CPU frequency regulating circuit

• US 7,543,162 B2
• Filed: 09/22/2006
• Issued: 06/02/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 03/23/2006
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: Lu, Wen-Sheng
• Primary Examiner(s): SURYAWANSHI, SURESH
• Application Number:
  US11/309,769
• Publication Number:
  US 20070226521A1
• Time in Patent Office: 984 Days
• Field of Search: 713/300
• 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: Y02D 10/00 Energy efficient computing, e.g. low power processors, power management or thermal management

Abstract

An exemplary CPU frequency regulating circuit includes a detecting circuit, a comparing circuit, and an adjusting circuit. The detecting circuit is coupled to a power circuit of a CPU for receiving and amplifying a load voltage. The comparing circuit is coupled to the detecting circuit for comparing the amplified load voltage with a default voltage. The adjusting circuit is coupled between the comparing circuit and the CPU for selecting a CPU frequency according to a result of the comparison. The CPU frequency regulating circuit detects the load voltage of the power circuit of the CPU for selecting an appropriate frequency to the CPU according to a working condition.

Claims

1. A CPU frequency regulating circuit comprising:

a detecting circuit coupled to a power circuit of a CPU for receiving and amplifying a load voltage of the power circuit, the detecting circuit comprising an output terminal configured for outputting the amplified load voltage;

a comparing circuit coupled to the detecting circuit for comparing the amplified load voltage with a default voltage, the comparing circuit comprises;

a first comparator;

a second comparator;

a third comparator;

a fourth comparator; and

four voltage dividing circuits corresponding to the first, second, third, and fourth comparators;

each of the first, second, third, and fourth comparators having a non-inverting terminal coupled to the output terminal of the detecting circuit, and an inverting terminal coupled to a corresponding one of the four voltage dividing circuits; and

an adjusting circuit coupled between the comparing circuit and the CPU for selecting a CPU frequency according to a result of the comparison.

2. The CPU frequency regulating circuit as claimed in claim 1, wherein the detecting circuit comprises:

a fifth comparator having a non-inverting terminal coupled to a differential voltage terminal in a power circuit of the CPU, an inverting terminal coupled to ground via a first resistor, and an output terminal coupled to the inverting terminal via a second resistor; and

a sixth comparator having a non-inverting terminal coupled to a feedback terminal in the power circuit of the CPU, an inverting terminal coupled to ground via a third resistor, the second resistor, and the first resistor, and an output terminal as the output terminal of the detecting circuit coupled to the inverting terminal via a fourth resistor.

3. The CPU frequency regulating circuit as claimed in claim 2, wherein the adjusting circuit comprises:

a frequency generator; and

a selecting circuit coupled between the comparing circuit and the frequency generator for selecting an output frequency of the frequency generator.

4. The CPU frequency regulating circuit as claimed in claim 3, wherein the selecting circuit comprises:

a first NOT gate having an input terminal coupled to an output terminal of the first comparator;

a second NOT gate having an input terminal coupled to an output terminal of the second comparator;

a third NOT gate having an input terminal coupled to the output terminal of the first comparator;

a first AND gate having a first input terminal coupled to an output terminal of the first NOT gate, and second input terminal coupled to an output terminal of the second NOT gate;

a second AND gate having a first input terminal coupled to an output terminal of the third comparator, and a second input terminal coupled to an output terminal of the fourth comparator;

a third AND gate having a first input terminal coupled to an output terminal of the third NOT gate, and a second input terminal coupled to an output terminal of the second comparator;

a fourth AND gate having a first input terminal coupled to the output terminal of the third comparator, and a second input terminal coupled to the output terminal of the fourth comparator;

a fifth AND gate having a first input terminal coupled to the output terminal of the first comparator, and a second input terminal coupled to the output terminal of the second comparator;

a sixth AND gate having a first input terminal coupled to the output terminal of the third comparator, and a second input terminal coupled to the output terminal of the fourth comparator;

a seventh AND gate having a first input terminal coupled to an output terminal of the first AND gate, and a second input terminal coupled to an output terminal of the second AND gate;

an eighth AND gate having a first input terminal coupled to an output terminal of the third AND gate, and a second input terminal coupled to an output terminal of the fourth AND gate; and

a ninth AND gate having a first input terminal coupled to an output terminal of the fifth AND gate, and a second input terminal coupled to an output terminal of the sixth AND gate; and

wherein

the frequency generator comprises;

a first selection terminal coupled to an output terminal of the seventh AND gate;

a second selection terminal coupled to an output terminal of the eighth AND gate; and

a third selection terminal coupled to an output terminal of the ninth AND gate.

5. A frequency regulating circuit for a processor which is capable of working in a plurality of load regions, comprising:

a detecting circuit coupled to the processor for detecting load of the processor and outputting a voltage signal in response to the load;

a comparing circuit coupled to the detecting circuit for identifying the load of the processor belonging to which one of the load regions, the comparing circuit comprising;

at least two voltage dividing circuits;

at least two comparators corresponding to the at least two voltage dividing circuits; and

each of at least two comparators having a non-inverting terminal to receive the voltage signal output by the detecting circuit inverting terminal coupled to corresponding one of the at least two voltage dividing circuits, and an output terminal output voltage signal; and

an adjusting circuit coupled between the comparing circuit and the processor, the adjusting circuit comprising a frequency generator capable of generating a plurality of frequencies, and a selecting circuit configured for receiving the voltage signals output by the output terminal of the comparing circuit and controlling the adjusting circuit to selectively output one of the frequencies corresponding to the identified load to the processor.

