Digital system clock control

• US 20050210301A1
• Filed: 02/17/2005
• Published: 09/22/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 03/18/2004
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Nokia Corporation
• Original Assignee: Nokia Corporation
• Inventors: Nokkonen, Erkki
• Application Number:
  US11/059,741
• Publication Number:
  US 20050210301A1
• 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 1/3293 by switching to a less power-consuming processor, e.g. sub-CPU
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 10/00 Energy efficient computing, e.g. low power processors, power management or thermal management

Abstract

A digital system, a method implemented by the system and a mobile device, in which the system can be applied, the system including a system oscillator for providing a system main clock signal, a control block for controlling at least the power management of the digital system and one or more functional blocks, whereof at least one is arranged to detect a need for a system clock. At least one functional block is arranged to send at least one system clock request signal to the control block, which in turn is arranged to enable the system oscillator to provide the system clock signal in response to receiving the system clock request signal. When the system clock signal appears, the at least one functional block is arranged to detect the system clock signal.

Claims

1. A digital system comprising at least:

a main processor unit;

a system oscillator for providing a system clock;

one or more functional blocks, whereof at least one is configured to detect a need for a system clock; and

a power management control block separate from the main processor unit and configured to control the system oscillator in order to provide the system clock in response to receiving a system clock request from at least one said functional blocks, said functional block being capable of waking up by itself and configured to send at least one system clock request signal to the control block to request the system clock.

2. A digital system as claimed in claim 1, wherein:

said at least one functional block is configured to detect the system clock signal.

3. A digital system as claimed in claim 1, wherein:

said at least one functional block comprises a clock detection circuitry, which is configured to detect the system clock signal.

4. A digital system as claimed in claim 1, wherein:

said at least one functional block is configured to receive the system clock signal directly from the control block.

5. A digital system as claimed in claim 1, wherein:

said at least one functional block is configured to ignore the system clock signal in response to the fact that the functional block has not requested for the system clock.

6. A digital system as claimed in claim 1, wherein:

two or more functional blocks are configured to request for the system clock at the same time.

7. A digital system as claimed in claim 1, wherein:

the control block comprises a slicer, which is configured to transform the system clock in digital form.

8. A digital system as claimed in claim 1, wherein:

the control block comprises a timer, which is configured to allow the system clock to settle.

9. A digital system as claimed in claim 1, wherein:

at least one functional block comprises a timer, which is configured to allow the system clock to settle.

10. A digital system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the digital system further comprises:

a filter for removing glitches from the system clock request signal.

11. A method in a digital system said system comprising at least:

a main processor unit;

a system oscillator for providing a system clock;

one or more functional blocks, whereof at least one is configured to detect a need for a system clock; and

a power management control block separate from the main processor unit and the method comprising;

controlling the system oscillator in order to provide the system clock in response to receiving a system clock request from at least one said functional blocks, said functional block being capable of waking up by itself and configured to send at least one system clock request signal to the control block to request the system clock.

12. A method as claimed in claim 11, further comprising:

detecting the system clock signal in said at least one functional block.

13. A method as claimed in claim 11, further comprising:

detecting the system clock signal by a clock detection circuitry.

14. A method as claimed in claim 11, further comprising:

receiving the system clock signal directly from the control block.

15. A method as claimed in claim 11, further comprising:

ignoring the system clock signal in response to the fact that the functional block has not requested for the system clock.

16. A method as claimed in claim 11, further comprising:

transforming the system clock in digital form by means of a slicer comprised by the control block.

17. A method as claimed in claim 11, further comprising:

allowing the system clock to settle by a timer.

18. A method as claimed in claim 11, further comprising:

removing glitches from the system clock request signal.

19. A mobile device comprising a digital system having at least:

a main processor unit;

a system oscillator for providing a system clock;

one or more functional blocks, whereof at least one is configured to detect a need for a system clock; and

a power management control block separate from the main processor unit and configured to control the system oscillator in order to provide the system clock in response to receiving a system clock request from at least one said functional blocks, said functional block being capable of waking up by itself and configured to send at least one system clock request signal to the control block to request the system clock.

20. A mobile device as claimed in claim 19, wherein the mobile device further comprises:

means for detecting the system clock signal in said at least one functional block.

21. A mobile device as claimed in claim 19, wherein the mobile device further comprises:

means for receiving the system clock signal directly from the control block;

22. A mobile device as claimed in claim 19, wherein the mobile device further comprises:

means for ignoring the system clock signal in response to the fact that the functional block has not requested for the system clock.

23. A mobile device as claimed in claim 19, wherein the mobile device further comprises:

means for transforming the system clock in digital form.

24. A mobile device as claimed in claim 19, wherein the mobile device further comprises:

means for allowing the system clock to settle.

25. A mobile device as claimed in claim 19, wherein the mobile device further comprises:

means for removing glitches from the system clock request signal.

26. A mobile device as claimed in claim 19, wherein the mobile device is one of the following or a combination thereof:

a mobile communication device

a mobile data processing device.