Pre-Grant Publication Number: 20070174746
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Prior Art Detail
Summary / Description
| Summary / Description | This paper describes a processor, controller, and machine readable description for processor tuning. It is tuning clock speed at constant voltage, but this would be commonly recognized to pertain to voltage tuning at constant speed. |
Basic Information
| Type of Prior Art | Print Publication |
| Publication Title * | A Low-Power Microcontroller with On-Chip Self-Tuning Digital Clock-Generator for Variable-Load Appl |
| Author | Mauro Olivieri, Alessandro Trifiletti, Alessandro De Gloria, |
| ISBN | |
| Page Range | |
| Medium | Journal article |
| Publication Date * | 1999 |
| URL | http://ieeexplore.ieee.org/iel5... |
Notes / To Do
| Notes | |
Excerpt
Excerpt We illustrate the design issues of a general-purpose
microcontroller core with on-chip fully-digital clock
generator. The designed CPU is compatible with the
PIC16C57 instruction set and supports software controlled
clocking modes – ranging from 44 MHz up to
124 MHz, ultra-fast wake-up from low power modes even
with totally disabled clock generator – namely 8.6 ns, and
on-line self-tuning of the maximum full-speed frequency
in case of peak-performance requirements. |
Relevance
Claims
1
A method for software execution, comprising:
varying core voltages of plural processors operating in lockstep to determine an operating range for each of the plural processors; and
adjusting the core voltages of the plural processors within the operating range to tune the plural processors.
Relevance
This article shows the software control aspect. It uses the software to adjust the clock rate, not the voltage, but the principle is identical and any designer in this field realizes speed and voltage are two parts of the same performance curve (see Schmoo plot references, for example. These are from the 1970s).
This article shows the software control aspect. It uses the software to adjust the clock rate, not the voltage, but the principle is identical and any designer in this field realizes speed and voltage are two parts of the same performance curve (see Schmoo plot references, for example. These are from the 1970s).
Claim Chart
Some
2
The method of Claim 1 further comprising:
determining a first voltage value where the plural processors exhibit anomalies while executing instructions; and
determining a second voltage value where the plural processors exhibit failures while executing instructions.
Relevance
This paper looks at anomalies from specific parts of a processor, not differences between a plurality of processors.
This paper looks at anomalies from specific parts of a processor, not differences between a plurality of processors.
Claim Chart
Some
3
The method of Claim 1 further comprising, adjusting the core voltages of the plural processors to increase performance of the plural processors while the plural processors operate in cycle-by-cycle lockstep.
Relevance
This paper adjusts the frequency, not the voltage, but the two are closely related.
This paper adjusts the frequency, not the voltage, but the two are closely related.
Claim Chart
Some
6
The method of Claim 1 further comprising, operating the plural processors under full load to determine the operating range.
Relevance
This paper does not use full load, but does something equivalent - it determines what components are stressed most by full load, and measures that.
This paper does not use full load, but does something equivalent - it determines what components are stressed most by full load, and measures that.
Claim Chart
Some
8
A computer readable medium having instructions for causing a computer to execute a method, comprising:
lowering a core voltage of one of two processors executing instructions in synchronization to determine a first voltage value;
raising the core voltage of the one processor to determine a second voltage value; and
using the first and second voltage values to tune the core voltage of the one processor to increase performance of the two processors.
Relevance
This does exactly the computer readable part. It does frequency instead of voltage, but the two are largely interchangeable in terms of performance tuning. Also it does only a one-sided limit. There is little effect in the other limit, and if so it could be trivially extended
This does exactly the computer readable part. It does frequency instead of voltage, but the two are largely interchangeable in terms of performance tuning. Also it does only a one-sided limit. There is little effect in the other limit, and if so it could be trivially extended
Claim Chart
Some
10
The computer readable medium of Claim 8 further comprising, repeatedly lowering and raising the core voltage of the one processor in increments to determine voltage levels for anomalies.
Relevance
It does this, but with frequency rather than voltage. The two are substantially similar for performance tuning.
It does this, but with frequency rather than voltage. The two are substantially similar for performance tuning.
Claim Chart
All
14
A computer system, comprising:
memory for storing an algorithm; and
a processor for executing the algorithm to:
raise and lower core voltages of plural processors operating in lockstep to determine an operating range having no anomalies for each of the plural processors; and
change the core voltages of the plural processors within the operating range to tune the plural processors.
Relevance
This paper explicitly has the computer, memory, processor, and algorithm. It tunes frequency instead of voltage, but the two are largely interchangeable in terms of performance tuning. Also it compares the worst component as opposed to two entire copies of the functional units, but comparing two is easier since the worst part does not need to be found.
This paper explicitly has the computer, memory, processor, and algorithm. It tunes frequency instead of voltage, but the two are largely interchangeable in terms of performance tuning. Also it compares the worst component as opposed to two entire copies of the functional units, but comparing two is easier since the worst part does not need to be found.
Claim Chart
All
15
The computer system of Claim 14, wherein the processor further executes the algorithm to determine where the plural processors exhibit failures while executing instructions under full load.
Relevance
Full load is just one of the conditions of this paper.
Full load is just one of the conditions of this paper.
Claim Chart
All
17
The computer system of Claim 14, wherein the core voltages of the plural processors are raised and lowered at predetermined increments and held at voltages for predetermined dwell times to determine if an anomaly occurs.
Relevance
This paper talks about the periodic measurement of margins, and from the hardware descriptions the tuning increments are pre-determined.
This paper talks about the periodic measurement of margins, and from the hardware descriptions the tuning increments are pre-determined.
Claim Chart
All
19
The computer system of Claim 14, wherein the core voltages of the plural processors are tuned to decrease an occurrence of failures while the plural processors are operating in cycle-by-cycle lockstep.
Relevance
This paper does exactly this, but modifies frequency not voltage. The two are largely interchangeable in terms of performance tuning.
This paper does exactly this, but modifies frequency not voltage. The two are largely interchangeable in terms of performance tuning.
Claim Chart
All
