INTEGRATED VOLTAGE REGULATOR WITH IN-BUILT PROCESS, TEMPERATURE AND AGING COMPENSATION
First Claim
1. A method for regulating voltage for a processor, said method comprising:
- requesting a target frequency value, wherein the target frequency value determines a target clock frequency for clocking the processor;
comparing the target clock frequency to a first signal to generate an error signal;
using the error signal, generating a duty cycle control signal, wherein the duty cycle control signal is operable to generate a periodic waveform;
generating an output regulator voltage using the periodic waveform, wherein the output voltage is operable to provide power to the processor; and
providing the output regulator voltage as an input to a critical path monitoring circuit, wherein further the first signal is a delay value from the critical path monitoring circuit.
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Abstract
A method for regulating voltage for a processor is disclosed. The method comprises requesting a target frequency value, wherein the target frequency value determines a target clock frequency for clocking the processor. The method also comprises comparing the target clock frequency to a first signal to generate an error signal. Further, the method comprises using the error signal to generate a duty cycle control signal, wherein the duty cycle control signal is operable to generate a periodic waveform. Finally, the method comprises generating an output regulator voltage using the periodic waveform, wherein the output voltage is operable to provide power to the processor.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. A method for regulating voltage for a processor, said method comprising:
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requesting a target frequency value, wherein the target frequency value determines a target clock frequency for clocking the processor; comparing the target clock frequency to a first signal to generate an error signal; using the error signal, generating a duty cycle control signal, wherein the duty cycle control signal is operable to generate a periodic waveform; generating an output regulator voltage using the periodic waveform, wherein the output voltage is operable to provide power to the processor; and providing the output regulator voltage as an input to a critical path monitoring circuit, wherein further the first signal is a delay value from the critical path monitoring circuit. - View Dependent Claims (6, 7)
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- 2. The method of claim 2, wherein the comparing is performed by a phase detector.
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8. A method for regulating voltage for a processor, said method comprising:
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requesting a target frequency value, wherein the target frequency value determines a target clock frequency for clocking the processor; comparing the target clock frequency to a plurality of first signals to generate an error signal; using the error signal, generating a duty cycle control signal, wherein the duty cycle control signal is operable to generate a periodic waveform; generating an output regulator voltage using the periodic waveform, wherein the output voltage is operable to provide power to the processor; and providing the output regulator voltage as an input to a plurality of critical path monitoring circuits, wherein further the plurality of first signals comprise delay values from the plurality of critical path monitoring circuits. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. An apparatus for regulating a processor voltage, said apparatus comprising:
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a plurality of critical path monitoring circuits operating at an output regulator voltage; a plurality of phase detectors operable to compare a plurality of delay values corresponding to the plurality of critical path monitoring circuits to a target clock frequency in order to generate an error signal, wherein each of the plurality of delay values represents a critical path delay for a respective critical path of a processor; and a circuit operable to generate the output regulator voltage using the error signal, wherein the output regulator voltage is operable to provide power to the processor. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification