Graphics processor sub-domain voltage regulation

• US 10,359,834 B2
• Filed: 01/18/2017
• Issued: 07/23/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 12/19/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Original Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Inventors: Maiyuran, Subramaniam, Khellah, Muhammad M., Tschanz, James W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Huynh, Kim
• Assistant Examiner(s): Neveln, Joshua
• Application Number:
  US15/409,366
• Publication Number:
  US 20170322617A1
• Time in Patent Office: 916 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/324 by lowering clock frequency
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3243 Power saving in microcontroller unit
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3287 by switching off individual functional units in the computer system
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3296 by lowering the supply or operating voltage
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 10/00 Energy efficient computing, e.g. low power processors, power management or thermal management

Abstract

Voltage regulation of processor sub-domains supplied by a same voltage domain power supply rail. Voltage to certain logic units within the voltage domain may be reduced relative to other logic units of the voltage domain, reducing idle time at high power. In an embodiment, a first voltage-regulated sub-domain includes at least one execution unit (EU) while a second voltage-regulated sub-domain includes at least one texture sampler to provide flexibility in setting the graphics core power-performance point beyond modulating active EU count through power domain (gating) control. In embodiments, a sub-domain voltage is regulated by an on-chip DLDO for fast voltage switching. Clock frequency and sub-domain voltage may be switched faster than the voltage of the voltage domain supply rail, permitting a more finely grained power management that can be responsive to EU workload demand.

Claims

1. A system on a chip (SOC), comprising:

an input to receive an input voltage from a source external to the SOC, wherein the input voltage is adjustable to a non-zero input voltage below 1V; and

a power domain including first sub-domain circuitry coupled to the input voltage through a first switch, and second sub-domain circuitry coupled to the input voltage through a second switch, wherein;

the first switch is to connect the first sub-domain circuitry with the input voltage in a first mode, isolate the first sub-domain circuitry from the input voltage in a second mode, and, in a third mode, reduce the input voltage down to a non-zero voltage that is output to the first sub-domain circuitry;

the second switch is to connect the second sub-domain circuitry with the input in the first mode, isolate the second sub-domain circuitry from the input in the second mode, and, in the third mode, reduce the input voltage down to a non-zero voltage that is output to the second sub-domain circuitry; and

the input voltage received is to vary at a first rate and the first switch is to change the input voltage at a second rate, faster than the first rate.

2. The SOC of claim 1, wherein the input voltage is adjustable within a range comprising at least 0.6V and 0.9V, and wherein the first sub-domain circuitry is operable in a low power mode at the non-zero voltage.

3. The SOC of claim 1, wherein the power domain is a first power domain, and the SOC further comprises:

a second power domain including third sub-domain circuitry coupled to the input through a third switch, and fourth sub-domain circuitry coupled to the input through a fourth switch, wherein;

the third switch, separate from the first and second switch, is to connect the third sub-domain circuitry with the input voltage in the first mode, and isolate the third sub-domain circuitry from the input voltage in the second mode, and output to the third sub-domain circuitry the non-zero voltage below the input voltage in the third mode; and

the fourth switch, separate from the first and second switch, is to connect the fourth sub-domain circuitry with the input in the first mode, isolate the fourth sub-domain circuitry from the input in the second mode, and output to the fourth sub-domain circuitry the non-zero voltage below the input voltage in a third mode.

4. The SOC of claim 1, wherein the first switch comprises one or more transistors, wherein the first sub-domain circuitry is to connect with the input through a channel of the transistors in the first mode, wherein the transistors are to isolate the first sub-domain circuitry from the input in the second mode, and wherein the transistors are to output to the first sub-domain circuitry the non-zero voltage in the third mode.

5. The SOC of claim 1, wherein the non-zero voltage is no more than 0.6V.

6. The SOC of claim 1, wherein the input voltage received is to vary between a first non-zero input voltage and a second non-zero input voltage.

