US 11,231,769 B2Granted

Sequencer-based protocol adapter

AssigneeFacebook Technologies, LLC

InventorsGregory Ehmann, Drew E. Wingard

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Abstract

Methods, Apparatus, and Systems are discussed for a sequencer-based protocol adapter that executes a limited instruction set. The sequencer-based protocol adapter is implemented in electronic hardware and programmable registers in an integrated circuit and configured to transition a set of 1) one or more voltage sources, 2) one or more frequency sources, or 3) a combination of voltage sources and frequency sources, coupled with that sequencer-based protocol adapter. The sequencer-based protocol adapter manages power on the integrated circuit, via receiving a desired performance index at an input and then executing one or more of the limited instructions stored in the programmable registers in a proper sequence of steps in order to transition the coupled voltage sources and/or frequency sources from a current operational state to a desired operational state. Note, the desired operational state the coupled voltage sources and/or frequency sources corresponds to the received desired performance index.

Claims20

Dependent claims

An apparatus, comprising:

a sequencer-based protocol adapter configured to execute a limited instruction set, the limited instruction set comprising instructions that are executable according to different instruction sequences, wherein:
the sequencer-based protocol adapter is implemented in electronic hardware and programmable registers in an integrated circuit,
the programmable registers are configured to store the instructions of the limited instruction set,
the sequencer-based protocol adapter is configured to transition a set of 1) one or more voltage sources, 2) one or more frequency sources, or 3) a combination of voltage sources and frequency sources, coupled with the sequencer-based protocol adapter,
the sequencer-based protocol adapter is configured to manage power on the integrated circuit when a desired performance index is received at an input and then execute one or more of the instructions stored in the programmable registers as part of an instruction sequence in order to transition the coupled frequency and/or voltage sources from a current operational state to a desired operational state,
the desired operational state corresponds to the received desired performance index,
the 1) one or more voltage sources, 2) one or more frequency sources, or 3) combination of voltage sources and frequency sources can be transitioned into at least three different possible operational states, and
the sequencer-based protocol adapter includes an index table configured to store, for each performance index in a list of possible performance indexes, a starting address in the programmable registers for a corresponding instruction sequence of the different instruction sequences.

5 more elements

A method for creating an integrated circuit, comprising:

configuring a sequencer-based protocol adapter to execute a limited instruction set, the limited instruction set comprising instructions that are executable according to different instruction sequences;
populating the sequencer-based protocol adapter with programmable registers in the integrated circuit, the programmable registers configured to store the instructions of the limited instruction set;
configuring the sequencer-based protocol adapter to transition a set of 1) one or more voltage sources, 2) one or more frequency sources, or 3) a combination of voltage sources and frequency sources, coupled with the sequencer-based protocol adapter;
configuring the sequencer-based protocol adapter to manage power on the integrated circuit when a desired performance index is received at an input and then execute one or more of the instructions stored in the programmable registers as part of an instruction sequence in order to transition the coupled frequency and/or voltage sources from a current operational state to a desired operational state, where the desired operational state corresponds to the received desired performance index, and where the 1) one or more voltage sources, 2) one or more frequency sources, or 3) combination of voltage sources and frequency sources can be transitioned into at least three different possible operational states;
and
configuring the sequencer-based protocol adapter to include an index table configured to store, for each performance index in a list of possible performance indexes, a starting address in the programmable registers for a corresponding instruction sequence of the different instruction sequences.

3 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 16/190,944Filed 14 Nov 2018 · continuation in part
Priority: 6 Mar 2017
Published: US 2019/0079578 A114 Mar 2019
Granted: 25 Jan 2022
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification10 codes

G06F 1/3296
Power saving characterised by the action undertaken: by lowering the supply or operating voltage
G06F 1/10
Generating or distributing clock signals or signals derived directly therefrom: distribution of clock signals , e.g. skew
G06F 1/26
Details not covered by groups G06F3/00 - G06F13/00 and G06F21/00: power supply means, e.g. regulation thereof
G06F 1/28
Power supply means, e.g. regulation thereof: supervision thereof, e.g. detecting power-supply failure by out of limits supervision

Family

Application62/467,617Us provisional application · filed 6 Mar 2017
Application62/587,711Us provisional application · filed 17 Nov 2017
Application15/912,934Parent of this continuation-in-part · filed 6 Mar 2018
US 2019/0079578 A1Pre-grant publication · published 14 Mar 2019
US 10,921,874 B2Parent of this continuation-in-part
US 2018/0260017 A1Published application
US 11,231,769 B2This patent

From the US filing history. Foreign family members aren’t listed.