Process and apparatus for reducing power usage microprocessor devices operating from stored energy sources
First Claim
1. A process for automatically reducing the power usage of a microprocessor comprising the steps of:
- (a) continuously generating monitor interrupt signals for monitoring the operations of the microprocessor at predetermined intervals of time;
(b) searching within an instruction stream of the microprocessor for a plurality of instructions executed by the microprocessor upon the occurrence each of of said monitor interrupt signals by means of a monitoring circuit;
(c) comparing said plurality of searched instructions with a predefined list of instructions stored in memory to determine when at least one of said searched instructions constitutes a predefined instruction; and
(d) supplying at least a first operation frequency to said microprocessor upon the occurrence of said predefined instruction, and a reduced second operation frequency to said microprocessor upon the non-occurrence of said predefined instruction, wherein the power usage of said microprocessor is reduced according to the occurrence or non-occurrence of said predefined instruction by reduction of the operation frequency supplied to said microprocessor.
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0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A process and apparatus for preparing said process for reducing the power consumption of microprocessor-based devices by reducing the frequency of the oscillator governing the logical operation of the microprocessor during periods of use in which system performance is not critical. In one embodiment of apparatus the microprocessor is controlled by a monitor circuit operable with the microprocessor and operated by the variable frequency oscillator. In another embodiment a hardware monitor circuit is utilized and which tracks microprocessor instructions to determine periods of use when performance is not critical. The shift in oscillator speed is mediated by a flip-flop latch circuit connected between one or more clock oscillators and the oscillator input of the controlled microprocessor.
152 Citations
19 Claims
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1. A process for automatically reducing the power usage of a microprocessor comprising the steps of:
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(a) continuously generating monitor interrupt signals for monitoring the operations of the microprocessor at predetermined intervals of time; (b) searching within an instruction stream of the microprocessor for a plurality of instructions executed by the microprocessor upon the occurrence each of of said monitor interrupt signals by means of a monitoring circuit; (c) comparing said plurality of searched instructions with a predefined list of instructions stored in memory to determine when at least one of said searched instructions constitutes a predefined instruction; and (d) supplying at least a first operation frequency to said microprocessor upon the occurrence of said predefined instruction, and a reduced second operation frequency to said microprocessor upon the non-occurrence of said predefined instruction, wherein the power usage of said microprocessor is reduced according to the occurrence or non-occurrence of said predefined instruction by reduction of the operation frequency supplied to said microprocessor. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A process to reduce the power usage of a microprocessor utilizing a stored energy power source comprising the steps of:
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continuously generating monitor interrupt signals from a system in which a microprocessor operates to initiate monitoring operations at predetermined intervals of time, said monitoring operation being performed by means of a circuit for monitoring operation of said microprocessor, and comprising the searching of a plurality of instructions executed by said microprocessor upon the occurrence of each of said monitor interrupt signals in at least one direction in an instruction stream from a predetermined starting address in said instruction stream, determining whether any of the instructions searched constitutes a pre-defined instruction, supplying at least a first oscillation frequency to said microprocessor upon the occurrence of said pre-defined instruction, and supplying at least one second oscillation frequency to said microprocessor upon no pre-defined instruction occurring in said plurality of instructions wherein said at least one second oscillation frequency is lower than said first oscillation frequency such that the power usage of said microprocessor will be reduced by supplying said second oscillation frequency depending upon the non-occurrence of said pre-defined instruction.
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12. An apparatus for reducing the power usage of a microprocessor utilizing a stored energy power source comprising,
as microprocessor having means for continuously generating monitor interrupt signals at predetermined intervals of time; -
a monitoring circuit means for monitoring instructions executed by said microprocessor upon the occurrence of each of said monitor interrupt signals, and including means to compare said plurality of instructions which are monitored by said monitoring circuit means to instructions stored in memory, a latch circuit means having an input thereof coupled to the output of said monitoring circuit means, at least the source of an oscillating frequency for generating at least two discrete frequencies, coupled to said input of said latch circuit, wherein the output of said latch circuit couples a selected one of said at least two frequencies to said microprocessor upon the occurrence of at least one of said monitored instructions with at least one instruction in said stored instructions to enable the reduction of power usage dependent upon said selected one of said frequencies utilized in said microprocessor operation. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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Specification