Closed loop feedback control of integrated circuits

• US 9,407,241 B2
• Filed: 08/16/2012
• Issued: 08/02/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 04/16/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Meta Platforms, Inc. (f/k/a Facebook, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Intellectual Ventures Holding 81 LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Inventors: Burr, James B., Koniaris, Kleanthes G.
• Primary Examiner(s): Hollington, Jermele M
• Application Number:
  US13/587,827
• Publication Number:
  US 20120319721A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,447 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/2621 for testing field effect transistors, i.e. FET's
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 13/021 in which a variable is automatically adjusted to optimise the performance
• 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: H03K 3/012 Modifications of generator to improve response time or to decrease power consumption
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 3/0315 Ring oscillators
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 10/00 Energy efficient computing, e.g. low power processors, power management or thermal management

Abstract

Systems and methods for closed loop feedback control of integrated circuits. In one embodiment, a plurality of controllable inputs to an integrated circuit is adjusted to achieve a predetermined value of a dynamic operating indicator of the integrated circuit. An operating condition of an integrated circuit is controlled via closed loop feedback based on dynamic operating indicators of the integrated circuit'"'"'s behavior.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

measuring an operating indicator of an integrated circuit; and

adjusting one or more controllable inputs to said integrated circuit to cause a measured value of said operating indicator to approach a desired value of said operating indicator.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein said one or more controllable inputs comprises an operating voltage of said integrated circuit.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein said one or more controllable inputs comprises a body bias voltage applied to a body well of said integrated circuit.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein said one or more controllable inputs comprises an operating frequency control input.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein said integrated circuit comprises a microprocessor.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein said operating indicator comprises a ring oscillator.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein said measuring comprises counting cycles of said ring oscillator.

14. The integrated circuit of claim 6 wherein said indicator indicates a behavior of only one type of device from the set of P-FETs and N-FETs.

8. An integrated circuit comprising:

circuitry configured to measure an indicator of a behavior of said integrated circuit; and

circuitry configured to adjust a controllable input to said integrated circuit to cause a measured value of said indicator to approach a desired value of said indicator.

9. The integrated circuit of claim 8 wherein said controllable input comprises an operating voltage of said integrated circuit.

10. The integrated circuit of claim 8 wherein said controllable input comprises a body bias voltage applied to a body well of said integrated circuit.

11. The integrated circuit of claim 8 wherein said controllable input comprises an operating frequency control input.

12. The integrated circuit of claim 8 wherein said indicator indicates a gate delay of said integrated circuit.

13. The integrated circuit of claim 12 wherein said indicator indicates a leakage current of said integrated circuit.

15. An article of manufacture including a computer readable medium having instructions stored thereon that, if executed by a computing device, cause the computing device to perform operations comprising:

measuring an operating indicator of an integrated circuit; and

adjusting one or more controllable inputs to said integrated circuit to cause a measured value of said operating indicator to approach a desired value of said operating indicator.

16. The article of manufacture of claim 15 wherein said integrated circuit comprises said computing device.

17. The article of manufacture of claim 15 wherein said one or more controllable inputs comprises an operating voltage of said integrated circuit.

18. The article of manufacture of claim 15 wherein said one or more controllable inputs comprises a body bias voltage applied to a body well of said integrated circuit.

19. The article of manufacture of claim 15 wherein said operating indicator comprises a ring oscillator.

20. The article of manufacture of claim 15 wherein said operating indicator indicates a behavior of only n-type MOSFETs.