摘要 |
<p>The clock rate for an electronic device is controlled through the use of integrated circuits which respond to the temperature of the device. Circuitry (10) is added to the integrated circuit device being controlled which changes the clock rate of the device as the device temperature changes. The device clock is thus regulating by the temperature of the device. The way in which the regulation is implemented can be varied, from slowing an internally generated clock rate, or by digitally scaling an external clock input. Synchronous scaling is also provided, such that devices which are connected external to a CPU can still be clocked at the same external rate, but CPU transactions within the CPU may occur at a different rate depending on the CPU's measured temperature. This invention also provides the ability to selectively reduce or stop certain areas of an integrated circuit relative to pending operations or instructions being executed. <IMAGE></p> |