Ati Technologies Ulc

Advanced Micro Devices Corporation

Ati International Srl

Ati Technologies Inc.

Erwin Pang

Sanjiv K Lakhanpal

David Chih

John Bruno

Peter Thomas Hardman

Oleksandr Khodorkovsky

Gia Tung Phan

Tien D Luong

Chen-Jen Jerry Chang

Gia Phan

Techniques for performing DC to DC power conversion in switch-mode converter circuits include combinations of dynamic switch shedding, phase shedding, symmetric phase circuit topologies, and asymmetric phase circuit topologies. In at least one embodiment of the invention, a method of operating a power converter circuit includes operating a first phase switch circuit portion using a first number of switch devices when the power converter circuit is configured in a first mode of operation. The first number is greater than zero. The method includes operating the first phase switch circuit portion using the first number of switch devices when the power converter circuit is configured in a second mode of operation. The method includes operating a second phase switch circuit portion using a second number of switch devices when the power converter circuit is configured in the second mode of operation. The second number is greater than the first number.

Asymmetric topology to boost low load efficiency in multi-phase switch-mode power conversion

A power adjustment circuit includes memory controller logic that is couplable to system memory or other memory if desired. The memory control logic is operative to provide a variable memory clock signal to the system memory and to place the system memory in a self refresh mode wherein the self refresh mode does not require a memory clock signal. Thereafter, the memory clock control logic adjusts the frequency of the memory clock signal to a lower (or higher) frequency clock signal, and in response to the frequency of the memory clock signal becoming stable, the memory clock control logic restores the memory to a normal mode using the lower adjusted frequency memory clock signal. As such, a dynamic memory clock switching mechanism is employed for quickly varying the frequency of memory modules for discrete graphics processors, graphics processors integrated on a chip, or any other processors such that the memory clock can be reduced to a lower frequency in real time to save power.

Dynamic memory clock switching circuit and method for adjusting power consumption

Briefly, the present invention includes a method and an apparatus for reducing power consumption in a graphics processing device. The apparatus and method include a memory module monitoring device operative to receive a memory module status signal from memory modules. The memory module monitoring device is operative to generate a clock control signal in response to the memory module status signal. The apparatus and method further include a clock cycle reduction circuit coupled to the monitoring module. The clock cycle reduction circuit receives the clock control signal. The clock cycle reduction circuit generates a reduced cycle clock signal in response to the clock control signal such that the reduced cycle clock signal reduces power consumption in the graphics processing device.

Apparatus and method for reducing power consumption in a graphics processing device

An adaptive temperature dependent clock feedback control system and method for adaptively varying a frequency of a clock signal to a circuit such that the circuit may operate at a maximum safe operating clock frequency based on a circuit junction temperature. The clock control system includes a thermal sensor and a temperature dependent dynamic overclock generator circuit. The thermal sensor detects a junction temperature corresponding to at least a portion of the circuit on a semiconductor die. The temperature dependent dynamic overclock generator circuit varies the clock signal based on the semiconductor die junction temperature, such that the clock signal operates at the highest possible operating frequency associated with the detected junction temperature. The frequency of the clock signal is increased from a first frequency to at least a second frequency and a third frequency if the junction temperature is below a lower junction temperature threshold.

Adaptive temperature dependent feedback clock control system and method

A circuit and method serves as a slave interface to support both register read/write and monitor detection operations by a graphics controller chip, or other display data source, with a plurality of display devices. The circuit supports differing monitor detection protocols including, for example, IC protocol and non-DDC type protocols. The circuit may be set in two modes, a register mode and a bypass mode. The register mode is used to facilitate standard IC protocol to a display device. Display detection bypass circuitry is used to selectively bypass the register based display detector interface by connecting input pins to any two of a plurality of I/O pins so that the system may be used for monitor detection of a plurality of different display devices, such as CRTs and LCDs to facilitate multiprotocol display detection.

Serial communication circuit with display detector interface bypass circuit

An integrated circuit for graphics processing that includes a configurable display interface includes video graphics circuitry, a data encoder, transmission circuitry and configuration registers. The video graphics circuitry produces video data that is formatted to drive a display. The data encoder is operably coupled to the video graphics circuitry and encodes the digital video data to produce transmission data. The transmission data is then provided to the transmission circuitry operably coupled to the data encoder. The transmission circuitry combines the transmission data with control information that is retrieved from registers included in the integrated circuit. The transmission circuitry transmits the transmission data over a plurality of differential signals, where the swing amplitude of the differential signals is configured using additional registers included in the integrated circuit.

Growing community of inventors

Richmond Hill, Canada

Erwin Pang