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Controlling temperature of multiple domains of a multi-domain processor using a cross-domain margin

  • US 9,235,254 B2
  • Filed: 02/28/2013
  • Issued: 01/12/2016
  • Est. Priority Date: 09/28/2011
  • Status: Active Grant
First Claim
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1. A processor comprising:

  • a first domain including at least one core to execute instructions;

    a second domain including at least one functional unit to execute a specialized function, wherein the first and second domains are located on a single die and can operate at independent frequencies; and

    a power control unit (PCU) coupled to the first and second domains, the PCU including a thermal logic to cause a reduction in a frequency of the second domain by a frequency bin after a plurality of iterations in which a temperature of the first domain exceeds a sum of a throttle threshold and a cross-domain margin, wherein the cross-domain margin is a programmable temperature margin parameter stored in a non-volatile storage of the processor corresponding to a marginal level above the throttle threshold for the first domain at which a power consumption of the second domain is to be reduced to allow the temperature of the first domain to be reduced, the frequency bin corresponding to a smallest multiple by which the second domain frequency can change.

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