Saving power when in or transitioning to a static mode of a processor

• US 7,260,731 B1
• Filed: 10/23/2000
• Issued: 08/21/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 10/23/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: HD Silicon Solutions LLC (f/k/a Innovative Silicon Solutions, LLC)
• Original Assignee: Transmeta Corporation (Novafora, Inc.)
• Inventors: Halepete, Sameer, Klayman, Keith, Read, Andrew
• Primary Examiner(s): Cao; Chun
• Application Number:
  US09/694,433
• Time in Patent Office: 2,493 Days
• Field of Search: 713/320, 713/322, 713/323, 713/324, 327/44, 327/45, 327/99, 363/16, 363/24
• US Class Current: 713/320
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/26 Power supply means, e.g. regulation thereof for memories G11C
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3203 Power management, i.e. event-based initiation of a power-saving mode
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3237 by disabling clock generation or distribution
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3287 by switching off individual functional units in the computer system
• 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

A method for reducing power utilized by a processor including the steps of determining that a processor is transitioning from a computing mode to a mode is which system clock to the processor is disabled, and reducing core voltage to the processor to a value sufficient to maintain state during the mode in which system clock is disabled.

Claims

1. A method for reducing power utilized by a processor comprising the steps of:

determining that a processor is transitioning from a computing mode to a mode in which a system clock to the processor is disabled, and

reducing core voltage to the processor to a value sufficient to maintain state during the mode in which said system clock is disabled, wherein said value of the core voltage is not sufficient to maintain processing activity in said processor,

responsive to said determining, at a voltage regulator supplying said core voltage, transitioning from a first regulation mode to a second regulation mode,

wherein power is dissipated during a voltage transition that reduces said selectable voltage in said first regulation mode and power is saved during said voltage transition in said second regulation mode.

2. The method as claimed in claim 1 in which the step of determining that a processor is transitioning from a computing mode to a mode in which system clock to the processor is disabled comprises monitoring a stop clock signal.

3. The method as claimed in claim 1 in which the step of reducing core voltage to the processor to a value sufficient to maintain state during the state in which system clock is disabled comprises furnishing an input to reduce an output voltage provided by a voltage regulator furnishing core voltage to the processor.

4. A method for reducing power utilized by a processor comprising the steps of:

determining that a processor is transitioning from a computing mode to a mode in which system clock to the processor is disabled, and

reducing core voltage to the processor to a value sufficient to maintain state during the mode in which system clock is disabled by;

furnishing an input to reduce an output voltage provided by a voltage regulator furnishing core voltage to the processor, and

providing a feedback signal to the voltage regulator to reduce its output voltage below a specified output voltage.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the output voltage to which said voltage regulator is reduced depends upon output voltage of said voltage regulator prior to furnishing the input to reduce the output voltage provided by the voltage regulator.

6. A method for reducing power utilized by a system having a least a processor, comprising the steps of:

determining that the processor is transitioning from a computing mode to a mode in which a system clock to the processor is disabled,

reducing core voltage being furnished by a voltage regulator to the processor to a value sufficient to maintain state during the mode in which the system clock is disabled, and

transferring operation of the voltage regulator furnishing core in a mode in which power is dissipated during a voltage transition in reduction in core voltage to a mode in which power is saved during said voltage transition in the reduction in core voltage when it is determined that the processor is transitioning from the computing mode to the mode in which the system clock to the processor is disabled.

7. The method as claimed in claim 6 further comprising the steps of returning the voltage regulator to its original mode of operation when the value of the core voltage sufficient to maintain state during the mode in which system clock is disabled is reached.

8. A circuit for providing a regulated voltage to a processor comprising:

a voltage regulator having;

an output terminal providing a selectable voltage, and

an input terminal for receiving signals indicating the selectable voltage level;

means for providing signals at the input terminal of the voltage regulator for selecting a voltage for operating the processor in a computing mode and a voltage of a level less than that for operating the processor in a computing mode, wherein the level less than that for operating the processor in a computing mode is sufficient to maintain state of the processor; and

means for changing the voltage regulator from a mode in which power is dissipated during a voltage transition that reduces said selectable voltage to a mode in which power is saved during said voltage transition.

9. A circuit as claimed in claim 8 in which the means for providing signals at the input terminal of the voltage regulator comprises means for accepting binary signals indicating different levels of voltage.

10. The circuit as claimed in claim 8 in which the means for providing signals at the input terminal of the voltage regulator comprises:

selection circuitry,

means for furnishing a plurality of signals at the input to the selection circuitry, and

means for controlling the selection by the selection circuitry.

11. The circuit as claimed in claim 10 in which:

the selection circuitry is a multiplexor, and

the means for controlling the selection by the selection circuitry includes a control terminal for receiving signals indicating a system clock to the processor is being terminated.

12. A circuit for providing a regulated voltage to a processor comprising:

a voltage regulator having;

an output terminal providing a selectable voltage, and

an input terminal for receiving signals indicating the selectable voltage level;

means for providing signals at the input terminal of the voltage regulator for selecting a voltage for operating the processor in a computing mode and a voltage of a level less than that for operating the processor in a computing mode; and

means for reducing the selectable voltage below a lowest level the voltage regulator is specified to output.

13. A circuit for providing a regulated voltage to a processor comprising:

a voltage regulator having;

an output terminal providing a selectable voltage;

an input terminal for receiving signals indicating the selectable voltage level; and

a voltage regulator feedback circuit;

means for providing signals at the input terminal of the voltage regulator for selecting a voltage for operating the processor in a computing mode and a voltage of a level less than that for operating the processor in a computing mode; and

means for reducing the selectable voltage below a level provided by the voltage regulator comprising;

a voltage divider network joined between the output terminal and a voltage source furnishing a value higher than the selectable voltage, and

the voltage regulator feedback circuit receiving a value from the voltage divider network.

14. A circuit for providing a regulated voltage to a processor comprising:

a voltage regulator having;

an output terminal providing a selectable voltage, and

an input terminal for receiving signals indicating the selectable voltage level;

means for providing signals at the input terminal of the voltage regulator for selecting a voltage for operating the processor in a computing mode and a voltage of a level less than that for operating the processor in a computing mode;

circuitry for changing the voltage regulator from a mode in which power is dissipated during a voltage transition in reduction of the selectable voltage to a mode in which system power is saved during said voltage transition in reduction of the selectable voltage, and

means for enabling the circuitry for conserving charge stored by the voltage regulator when the selectable voltage decreases.

15. A circuit for providing a regulated voltage to a processor comprising:

a voltage regulator having;

an output terminal providing a selectable voltage, and

an input terminal for receiving signals indicating the selectable voltage level; and

a voltage regulator feedback circuit;

circuitry coupled to said input terminal and configured to provide signals to the input terminal for selecting a first voltage for operating the processor in a first mode and a second voltage for operating the processor in a second mode;

a voltage source furnishing a value higher than the selectable voltage; and

a feedback circuit coupled to the voltage source, the output terminal, and the voltage regulator feedback circuit.

16. The circuit of claim 15, wherein the first voltage is for operating the processor in a computing mode and the second voltage is a level less than that for operating the processor in the computing mode.

17. The circuit of claim 16, wherein the feedback circuit comprises a voltage divider.

18. The circuit of claim 15, wherein the feedback circuit comprises a voltage divider.