Backward compatibility through use of spoof clock and fine grain frequency control

A system, comprising:

• a processor;
• a memory;
• and
• processor executable instructions embodied in the memory, the instructions being configured to implement a method upon execution by the processor, the method comprising:
• after it is determined whether an application loaded on a current version of the system is for the current version of the system or a less powerful version of the system,
• a) running the application on a processor at a standard clock frequency of a current version of the system when the application is designed for the current version of the system, wherein running the application at the standard clock frequency includes synchronizing operation of the processor with the standard clock frequency wherein the current version of the system includes a software readable cycle counter and incrementing the cycle counter at a different operating frequency than a standard operating frequency of a different version of the system;
• and
• b) running the application at a second clock frequency when the application is designed for the different version of the system, wherein the different version of the system is characterized by a different standard clock frequency, wherein the second clock frequency is different than the standard clock frequency, wherein running the application at the second clock frequency includes synchronizing operation of the processor with the second clock frequency and incrementing the cycle counter at the standard operating frequency of the different version of the system or a rate so close to it as to avoid triggering errors in operation.

A non-transitory computer readable medium having computer readable instructions embodied therein, the instructions being configured to implement a method upon execution by a processor, the method comprising:

• after it is determined whether an application loaded on a current version of a system is for the current version of a system or a less powerful version of the system,
• a) running the application on a processor at a standard clock frequency of a current version of the system when the application is designed for the current version of the system, wherein running the application at the standard clock frequency includes synchronizing operation of the processor with the standard clock frequency wherein the current version of the system includes a software readable cycle counter and incrementing the cycle counter at a different operating frequency than a standard operating frequency of a different version of the system;
• and
• b) running the application at a second clock frequency when the application is designed for the different version of the system, wherein the different version of the system is characterized by a different standard clock frequency, wherein the second clock frequency is different than the standard clock frequency of the current version of the system, wherein running the application at the second clock frequency includes synchronizing operation of the GPU with the second clock frequency and incrementing the cycle counter at the standard operating frequency of the different version of the system or a rate so close to it as to avoid triggering errors in operation.