Integrated circuit performing dynamic voltage and frequency scaling operation and operating method thereof

A method of operating an integrated circuit including a plurality of sub circuits that processes an instruction according to an operating condition, the method comprising:

• counting, by a total counter, a total active time during which at least one sub circuit of the plurality of sub circuits is active;
• obtaining a workload based on a ratio of a sample period to the total active time in which at least one of the plurality of sub circuits is active;
• deriving energy consumed by each sub circuit of the plurality of sub circuits during the sample period based on a product of an individual active time of each sub circuit and individual power consumption of each sub circuit;
• deriving a total power consumption based on a ratio of a sum of the energy consumed by each sub circuit of the plurality of sub circuits to the total active time;
• obtaining a power usage rate based on the total power consumption of the plurality of sub circuits during the sample period;
• and
• adjusting an operating condition according to a ratio between the workload and the power usage rate.

A computing system comprising:

• a plurality of sub circuits each configured to process an instruction according to an operating condition;
• active counters respectively corresponding to the plurality of sub circuits and configured to count a sub active time, which is an active time of each corresponding sub circuit;
• a total counter configured to count a total active time during which at least one sub block of the plurality of sub circuits is active;
• a clock management circuit configured to determine a clock signal applied to the plurality of sub circuits;
• a power management circuit configured to determine a power voltage applied to the plurality of sub circuits;
• and
• a Dynamic Voltage and Frequency Scaling (DVFS) circuit configured to derive a workload of the plurality of sub circuits,
• derive energy consumed by each sub circuit of the plurality of sub circuits during a sample period based on a product of an individual active time of each sub circuit and individual power consumption of each sub circuit,
• derive a total power consumption consumed by the plurality of sub circuits during the sample period based on a ratio of a sum of the energy consumed by each sub circuit of the plurality of sub circuits to the total active time,
• derive a power usage rate based on the total power consumption of the plurality of sub circuits, and
• control the clock management circuit or the power management circuit to adjust a frequency of the clock signal or a magnitude of the power voltage based on the ratio of the workload to the power usage rate.