Processor voltage adjustment system and method

• US 7,849,332 B1
• Filed: 05/30/2003
• Issued: 12/07/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 11/14/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: NVIDIA Corporation
• Original Assignee: NVIDIA Corporation
• Inventors: Alben, Jonah M., Kranzusch, Kevin
• Primary Examiner(s): Lee; Thomas
• Assistant Examiner(s): Bae; Ji H
• Application Number:
  US10/448,891
• Time in Patent Office: 2,748 Days
• Field of Search: 713/300, 713/320, 713/322
• US Class Current: 713/300
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/206 comprising thermal management
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3203 Power management, i.e. event-based initiation of a power-saving mode
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/324 by lowering clock frequency
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3296 by lowering the supply or operating voltage
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 10/00 Energy efficient computing, e.g. low power processors, power management or thermal management

Abstract

The present invention facilitates maintenance of processor speed by voltage level adjustment. In one embodiment, a present invention voltage adjustment system includes a speed analysis component that compares an actual speed of a processing unit to a directed speed. If the actual speed is lower than the directed speed, a voltage control component directs offset adjustments in a voltage level of a power signal to the processor. For example, the voltage control component directs an increases in a voltage level of a power signal. The voltage level can be altered to compensate for variations in hardware tolerance variations. In one embodiment of the present invention, a voltage sensor measures the actual voltage of the processing unit.

Claims

1. A processor adjustment system comprising:

a processing unit for performing processing tasks;

a voltage source unit for generating a power signal for said processing unit;

a clock control component for controlling a frequency of a clock signal associated with said processing unit within an envelope determined by performance testing, wherein said clock signal frequency is increased for high performance tasks and reduced for low performance tasks of said processing unit;

a speed analysis component for comparing an actual frequency speed of said processing unit to a directed frequency speed;

a voltage control component for controlling a voltage level of said power signal, including controlling offset adjustments indicated by said speed analysis component.

2. A processor adjustment system of claim 1 wherein said speed analysis component infers said voltage level is low if said comparison indicates said actual frequency speed is lower than said directed frequency speed, and said speed analysis component directs said voltage control component to increase said voltage level.

3. A processor adjustment system of claim 1 further comprising a voltage sensing component for measuring an actual voltage level of said processing unit and said voltage control component makes an offset adjustment to said voltage level based upon said measurement.

4. The processor adjustment system of claim 1 wherein said performance testing includes testing for a predetermined unacceptable level of errors in logic occurs.

5. The processor adjustment system of claim 1 wherein said voltage level is increased for high performance tasks and reduced for low performance tasks of said processing unit.

6. The processor adjustment system of claim 1 wherein said processing unit is a graphics processor.

7. The processor adjustment system of claim 1 wherein said comparing is performed at each power up of said system.

8. A processor adjustment system of claim 1 wherein said voltage control component includes a module for providing instructions to a voltage divider to change said voltage level.

9. A processor adjustment system of claim 8 wherein said voltage divider includes a field effect transistor controlled resistor.

10. A processor performance adjustment method comprising:

adjusting a directed voltage level of a power supply signal supplied to a processor, wherein said directed voltage level of said power supply signal is maintained within an envelope associated with a performance test;

altering a directed frequency of a clock signal that clocks said processor, wherein said directed frequency of said clock signal is maintained within an envelope associated with a performance test;

examining if actual frequency values of said clock signal are lower than directed frequency values;

adjusting a value of said voltage level of said power supply signal until said actual frequency values of said clock signal are the same as said directed values.

11. The processor performance limitation testing method of claim 10 further comprising:

running a hardware self test; and

factoring results of said hardware self test into said adjusting.

12. The processor performance limitation testing method of claim 10 wherein said processor is a graphics processor.

13. The processor performance limitation testing method of claim 10 wherein said processor is included in a game console.

14. The processor performance limitation testing method of claim 10 wherein said performance test includes pixel error threshold checking.

15. An information processing system comprising:

means for processing information;

means for determining differences in an actual frequency speed of said means for processing and an instructed frequency speed; and

means for altering an operating feature of said means for processing information, wherein said means for altering an operating feature changes a voltage level to compensate for variations in hardware tolerance variations, wherein said means for altering an operating feature also controls a clock signal frequency within an envelope determined by performance testing, wherein said clock signal frequency is increased for high performance tasks and reduced for low performance tasks.

16. An information processing system of claim 15 wherein said means for altering issues instructions to increase a voltage level of said means for processing if said means for determining differences determines said actual frequency speed of said means for processing is slower than said instructed frequency speed.

17. An information processing system of claim 15 wherein said means for altering an operating feature receives an indication of an actual voltage level measurement of said processing unit and makes an offset adjustment based upon said measurement.

18. An information processing system of claim 15 wherein said information is associated with a graphics application.

19. An information processing system of claim 15 wherein said means for altering an operating feature utilizes varying resistance as a voltage divider to provide different voltage level outputs.

20. An information processing system of claim 15 further comprising a means for dividing a voltage level.