Patent · US Active

Apparatus and method for heterogeneous chip multiprocessors via resource allocation and restriction

US8924690B2 · kind B2 · utility

1Cited by
12References
20Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateMay 29, 2012
Grant dateDec 30, 2014
Priority date
Expiry dateMay 29, 2032

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
  • CPC primaryY02D10/00
  • WIPO fieldComputer technology
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

A method and apparatus for heterogeneous chip multiprocessors (CMP) via resource restriction. In one embodiment, the method includes the accessing of a resource utilization register to identify a resource utilization policy. Once accessed, a processor controller ensures that the processor core utilizes a shared resource in a manner specified by the resource utilization policy. In one embodiment, each processor core within a CMP includes an instruction issue throttle resource utilization register, an instruction fetch throttle resource utilization register and other like ways of restricting its utilization of shared resources within a minimum and maximum utilization level. In one embodiment, resource restriction provides a flexible manner for allocating current and power resources to processor cores of a CMP that can be controlled by hardware or software. Other embodiments are described and claimed.

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