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US 9,804,231 B2Granted
Power noise histogram of a computer system
AssigneeGlobalfoundries Inc.
InventorsMartin Eckert, Hubert Harrer, Thomas Strach
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A method is provided for determining a power noise histogram of a computer system. The computer system includes a skitter circuit with multiple skitter bins, each skitter bin of the multiple skitter bins being connected to a signal line at one or more clock cycles. The method includes: connecting each skitter bin to an individual counter circuit; and incrementing a counter when the respective skitter bin is enabled.
Claims17
A method comprising:
- determining a power noise histogram of a computer system, said computer system comprising a skitter circuit with multiple skitter bins, said skitter bins each being connected to a signal line at one or more clock cycles, the determining comprising:
- connecting each skitter bin to an individual counter circuit;
- incrementing a counter when the respective skitter bin is enabled;
- calibrating the skitter bins by determining a voltage corresponding to each skitter bin;
- defining a critical voltage limit;
- measuring a voltage distribution during computer system operation for a range of skitter bins;
- extrapolating the voltage distribution beyond the boundaries of the range of skitter bins;
- and
- calculating a probability of the computer system from the extrapolated voltage distribution to reach the predefined voltage limit.
6 more elements
An apparatus for determining a power noise histogram of a computer system, said apparatus comprising:
- a skitter circuit with multiple skitter bins, said skitter bins each being connected to a signal line at one or more clock cycles;
- each skitter bin being connected to an individual counter circuit for incrementing a counter when the respective skitter bin is enabled;
- calibrating the skitter bins by determining a voltage corresponding to each skitter bin;
- defining a critical voltage limit;
- measuring a voltage distribution during computer operation for a range of skitter bins;
- extrapolating the voltage distribution beyond the boundaries of the range of skitter bins;
- and
- calculating a probability of the computer system from the extrapolated voltage distribution to reach the predefined critical voltage limit.
5 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.