International Business Machines Corporation

Richard L Willaman

Michael Stephen Floyd

Malcolm Scott Ware

Phillip John Restle

Alan J Drake

Gregory Scott Still

Brian Thomas Vanderpool

Robert Walter Berry, Jr

Norman Karl James

Steven Paul Hartman

Eric Jason Fluhr

Soraya Ghiasi

Joshua D Friedrich

Francesco A Campisano

Harold Wayne Chase

Rahul Batra

Isidore G Bendrihem

Ian Krispin Carmichael

Eric Marz

Michael N Goulet

Rory Tatum

Joshua David Friedrich

Providing deterministic frequency and voltage enhancements for a processor is disclosed. In an embodiment, a microcontroller on a processor identifies a plurality of parameters related to a processor, the plurality of parameters including at least a current supplied to the processor; determines, in dependence upon the plurality of parameters, one or more frequency scaling indexes including determining an effective switching capacitance ratio; identifies, in dependence upon the one or more frequency scaling indexes, a predetermined frequency parameter for the processor; and transitions, based on the frequency parameter, the processor to a target clock frequency. In another embodiment, a microcontroller on a processor decreases, incrementally, a power supply voltage for a processor; determines that a voltage droop parameter exceeds a voltage droop parameter threshold; and increases, incrementally, the power supply voltage in response to determining that the voltage droop parameter exceeds a voltage droop parameter threshold.

Providing deterministic frequency and voltage enhancements for a processor

Guardband validation for a device having a critical path monitor involves first applying multiple calibration settings to the monitor during functional operation of the processor, and recording corresponding guardbands which result in reduced timing margin. A desired guardband can later be selected for validation. The calibration settings can be based on delays for a critical path. A calibration test procedure can be used to determine the calibration delays for different operating frequencies or voltages that are set or, alternatively, the calibration delays can be set and resultant frequencies measured which are used to calculate the guardband amounts. The critical path monitor may include a modified calibration delay circuit which provides a calibrated delay signal to a critical path synthesis circuit, and the multiple calibration settings can be applied by changing delay taps of the calibration delay circuit in response to a bias delay signal from a power management controller.

Characterization and functional test in a processor or system utilizing critical path monitor to dynamically manage operational timing margin

A benchmark tester retrieves a voltage margin that corresponds to a device that a system includes. The voltage margin indicates an additional amount of voltage to apply to a nominal voltage that, when added, results in the device operating at a power limit while executing a worst-case power workload. Next, the benchmark tester (or thermal power management device) sets an input voltage for the device to a value equal to the sum of the voltage margin and the nominal voltage. The benchmark tester then dynamically benchmark tests the system, which includes adjusting the device's frequency and input voltage while ensuring that the device does not exceed the device's power limit. In turn, the benchmark tester records a guaranteed minimum performance boost for the system based upon a result of the benchmark testing.

Identifying deterministic performance boost capability of a computer system

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Austin, TX, United States of America

Richard L Willaman