Performance control of an integrated circuit
AssigneeArm Limited
InventorAnurag Mittal
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An integrated circuit is provided with a test circuit element and one or more further circuit elements. The performance of the test circuit element at various settings of a performance controlling parameter is determined. That performance controlling parameter is then applied across the one or more further circuit elements. The integrated circuit may include memory banks and the performance controlling parameter can be sense amplifier timing, delay line length or another parameter such as operating voltage, operating frequency and circuit timing in general.
Claims29
A method of controlling an integrated circuit comprising:
- during a testing phase, testing performance of a test circuit element within said integrated circuit at different settings of one or more programmable performance controlling parameters of said test circuit element to generate test results;
- setting said one or more programmable performance controlling parameters of one or more further circuit elements within said integrated circuit in dependence upon said test results, said one or more further circuit elements having a variation in performance with said one or more programmable performance controlling parameters that has a known relationship to a variation in performance of said test circuit element with said one or more programmable performance controlling parameters;
- and
- during an operational phase, operating at least said one or more further elements with said one or more programmable performance control parameters as set.
An integrated circuit comprising:
- test circuitry responsive to performance of a test circuit element within said integrated circuit during a testing phase at different settings of one or more programmable performance controlling parameters of said test circuit element to generate test results;
- performance controller circuitry responsive to said test results to set said one or more programmable performance controlling parameters of one or more further circuit elements within said integrated circuit, said one or more further circuit elements having a variation in performance with said one or more programmable performance controlling parameters that has a known relationship to a variation in performance of said test circuit element with said one or more programmable performance controlling parameters;
- wherein
- during an operational phase, at least said one or more further elements operate with said one or more programmable performance control parameters as set.
An integrated circuit comprising:
- test means for testing performance of a test circuit element within said integrated circuit during a testing phase at different settings of one or more programmable performance controlling parameters of said test circuit element to generate test results;
- performance controller means for setting said one or more programmable performance controlling parameters of one or more further circuit elements within said integrated circuit in response said test results, said one or more further circuit elements having a variation in performance with said one or more programmable performance controlling parameters that has a known relationship to a variation in performance of said test circuit element with said one or more programmable performance controlling parameters;
- wherein
- during an operational phase, at least said one or more further elements operate with said one or more programmable performance control parameters as set.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.