Electrical computers and digital processing systems: support – Computer power control – Power conservation
Reexamination Certificate
2006-05-23
2006-05-23
Butler, Dennis M. (Department: 2115)
Electrical computers and digital processing systems: support
Computer power control
Power conservation
C713S323000, C713S324000
Reexamination Certificate
active
07051221
ABSTRACT:
A microprocessor includes a functional block having dynamic power savings circuitry, a functional block control circuit, and a thermal control unit. The functional block control circuits are capable of altering performance characteristics of their associated functional blocks automatically upon detecting an over temperature condition. The thermal control unit receives an over-temperature signal indicating a processor temperature exceeding a threshold and invokes the one or more of the functional block control units in response to the signal. The functional block control units respond to signals from the thermal control unit by reducing processor activity, slowing processor performance, or both. The reduced activity that results causes the dynamic power saving circuitry to engage. The functional block control units can throttle performance by numerous means including reducing the exploitable parallelism within the processor, suspending out-of-order execution, reducing effective resource size, and the like.
REFERENCES:
patent: 5829879 (1998-11-01), Sanchez et al.
patent: 6029006 (2000-02-01), Alexander et al.
patent: 6047248 (2000-04-01), Georgiou et al.
patent: 6192479 (2001-02-01), Ko
patent: 6282663 (2001-08-01), Khazam
Clabes Joachim Gerhard
Floyd Michael Stephen
Kalla Ronald Nick
Sinharoy Balaram
Butler Dennis M.
Lally Joseph P.
Salys Casimer K.
LandOfFree
Performance throttling for temperature reduction in a... does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Performance throttling for temperature reduction in a..., we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Performance throttling for temperature reduction in a... will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-3576253