CPU frequency adjusting system and method

• US 20050210309A1
• Filed: 12/28/2004
• Published: 09/22/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 03/16/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hong Fu Jin Precision Industry (Shenzhen) Co., Ltd. (Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.), Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: Tang, Gui-Hua, Weng, Yi-Ching, Wang, Guang-Jian
• Granted Patent: US 7,370,221 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 713/600
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/4411 Configuring for operating with peripheral devices; Loading of device drivers

Abstract

A Central Processing Unit (CPU) frequency adjusting system has a multi-level architecture including an application level, a driver level, a hardware abstraction level, and a hardware platform. The application level includes a user interface (10) for generating a command signal to adjust a CPU frequency according to an input from a user, and displaying an adjusted CPU frequency. The hardware abstraction level includes a frequency adjusting module (130) for adjusting a current CPU frequency in a flash memory (14) with the new CPU frequency input by the user; and a data accessing module (131) for storing the adjusted CPU frequency in the flash memory, and reading the adjusted CPU frequency from the flash memory in order to display the adjusted CPU frequency on the user interface. The CPU frequency adjusting system can reduce the complexity of the hardware abstraction level, and is compatible with different types of BIOSs.

Claims

1. A Central Processing Unit (CPU) frequency adjusting system comprising:

an application level, comprising;

a user interface for generating a command signal to adjust a CPU frequency according to an input from a user, and displaying an adjusted CPU frequency;

a driver level, comprising;

a driver model for transmitting the command signal generated by the user interface; and

a hardware abstraction level, comprising;

a flash memory for storing the adjusted CPU frequency; and

a Basic Input/Output System (BIOS), comprising;

a frequency adjusting module for adjusting a frequency of a clock generator of a motherboard on which the CPU is mounted according to the command signal, thereby adjusting the CPU frequency; and

a data accessing module for storing the adjusted CPU frequency in the flash memory, and reading the adjusting CPU frequency from the flash memory in order to display the adjusting CPU frequency on the user interface.

2. The CPU frequency adjusting system according to claim 1, further comprising a hardware platform.

3. The CPU frequency adjusting system according to claim 2, wherein the hardware platform comprises a CPU, the CPU having its frequency adjusted by the CPU frequency adjusting system, and the CPU being for controlling the BIOS to implement the function of adjusting the CPU frequency.

4. The CPU frequency adjusting system according to claim 3, wherein the hardware platform further comprises a South Bridge connecting the CPU with the BIOS.

5. The CPU frequency adjusting system according to claim 1, wherein the application level further comprises a Dynamic Link Library for transmitting the command signal generated by the user interface to the driver model.

6. The CPU frequency adjusting system according to claim 1, wherein the BIOS is also for receiving the command signal generated by the user interface from the driver model, and determining a validity of the new CPU frequency input from the user.

7. The CPU frequency adjusting system according to claim 6, wherein the BIOS determines the validity of the new CPU frequency by checking whether the CPU frequency falls within a preset range of CPU frequencies.

8. A Central Processing Unit (CPU) frequency adjusting method, comprising the steps of:

receiving from a user interface a new CPU frequency input by a user, and generating a command signal for adjusting a current CPU frequency;

receiving the command signal at a Dynamic Link Library;

receiving the command signal from the Dynamic Link Library at a driver model;

receiving the command signal from the driver model at a Basic Input/Output System (BIOS), and determining a validity of the new CPU frequency; and

adjusting the CPU frequency if the new CPU frequency is valid.

9. The CPU frequency adjusting method according to claim 8, wherein the BIOS determines the validity of the CPU frequency by checking whether the new CPU frequency falls within a preset range of CPU frequencies.

10. The CPU frequency adjusting method according to claim 8, wherein the CPU frequency is adjusted by adjusting a frequency of a clock generator of a motherboard on which the CPU is positioned.

11. The CPU frequency adjusting method according to claim 8, further comprising the step of transmitting the adjusted CPU frequency to the user interface to be displayed to the user.

12. A method for adjusting frequency of Central Processing Units (CPUs), comprising the steps of:

retrieving a new input of said CPU frequency from a user interface;

generating a command signal for adjusting said CPU frequency according to said new input; and

adjusting said CPU frequency to said new input according to said command signal.

13. The method according to claim 12, further comprising the step of retrieving a current value of said CPU frequency after said adjusting step to readably display in said user interface.

14. The method according to claim 12, further comprising the step of transmitting said command signal to a Basic Input/Output System (BIOS) through a driver model so as to allow said BIOS performing said adjusting step.

15. The method according to claim 12, further comprising the step of identifying validity of said new input to become a workable value of said CPU frequency.