7. The SOC of claim 1, wherein the SOC comprises one or more graphics cores and one or more central processor cores.

8. A platform, comprising:

a voltage regulator to provide an input voltage that is adjustable between a first non-zero input voltage and a second non-zero input voltage, at least one of which is below 1V; and

a system on a chip (SOC) coupled to the voltage regulator, wherein the SOC comprises;

an input to receive the input voltage from the voltage regulator; and

a power domain including first sub-domain circuitry coupled to the input through a first switch, and second sub-domain circuitry coupled to the input through a second switch, wherein;

the first switch is to connect the first sub-domain circuitry with the input in a first mode, isolate the first sub-domain circuitry from the input in a second mode, and, in a third mode, reduce the input voltage down to a non-zero voltage that is output to the first sub-domain circuitry;

the second switch, separate from the first switch, is to connect the second sub-domain circuitry with the input in the first mode, isolate the second sub-domain circuitry from the input in the second mode, and, in a third mode, reduce the input voltage down to a non-zero voltage that is output to the second sub-domain circuitry; and

the input voltage received is to vary at a first rate and the first switch is to change the input voltage at a second rate, faster than the first rate.

9. The platform of claim 8, wherein the first non-zero input voltage is no more than 0.6V and the second non-zero input voltage is at least 0.9V.

10. The platform of claim 8, wherein the first sub-domain circuitry is operable in a low power mode at the non-zero voltage.

11. The platform of claim 8, wherein the power domain is a first power domain, and the SOC further comprises:

a second power domain including third sub-domain circuitry coupled to the input through a third switch, and fourth sub-domain circuitry coupled to the input through a fourth switch, wherein;

the third switch, separate from the first and second switch, is to connect the third sub-domain circuitry with the input voltage in the first mode, and isolate the third sub-domain circuitry from the input voltage in the second mode, and output to the third sub-domain circuitry the non-zero voltage below the input voltage in the third mode; and

the fourth switch, separate from the first and second switch, is to connect the fourth sub-domain circuitry with the input in the first mode, isolate the fourth sub-domain circuitry from the input in the second mode, and output to the fourth sub-domain circuitry the non-zero voltage below the input voltage in a third mode.

12. The platform of claim 8, wherein the first switch comprises one or more transistors, wherein the first sub-domain circuitry is to connect with the input through a channel of the transistors in the first mode, wherein the transistors are to isolate the first sub-domain circuitry from the input in the second mode, and wherein the transistors are to output to the first sub-domain circuitry the non-zero voltage in the third mode.

13. The platform of claim 8, wherein:

the first non-zero input voltage and a second non-zero input voltage differ by at least 0.3V; and

the non-zero voltage is no more than 0.6V.

14. A method of operating a system on a chip (SOC), the method comprising:

receiving an input voltage from a source external to the SOC, wherein the input voltage is adjustable to a non-zero voltage below 1V;

connecting, through a first switch, first sub-domain circuitry of a power domain to the input voltage in a first mode;

isolating, with the first switch, the first sub-domain circuitry from the input voltage in a second mode; and

,

reducing, with the first switch, the input voltage down to a non-zero voltage output to the first sub-domain circuitry;

connecting, through a second switch, second sub-domain circuitry of the power domain to the input voltage in the first mode;

isolating, with the second switch, the second sub-domain circuitry from the input voltage in the second mode; and

reducing, with the second switch, the input voltage down to a non-zero voltage output to the second sub-domain circuitry, wherein the input voltage received varies at a first rate and the first switch is to change the input voltage at a second rate, faster than the first rate.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising operating the first and second sub-domain circuitry in a low power mode at the non-zero voltage.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the non-zero voltage is no more than 0.6V.

17. The method of claim 14, wherein the first switch comprises one or more transistors, wherein the first sub-domain circuitry is to connect with the input through a channel of the transistors in the first mode, wherein the transistors are to isolate the first sub-domain circuitry from the input in the second mode, and wherein the transistors are to output to the first sub-domain circuitry the non-zero voltage in the third mode.

18. The method of claim 14, wherein the input voltage received varies between a first non-zero input voltage and a second non-zero input voltage that differ by at least 0.3V.