Power Supply Apparatus with System Controller

• US 20090037752A1
• Filed: 04/24/2006
• Published: 02/05/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 09/13/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sony Computer Entertainment Incorporated (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Computer Entertainment Incorporated (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Takiguchi, Iwao, Tamura, Tetsuji, Imai, Atsuhiko, Mitsui, Kazuaki
• Granted Patent: US 8,051,304 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 713/300
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/26 Power supply means, e.g. regulation thereof for memories G11C

Abstract

In a power supply apparatus for supplying a target power supply voltage to a microprocessor, a system controller sets the target power supply voltage to be supplied to the microprocessor based on a voltage configuration signal outputted from the microprocessor and outputs a voltage setting signal corresponding to the target power supply voltage. The regulator circuit generates the target power supply voltage set by the system controller based on the voltage setting signal outputted from the system controller and supplies the voltage to the microprocessor 10. The system controller acquires the conditions of the microprocessor, such as the operating time and temperature of the microprocessor and the amount of computation in the microprocessor, and reflects the acquired conditions on the setting of the power supply voltage.

Claims

1. A power supply apparatus for supplying a power supply voltage to a microprocessor, comprising:

a system controller which sets a target power supply voltage to be supplied to the microprocessor based on a voltage configuration signal outputted from the microprocessor and outputs a voltage setting signal corresponding to the set target power supply voltage; and

a regulator circuit which generates the target power supply voltage set by the system controller, based on the voltage setting signal outputted from the system controller, and supplies the target power supply voltage to the microprocessor, wherein

the system controller acquires an operating time of the microprocessor and reflects the obtained time on the setting of the target power supply voltage.

2. The power supply apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the system controller comprises a voltage setting table which holds the relationship between the voltage configuration signal and the target power supply voltage to be supplied to the microprocessor.

3. The power supply apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the operation clock of the microprocessor remains constant.

6. The power supply apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the frequency of operation clock of the microprocessor is fixed, and

the system controller acquires an amount of computation in the microprocessor in addition to the operating time of the microprocessor and reflects the obtained amount on the setting of the target power supply voltage.

7. The power supply apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the voltage setting table is configured such that data held therein can be updated.

8. The power supply apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the system controller and the microprocessor are connected to each other through a bus.

9. The power supply apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the system controller gradually lowers the setting value of the target power supply voltage,

the microprocessor transmits an enable signal, which indicates whether the microprocessor can be operated with the power supply voltage applied thereto, to the system controller through the bus, and

the system controller dynamically sets the target power supply voltage based on the enable signal.

10. The power supply apparatus according to claim 1, wherein:

the regulator circuit generates the target power supply voltage based on the voltage setting signal inputted as a digital signal; and

the system controller and the regulator circuit are connected to each other through a digital signal line.

11. The power supply apparatus according to claim 1, wherein:

the regulator circuit generates the target power supply voltage based on the voltage setting signal inputted as an analog signal; and

the power supply apparatus further comprises a digital-to-analog converter which converts the voltage setting signal in digital form outputted from the system controller to an analog voltage setting signal and outputs the analog voltage setting signal to the regulator circuit.

12. The power supply apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising an analog-to-digital converter which converts a power supply voltage supplied to the microprocessor from analog to digital, wherein

the system controller includes an electric power computing unit which computes a power consumption in the microprocessor using an output signal from the analog-to-digital converter and the voltage setting signal outputted to the regulator circuit.

13. An electronic device, comprising:

a microprocessor; and

the power supply apparatus according to claim 1, the power supply apparatus supplying a power supply voltage to the microprocessor.

14. The power supply apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the operation clock of the microprocessor remains constant.

4. (canceled)

5. (canceled)