METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR THERMAL SENSITIVITY BASED DYNAMIC POWER CONTROL OF A PROCESSOR

摘要

A method and system provides dynamic power control based on thermal sensitivity of a processor system. The method and system includes a circuit that reduces the clock frequency for the processor system in response, to thermal characteristics satisfying a pre-determined threshold that allows maximal thermal temperature limit utilization without substantially degrading processor performance.

主权项

1. A processor comprising:
a phase lock loop (PLL) to generate an output signal; a circuit to receive the output signal and output a clock signal; a sensor to measure at least one thermal characteristic of the processor; and a frequency control circuit coupled to the circuit, responsive to the at least one thermal characteristic satisfying a threshold, to reduce a clock frequency of the clock signal to one of multiple levels according to an indication of a level of sensitivity for the clock frequency reduction, the indication comprising a performance demanding level signal indicative of a processor speed requirement for at least one hardware component coupled to the processor during execution of an application.