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:
Apr. 14, 2009
Filed:
May. 27, 2005
Sami Issa, Phoenix, AZ (US);
Uming Ko, Plano, TX (US);
David Scott, Plano, TX (US);
Texas Instruments Incorporated, Dallas, TX (US);
Abstract
An electronic system (). The system comprises circuitry (P) for receiving a system voltage from a voltage supply. The system also comprises circuitry (), responsive to the system voltage, for providing data processing functionality. The circuitry for providing data processing functionality comprises a critical path (CP) and the critical path comprises a plurality of transistors. At least some transistors in the plurality of transistors have a corresponding predetermined voltage operating limit corresponding to a predicted lifespan. The system also comprises circuitry () for indicating a potential capability of operational speed of the critical path. The system also comprises circuitry (CB) for coupling the system voltage to the critical path. Lastly, the system also comprises circuitry () for adjusting the system voltage, as provided by the voltage supply, in response to the circuitry for indicating a potential capability. In selected instances, the circuitry for adjusting adjusts the voltage supplied by the voltage supply to be a voltage greater than the predetermined voltage operating limit while still complying with the predicted lifespan.