions to allow for adjustment of the power level of the functional units.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
31 words
The integrated circuit of claim 1 where the logic unit indicates which, if any, of the functional units required for execution of an instruction are not at the one power level.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
37 words
The integrated circuit of claim 5 wherein the logic unit includes means to maintain a given functional unit in an optimum power level for a selected time in the absence of additional demand for that functional unit.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
31 words
The integrated circuit of claim 5 wherein the control table includes a timer function to time out a selected time after optimum power level for a given functional unit is initiated.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
24 words
The integrated circuit of claim 7 wherein the timer function is initiated when an optimum power level is required for a given functional unit.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
26 words
The integrated circuit of claim 1 which further includes, a monitor unit coupled to the status table for passing power status data to the status table.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
12 words
The integrated circuit of claim 6 wherein the selected time is fixed.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
12 words
The integrated circuit of claim 6 wherein the selected time is programmable.
Claim 13
Independent Claim
134 words
A method of operating an integrated circuit which comprising plural functional units each subject plural power levels and dedicated to different functions, only one of the power levels maximizing performance of the functional unit, a central processor coupled to the functional units and operating at a current processor speed, the method comprising: a) identifying an instruction and identifying required ones of the functional units for executing that instruction; b) maintaining power level status of the functional units, c) determining, based on steps a) and b) whether all the required ones of the functional units have sufficient power levels to execute the instruction at the current processor speed; and d) allowing the instruction to be executed at the current processor speed if the power level data indicates that the required functional units have sufficient power.
Claim 14
Independent Claim
134 words
A method of operating an integrated circuit which comprising plural functional units each subject plural power levels and dedicated to different functions, only one of the power levels maximizing performance of the functional unit, a central processor coupled to the functional units and operating at a current processor speed, the method comprising: a) identifying an instruction and identifying required ones of the functional units for executing that instruction; b) maintaining power level status of the functional units, c) determining, based on steps a) and b) whether all the required ones of the functional units have sufficient power levels to execute the instruction at the current processor speed; and d) allowing the instruction to be executed at the current processor speed if the power level data indicates that the required functional units have sufficient power.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
37 words
The method of claim 12 , which further e) reduces the execution speed below the current processor speed if the power level data indicates that not all the required ones of the functional units have sufficient power.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
33 words
The method of claim 12 , which further selectively adjusts the power levels of the functional units which are required for execution of the instruction which are not presently supplied with sufficient power.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
28 words
The method of claim 14 , which further includes stalling execution of an instruction to allow for adjustment of the power level of at least one functional unit.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
25 words
The method of claim 12 which further includes timing a selected time during which a high power level for a given functional unit is required.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
23 words
The method of claim 16 wherein the timing is initiated each time a high power level is required for a given functional unit.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
13 words
The method of claim 16 wherein the period of the timing is fixed.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
13 words
The method of claim 16 wherein the period of the timing is programmable.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2005-02-04 | 2005-08-06 | 2006-02-05 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2009-02-04 | 2009-08-06 | 2010-02-05 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2013-02-04 | 2013-08-06 | 2014-02-05 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |