Clock generation systems and methods

• US 20030014682A1
• Filed: 06/22/2001
• Published: 01/16/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 06/22/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: SK Hynix Inc.
• Original Assignee: Gallitzin Allegheny LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Inventors: Schmidt, Dominik J.
• Granted Patent: US 6,898,721 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 713/500
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/08 Clock generators with changeable or programmable clock frequency
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/32 Means for saving power
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/324 by lowering clock frequency
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/329 by task scheduling
• 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

A low power reconfigurable processor core includes one or more processing units, each unit having a clock input that controls the performance of the unit; a wireless transceiver transmitting and receiving at a frequency based on a wireless clock input; and a controller having a plurality of clock outputs each coupled to the clock inputs of the processing units and the wireless clock input, the clock outputs being generated from a common master clock.

Claims

1. A low power a reconfigurable processor core, comprising:

one or more processing units, each unit having a clock input that controls the performance of the unit;

a wireless transceiver transmitting and receiving at a frequency based on a wireless clock input; and

a controller having a plurality of clock outputs each coupled to the clock inputs of the processing units and the wireless clock input, the clock outputs being generated from a common master clock.

2. The processor core of claim 1, wherein the common master clock operates at the same frequency as a Bluetooth frequency or an 802.11 frequency.

3. The processor core of claim 1, wherein one of the processing unit comprises a digital signal processor (DSP) or a reduced instruction set computer (RISC) processor.

4. The processor core of claim 1, wherein each unit is dynamically managed on a per-task basis.

5. The processor core of claim 1, wherein each unit is clocked at the lowest rate possible to reduce peak power dissipation, reduce average power dissipation, or minimize buffer memory size and power.

6. The processor core of claim 1, wherein the controller generates a plurality of clock signals, each independently rate controlled to each processing unit.

7. The processor core of claim 1, wherein the master clock is approximately 2.4 Gigahertz.

8. The processor core of claim 1, wherein the plurality of clocks comprise gated versions of a master clock.

9. The processor core of claim 1, wherein the controller changes the clock rate of each processing unit independently of the remaining processing unit.

10. The processor core of claim 9, wherein the clock rate is generated based on an algorithm.

11. The processor core of claim 10, wherein the algorithm is optimized for one of the following:

power reduction, buffer memory management, or emissions control.

12. The processor core of claim 11, wherein the algorithm is pre-assigned based upon tasks or routines handled by each processing unit.

13. The processor core of claim 11, wherein the algorithm is invoked by one or more external or internal system stimuli.

14. The processor core of claim 1, wherein the controller changes on or more clock inputs on-the-fly.

15. The processor core of claim 1, wherein the controller controls one or more clock inputs in a centralized manner.

16. The processor core of claim 1, wherein the controller controls one or more clock inputs in a decentralized manner.

17. The processor core of claim 1, wherein the controller controls one or more clock inputs in a centralized manner.

18. The processor core of claim 1, further comprising one or more clock traces coupled to the controller.

19. The processor core of claim 18, wherein each clock trace comprises an antenna.

20. The processor core of claim 18, wherein each clock trace receives power from an external power source.