Intel Corporation

Robert F Netting

James A Wilson

Peter Des Rosier

Anshuman Thakur

Ramacharan Sundararaman

Ramon Matas

Steven Chang

Jay S Lawlor

Following a restart or a reboot of a system that includes a multi-core processor, the multi-core processor may assign one of the cores as a boot strap processor (BSP). Initialization logic may detect a state of each of the plurality of processing cores as active or inactive. The initialization logic may detect an attribute of each of the plurality of processing cores as eligible to be assigned as a BSP or as ineligible to be assigned as the BSP. The initialization logic may detect a last processing core of the plurality of processing cores in the interconnect that is an active processing core based at least in part on the state and is eligible to be assigned as the BSP based at least in part on the attribute. In various embodiments, the initialization information may assign the last processing core as the BSP.

Boot strap processor assignment for a multi-core processing unit

Following a restart or a reboot of a system that includes a multi-core processor, the multi-core processor may assign each active and eligible core a unique advanced programmable interrupt controller (APIC) identifier (ID). Initialization logic may detect a state of each of the plurality of processing cores as active or inactive. The initialization logic may detect an attribute of each of the plurality of processing cores as eligible to be assigned an APIC ID or as ineligible to be assigned the APIC ID.

Advanced programmable interrupt controller identifier (APIC ID) assignment for a multi-core processing unit

A method and apparatus for limiting a processor clock frequency includes an overclocking prevention circuit. The overclocking prevention circuit includes a frequency limiting circuit having programmable fusible elements. The frequency limiting circuit outputs a signal identifying a maximum processor clock frequency based on the state of each of the fusible elements. A comparator circuit compares a selected processor clock frequency to the maximum processor clock frequency to determine if the selected processor clock frequency is permitted. If the selected processor clock frequency is not permitted, then the processor is not allowed to operate at the selected clock frequency.

Method and apparatus for limiting processor clock frequency

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Portland, OR, United States of America

Robert F Netting