MICROPROCESSOR AND ITS OPERATION METHOD

摘要

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an operation method for reducing the power consumption of a microprocessor. SOLUTION: The power consumption of the microprocessor corresponds to an instruction operation rate. A rate table 213 to be accessed at the time of interruption stores relation between an interruption source and an instruction operation rate. The instruction operation rate of the microprocessor is set up by the frequency of instruction clocks 201, 203, 205, 207, 209 or an instruction dispatch rate. At the time of receiving an interruption, the number of rates is pushed to a rate stack 215. When the state is returned from the interruption, the rate stack 215 is popped. The microprocessor operates at a rate corresponding to the number of rates stacked on the uppermost position of the rate stack 215. The method is used by combination with system management mode power control.