6. The frequency regulating circuit as claimed in claim 5, wherein the detecting circuit comprises a pair of comparators respectively coupled to a differential voltage terminal in a power circuit of the processor and a feedback terminal in the power circuit.

7. The frequency regulating circuit as claimed in claim 5, wherein the comparing circuit comprises a plurality of voltage dividing circuits, and a plurality of comparators, each of the comparators having a non-inverting terminal coupled to an output terminal of the detecting circuit to receive the voltage signal output by the detecting circuit, and an inverting terminal coupled to a corresponding one of the at voltage dividing circuits.

8. The frequency regulating circuit as claimed in claim 5, wherein the frequency generator comprises a plurality of selection terminal coupled to the selecting circuit, wherein the selecting circuit comprises a plurality of NOT gates and a plurality of AND gates, cooperating together for processing the voltage signals output by the output terminal of the comparing circuit and controlling the frequency generator to a corresponding frequency of the plurality of frequencies.

9. A CPU frequency regulating circuit comprising:

a detecting circuit coupled to a power circuit of a CPU for receiving and amplifying a load voltage of the power circuit, wherein the detecting circuit comprises;

a first comparator having a non-inverting terminal coupled to a differential voltage terminal in a power circuit of the CPU, an inverting terminal coupled to ground via a first resistor, and an output terminal coupled to the inverting terminal via a second resistor; and

a second comparator having a non-inverting terminal coupled to a feedback terminal in the power circuit of the CPU, an inverting terminal coupled to ground via a third resistor, the second resistor, and the first resistor, and an output terminal coupled to the inverting terminal via a fourth resistor and output the amplified load voltage;

a comparing circuit coupled to the output terminal of the second comparator to received the amplified load voltage for comparing the amplified load voltage with a default voltage; and

an adjusting circuit coupled between the comparing circuit and the CPU for selecting a CPU frequency according to a result of the comparison.

10. The CPU frequency regulating circuit as claimed in claim 9, wherein the comparing circuit comprises:

four voltage dividing circuits;

a third comparator;

a fourth comparator;

a fifth comparator; and

a sixth comparator;

each of the third, fourth, fifth, and sixth comparators having a non-inverting terminal coupled to the output terminal of the second comparator, and an inverting terminal coupled to a corresponding one of the voltage dividing circuits.

11. The CPU frequency regulating circuit as claimed in claim 10, wherein each of the four voltage dividing circuits comprises two resistors having different resistance connected in serial between a voltage source and ground, wherein resistances of the resistors of the four voltage dividing circuits are different.

12. The CPU frequency regulating circuit as claimed in claim 10, wherein the adjusting circuit comprises:

a frequency generator; and

a selecting circuit coupled between the comparing circuit and the frequency generator for selecting an output frequency of the frequency generator.

13. The CPU frequency regulating circuit as claimed in claim 12, wherein the

selecting circuit comprises:

a first NOT gate having an input terminal coupled to an output terminal of the third comparator;

a second NOT gate having an input terminal coupled to an output terminal of the fourth comparator;

a third NOT gate having an input terminal coupled to the output terminal of the third comparator;

a first AND gate having a first input terminal coupled to an output terminal of the first NOT gate, and a second input terminal coupled to an output terminal of the second NOT gate;

a second AND gate having a first input terminal coupled to an output terminal of the fifth comparator, and a second input terminal coupled to an output terminal of the sixth comparator;

a third AND gate having a first input terminal coupled to an output terminal of the third NOT gate, and a second input terminal coupled to an output terminal of the fourth comparator;

a fourth AND gate having a first input terminal coupled to the output terminal of the fifth comparator, and a second input terminal coupled to the output terminal of the sixth comparator;

a fifth AND gate having a first input terminal coupled to the output terminal of the third comparator, and a second input terminal coupled to the output terminal of the fourth comparator;

a sixth AND gate having a first input terminal coupled to the output terminal of the fifth comparator, and a second input terminal coupled to the output terminal of the sixth comparator;

a seventh AND gate having a first input terminal coupled to an output terminal of the first AND gate, and a second input terminal coupled to an output terminal of the second AND gate;

an eighth AND gate having a first input terminal coupled to an output terminal of the third AND gate, and a second input terminal coupled to an output terminal of the fourth AND gate; and

a ninth AND gate having a first input terminal coupled to an output terminal of the fifth AND gate, and a second input terminal coupled to an output terminal of the sixth AND gate; and

wherein

the frequency generator comprises;

a first selection terminal coupled to an output terminal of the seventh AND gate;

a second selection terminal coupled to an output terminal of the eighth AND gate;

end

a third selection terminal coupled to an output terminal of the ninth AND gate.