Reducing performance degradation in backup semiconductor chips
AssigneeInternational Business Machines Corporation
InventorsAditya Bansal, Manjul Bhushan, Keith A. Jenkins, Jae-Joon Kim, Barry P. Linder, Kai Zhao
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A system has at least a first circuit portion and a second circuit portion. The first circuit portion is operated at normal AC frequency. The second circuit portion is operated in a back-up mode at low AC frequency, such that the second circuit portion can rapidly come-online but has limited temperature bias instability degradation. The second circuit portion can then be brought on-line and operated at the normal AC frequency. A system including first and second circuit portions and a control unit, as well as a computer program product, are also provided.
Claims25
A method of operating a system having at least a first circuit portion and a second circuit portion, said method comprising the steps of:
- operating said first circuit portion at normal AC frequency;
- and
- operating said second circuit portion in a back-up mode at low AC frequency, such that said second circuit portion can rapidly come-online but has limited temperature bias instability degradation.
A system comprising:
- a first circuit portion;
- a second circuit portion;
- and
- a control unit configured to:
- cause said first circuit portion to operate at normal AC frequency;
- and
- cause said second circuit portion to operate in a back-up mode at low AC frequency, such that said second circuit portion can rapidly come-online but has limited temperature bias instability degradation.
An apparatus for operating a system having at least a first circuit portion and a second circuit portion, said apparatus comprising:
- means for operating said first circuit portion at normal AC frequency;
- and
- means for operating said second circuit portion in a back-up mode at low AC frequency, such that said second circuit portion can rapidly come-online but has limited temperature bias instability degradation.
A computer program product for operating a system having at least a first circuit portion and a second circuit portion, said computer program product comprising a computer readable storage medium having computer readable program code embodied therewith, said computer readable program code comprising:
- computer readable program code configured to cause said first circuit portion to operate at normal AC frequency;
- and
- computer readable program code configured to cause said second circuit portion to operate in a back-up mode at low AC frequency, such that said second circuit portion can rapidly come-online but has limited temperature bias instability degradation.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.