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. 22, 2014
Filed:
Oct. 12, 2010
Jonah M. Alben, San Jose, CA (US);
Sean Jeffrey Treichler, Mountain View, CA (US);
Adam E. Levinthal, Redwood City, CA (US);
Jonah M. Alben, San Jose, CA (US);
Sean Jeffrey Treichler, Mountain View, CA (US);
Adam E. Levinthal, Redwood City, CA (US);
NVIDIA Corporation, Santa Clara, CA (US);
Abstract
Circuits, methods, and apparatus for slowing clock circuits on a graphics processor integrated circuit in order to reduce power dissipation. An exemplary embodiment of the present invention provides a graphics processor having two memory clocks, specifically, a switched memory clock and an unswitched memory clock. The switched memory clock frequency is reduced under specific conditions, while the unswitched memory clock frequency remains fixed. In a specific embodiment, the switched memory clock frequency is reduced when related graphics, display, scaler, and frame buffer circuits are not requesting data, or are such data requests can be delayed. Further refinements to the present invention provide circuits, methods, and apparatus for ensuring that the switched and unswitched memory clock signals remain in-phase and aligned with each other.