Method and apparatus for providing supply voltages for a processor

• US 20030120958A1
• Filed: 12/26/2001
• Published: 06/26/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 12/26/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Original Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Inventors: Nguyen, Don J., Lenehan, Daniel J., Zhang, Kevin X.
• Granted Patent: US 6,948,079 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 713/300
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3203 Power management, i.e. event-based initiation of a power-saving mode
• 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

For one embodiment of the present invention, a processor may include one or more integrated voltage regulators powered by an external voltage regulator and generating one or more local supply voltages for the processor. The one or more local supply voltages may be set to allow one or more circuits powered by the local supply voltage(s) to meet a timing requirement. The local supply voltage(s) may be adjusted by the processor in accordance with a power management policy.

Claims

1. A processor comprising:

a voltage regulator to be powered by a first voltage and to provide a second voltage; and

a circuit powered by the second voltage.

2. The processor of claim 1, wherein the second voltage is adjustable by the processor.

3. The processor of claim 2, wherein the voltage regulator includes a digitized resistor to be set by the processor.

4. The processor of claim 1, wherein the second voltage is to be set to allow the circuit to meet a timing requirement.

5. The processor of claim 1, further comprising a port to receive the first voltage from an external voltage regulator.

6. The processor of claim 1, wherein the voltage regulator includes an op amp.

7. The processor of claim 6, wherein the circuit is a digital circuit.

8. The processor of claim 1, wherein the circuit includes at least a portion of a core of the processor.

9. The processor of claim 1, wherein the circuit includes a memory region.

10. The processor of claim 9, wherein the memory region is a cache.

11. A computer system comprising:

a discrete voltage regulator to provide a global Vcc; and

a processor including a local voltage regulator to be powered by the global Vcc and to provide a local Vcc for the processor.

12. The computer system of claim 11, wherein the local Vcc is adjustable by the processor.

13. The computer system of claim 12, wherein the local voltage regulator includes a digitized resistor to be set by the processor.

14. The computer system of claim 11, wherein the processor includes a cache to be powered by the local Vcc.

15. The computer system of claim 11, wherein the processor is a graphics controller.

16. A method comprising:

providing a first voltage to a processor comprising an integrated voltage regulator;

powering the voltage regulator with the first voltage, the voltage regulator to provide a second voltage; and

powering at least a portion of the processor with the second voltage.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising adjusting the second voltage by the processor.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein powering at least a portion of the processor includes powering a floating point unit of the processor.