The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Jul. 31, 2018
Filed:
Sep. 23, 2016
Apple Inc., Cupertino, CA (US);
Edvin Catovic, San Francisco, CA (US);
Rajat Goel, Saratoga, CA (US);
Richard F. Russo, San Jose, CA (US);
Matthew R. Johnson, Newark, CA (US);
Shingo Suzuki, San Jose, CA (US);
Pradeep Kanapathipillai, Santa Clara, CA (US);
Raghava Rao V. Denduluri, Cupertino, CA (US);
Pankaj Lnu, Santa Clara, CA (US);
Apple Inc., Cupertino, CA (US);
Abstract
A processor includes an instruction issue circuit, and high-utilization and low-utilization execution unit circuits coupled to execute instructions received from the instruction issue unit. On average, utilization of the low-utilization execution unit circuit is lower than utilization of the high-utilization execution unit circuit. The processor also includes a retention circuit coupled to a different power domain than the low-utilization execution unit circuit, and a power management circuit. The power management circuit may be configured to detect that inactivity of the low-utilization execution unit circuit satisfies a threshold inactivity level; upon detecting that the threshold inactivity level is satisfied, cause architecturally-visible state of the low-utilization execution unit circuit to be copied to the retention circuit; and subsequent to copying of the architecturally-visible state to the retention circuit, cause the low-utilization execution unit circuit to enter a power-off state, where the retention circuit retains stored data during the power-off state.