Advanced Micro Devices, Inc.
PREDICTING PROCESSOR POWER DISTURBANCES BY MONITORING PERFORMANCE CHARACTERISTICS

Abstract:

A monitoring system predicts voltage droops at a processor by monitoring one or more performance characteristics of the processor, selecting a response policy based on the prediction, and adjusting a parameter of the processor. Multiple predictions of voltage droop conditions at different locations of the processor are made simultaneously, with the processor generating one or more responses and resulting in adjusting one or more parameters of the processor. By predicting voltage droop conditions before they occur, the deleterious effects of such droop conditions can be minimized or avoided.