Synchronized Voltage Scaling and Device Calibration

• US 20120084575A1
• Filed: 08/25/2011
• Published: 04/05/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 09/30/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Texas Instruments, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Texas Instruments, Inc.
• Inventors: Flores, Jose Luis, Nardini, Lewis, Beaudoin, Denis Roland, Sojitra, Ritesh
• Granted Patent: US 9,098,438 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 713/300
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 13/14 Handling requests for interconnection or transfer
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 13/385 for adaptation of a particular data processing system to different peripheral devices
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 10/00 Energy efficient computing, e.g. low power processors, power management or thermal management

Abstract

A method is provided for scaling voltage in an integrated circuit. A calibration operation is performed on a functional module on the integrated circuit periodically at a rate T1. At least one parameter on the integrated circuit in monitored to determine when a performance threshold is reached. A change is initiated to an operating voltage for a portion of the integrated circuit in response to reaching the threshold. The rate of performing calibration operation is increased to a higher rate T2 for a window of time W in response to initiating the change in operating voltage, after which the rate of performing calibration is returned to the rate T1.

Claims

1. A method of scaling voltage in an integrated circuit, the method comprising:

performing calibration of a functional module controlled by the integrated circuit periodically at a rate T1;

monitoring at least one parameter on the integrated circuit to determine when a threshold is reached;

initiating a change to an operating voltage for a portion of the integrated circuit in response to reaching the threshold; and

increasing the rate of performing calibration to a higher rate T2 for a window of time in response to initiating the change in operating voltage, after which the rate of performing calibration is returned to the rate T1.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the functional module is a dual data rate three (DDR3) memory module, and wherein the calibration comprises write leveling to compensate for propagation delay of a clock signal and a data strobe signal.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein each periodic calibration comprises incremental write leveling.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the change in operating voltage is initiated by ramping the voltage from a first level to a second level over a period of time T.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein the window of time exceeds the period of time T.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein monitoring the at least one parameter comprises determining an operating frequency of a sensor on the integrated circuit, wherein the operating frequency of the sensor is indicative of a temperature sensitive performance metric of the integrated circuit, and wherein the threshold is indicative of a target performance metric value.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the threshold defines a performance parameter for the integrated circuit.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the performance parameter is an operating frequency.

9. A system comprising:

a processing module formed on an integrated circuit;

a device controller formed on the integrated circuit, wherein the device controller is configured to be periodically calibrated while controllably coupled to a functional module;

a performance sensor formed on the integrated circuit;

a power management controller coupled to the performance sensor, wherein the power management controller is configured to monitor at least one parameter for the integrated circuit to determine when a threshold is reached and to initiate a change to an operating voltage for a portion of the integrated circuit in response to reaching the threshold; and

wherein the device controller is configured to perform periodic calibration of the functional module at a rate T1, and to perform periodic calibration of the functional module at a higher rate T2 for a window of time in response to the power module initiating the change in operating voltage.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the functional module is a dual data rate three (DDR3) memory module, and wherein the calibration comprises write leveling to compensate for propagation delay of a clock signal and a data strobe signal from the device controller.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein each periodic calibration comprises incremental write leveling with two steps.

12. The system of claim 9, wherein the power management controller is configured to initiate a voltage change by ramping the voltage from a first level to a second level over a period of time T.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the window of time exceeds the period of time T.

14. The system of claim 9, wherein the power management controller is configured to monitor the at least one parameter by determining an operating frequency of the performance sensor, wherein the operating frequency of the sensor is indicative of a temperature sensitive performance metric of the integrated circuit, and wherein the threshold is indicative of a target performance metric value.

15. The system of claim 9, wherein the threshold defines a performance parameter for the integrated circuit.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the performance parameter is an operating frequency of the processing module.

17. The system of claim 9, further comprising:

a memory device interfaced to the device controller, wherein the memory device is configured to calibrated by the device controller; and

a variable power supply controllably coupled to the power management controller, a voltage output of the variable power supply coupled to the integrated circuit and to the memory device.

18. A system, comprising:

means for performing calibration of a functional module controlled by an integrated circuit periodically at a rate T1;

means for monitoring at least one parameter on the integrated circuit to determine when a threshold is reached;

means for initiating a change to an operating voltage for a portion of the integrated circuit in response to reaching the threshold; and

means for increasing the rate of performing calibration to a higher rate T2 for a window of time in response to initiating the change in operating voltage.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein the functional module is a dual data rate three (DDR3) memory module, wherein the calibration comprises write leveling to compensate for propagation delay of a clock signal and a data strobe signal, and wherein each periodic calibration comprises incremental write leveling.

20. The system of claim 18, wherein monitoring the at least one parameter comprises determining an operating frequency of a sensor on the integrated circuit, wherein the operating frequency of the sensor is indicative of a temperature sensitive performance metric of the integrated circuit, and wherein the threshold is indicative of a target performance metric value.