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US 9,003,210 B2Granted
Dynamic voltage transitions
AssigneeIntel Corporation
InventorsStephen H. Gunther, Robert J. Greiner, Xia Dai, Hung-Piao Ma
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
The operating voltage of an integrated circuit (e.g., a processor) is changed in response to one or more conditions (e.g., a laptop computer is connected to an AC power source). Both the operating frequency and the operating voltage of the integrated circuit are changed. The voltage regulator providing the operating voltage to the integrated circuit is caused to transition between voltage levels using one or more intermediate steps. The integrated circuit continues to operate in the normal manner both at the new voltage and throughout the voltage transition.
Claims19
A method comprising:
- operating an integrated circuit using a first supply voltage level, wherein the integrated circuit is in a mobile computer;
- transmitting, from the integrated circuit to a voltage regulator, an indication of a second supply voltage level to be provided to the integrated circuit;
- receiving the second supply voltage level from the voltage regulator;
- and
- operating the integrated circuit using the second supply voltage level, wherein the integrated circuit does not change operating modes during transition between operation at the first supply voltage level and the second supply voltage level, wherein the voltage regulator provides multiple intermediate supply voltages between the first supply voltage level and the second supply voltage level, wherein the multiple intermediate supply voltages have programmable multiple intermediate intervals and programmable multiple intermediate operating voltage levels, and wherein operating the integrated circuit using the second supply voltage level includes waiting a programmable dwell time for changing an operating frequency of the integrated circuit.
2 more elements
A method comprising:
- providing, with a voltage regulator, a first supply voltage to an integrated circuit, wherein the integrated circuit is in a mobile computer;
- receiving, from the integrated circuit, an indication of a second supply voltage level to be provided to the integrated circuit by the voltage regulator;
- providing the second supply voltage to the integrated circuit with the voltage regulator, wherein the integrated circuit does not change operating modes during transition between operation at the first supply voltage level and the second supply voltage level, wherein the voltage regulator provides multiple intermediate supply voltages between the first supply voltage level and the second supply voltage level, wherein the multiple intermediate supply voltages have programmable multiple intermediate intervals and programmable multiple intermediate operating voltage levels, and wherein the integrated circuit is operated using the second supply voltage after a programmable dwell time for changing an operating frequency of the integrated circuit.
An apparatus comprising:
- an integrated circuit having a control circuit and a voltage regulator controller coupled to the control circuit, wherein the integrated circuit is in a mobile computer;
- a voltage regulator coupled to the voltage regulator controller, wherein the voltage regulator provides a first supply voltage to the integrated circuit and further wherein the voltage regulator controller transmits to the voltage regulator an indication of a second supply voltage to be provided to the integrated circuit and the voltage regulator provides the second supply voltage to the integrated circuit in response to receiving the indication and the integrated circuit does not change operational modes during transition between operation at the first supply voltage and the second supply voltage, wherein the voltage regulator provides multiple intermediate supply voltages between the first supply voltage level and the second supply voltage level, wherein the multiple intermediate supply voltages have programmable multiple intermediate intervals and programmable multiple intermediate operating voltage levels, and wherein the integrated circuit being operated using the second supply voltage includes waiting a programmable dwell time for changing an operating frequency of the integrated circuit.
An apparatus comprising:
- means for operating an integrated circuit using a first supply voltage level, wherein the integrated circuit is in a mobile computer;
- means for transmitting, from the integrated circuit to a voltage regulator, an indication of a second supply voltage level to be provided to the integrated circuit;
- means for receiving the second supply voltage level from the voltage regulator;
- and
- means for operating the integrated circuit using the second supply voltage level, wherein the integrated circuit does not change operational modes during transition between operation at the first supply voltage level and the second supply voltage level, wherein the voltage regulator provides multiple intermediate supply voltages between the first supply voltage level and the second supply voltage level, wherein the multiple intermediate supply voltages have programmable multiple intermediate intervals and programmable multiple intermediate operating voltage levels, and wherein the integrated circuit is to be operated using the second supply voltage level includes waiting a programmable dwell time for changing an operating frequency of the integrated circuit.
2 more elements
An apparatus comprising:
- means for providing, with a voltage regulator, a first supply voltage to an integrated circuit, wherein the integrated circuit is in a mobile computer;
- means for receiving, from the integrated circuit, an indication of a second supply voltage level to be provided to the integrated circuit by the voltage regulator;
- means for providing the second supply voltage to the integrated circuit with the voltage regulator, wherein the integrated circuit does not change operational modes during transition between operation at the first supply voltage level and the second supply voltage level, wherein the voltage regulator provides multiple intermediate supply voltages between the first supply voltage level and the second supply voltage level, wherein the multiple intermediate supply voltages have programmable multiple intermediate intervals and programmable multiple intermediate operating voltage levels, and wherein the integrated circuit is to be operated using the second supply voltage after a programmable dwell time for changing an operating frequency of the integrated circuit.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.