Optimizing performance of a clocked system by adjusting clock control settings and clock frequency
US6535986B1 · kind B1 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Mar 14, 2000 |
| Grant date | Mar 18, 2003 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Mar 14, 2020 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
- CPC primaryY02D10/00
- WIPO fieldComputer technology
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
A method of adjusting the operating or timing margin of a clocked system, such as a digital computer or a memory controller, is disclosed. The method may be automated to occur upon every initial program load or can be manually adjusted for changes in frequency, operating voltages, or applications in which the timing margin is not so critical. An initial or default frequency of the clock is set. Clock control settings, such as duty cycle, VCO range and gain, etc, are also initialized and set as some default. Test, such as ABIST, LBIST or other functional tests, are performed on the clocked system and the clock frequency is incrementally increased until the tests fail. Upon failure of the tests, one or more clock control settings are adjusted and the tests are run again at the failing frequency. If the tests successfully complete, indicating no errors, the clock frequency is incremented again until the test fail. Again, the clock control settings are adjusted and the tests are repeated at increasing frequency until failure of the tests or until a desired timing margin is reached.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.