Patent · US Active

Hardware automatic performance state transitions in system on processor sleep and wake events

US8271812B2 · kind B2 · utility

16Cited by
8References
11Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateApr 7, 2010
Grant dateSep 18, 2012
Priority date
Expiry dateDec 25, 2030

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
  • CPC primaryY02D30/50
  • WIPO fieldComputer technology
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

In an embodiment, a power management unit (PMU) may automatically transition (in hardware) the performance states of one or more performance domains in a system. The target performance states to which the performance domains are to transition may be programmable in the PMU by software, and software may signal the PMU that a processor in the system is to enter the sleep state. The PMU may control the transition of the performance domains to the target performance states, and may cause the processor to enter the sleep state. In an embodiment, the PMU may be programmable with a second set of target performance states to which the performance domains are to transition when the processor exits the sleep state. The PMU may control the transition of the performance domains to the second targeted performance states and cause the processor to exit the sleep state.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.