Method and apparatus for dynamically adjusting the power consumption of a circuit block within an integrated circuit
US5781783A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Jun 28, 1996 |
| Grant date | Jul 14, 1998 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Jun 28, 2016 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
- CPC primaryY02D30/50
- WIPO fieldComputer technology
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
A method of dynamically adjusting the power consumption of a circuit block within an integrated circuit includes the step of incrementing a count total maintained by a counter on the occurrence of a first type of trigger event. The occurrence of a predetermined event is detected when the count total maintained by the counter equals, or transcends, a predetermined threshold value. The predetermined event provides a speculative indication of a future state of activity of the circuit block by reason of a predicted proximity of the predetermined event to the future state of activity of the circuit block. The power consumption of the circuit block is adjusted in response to the occurrence of the predetermined event.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.