Dynamic voltage scaling interface
AssigneeFreescale Semiconductor, Inc.
InventorsGordon Lee, Christopher K.Y. Chun
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A switcher system or circuit and corresponding methods provide dynamic voltage scaling. One embodiment of an apparatus includes: a switcher controller configured to monitor a signal from a processor for a first state, determine a time that the signal is in the first state, and provide an adjustment signal based on the time, and a power supply coupled to the adjustment signal and configured to provide a variable supply voltage to the processor core, the variable supply voltage controlled by the adjustment signal after the determining a time.
Claims20
A method of dynamic voltage scaling comprising:
- monitoring a dynamic voltage scaling DVS signal for a first state;
- assessing a time that the DVS signal is in the first state;
- and
- providing an adjustment signal to a power supply for real time dynamic adjustments of a supply voltage, wherein the adjustment signal is based on the assessing a time that the DVS signal is in the first state.
An integrated circuit with dynamic voltage scaling comprising:
- a processor core configured to provide a dynamic voltage scaling (DVS) signal;
- a switcher system coupled to the DVS signal and coupled to the processor core and configured to provide a variable supply voltage to the processor core, the switcher system further comprising;
- a switcher controller configured to monitor the DVS signal for a first state, determine a time that the DVS signal is in the first state, and provide an adjustment signal, wherein the adjustment signal is based on the time that the DVS signal is in the first state, and
- wherein a power supply coupled to receive the adjustment signal and configured to provide the variable supply voltage, wherein the variable supply voltage begins an adjustment based on the adjustment signal.
A switcher circuit providing dynamic voltage scaling and comprising:
- a switcher controller configured to monitor a signal from a processor for a first state, to determine a time that the signal is in the first state, and to provide an adjustment signal, wherein the adjustment signal is based on the time that the signal is in the first state, and
- a power supply coupled to the adjustment signal and configured to provide a variable supply voltage to the processor, the variable supply voltage controlled by the adjustment signal after the determine a time that the signal is in the first state.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.