Abstract: A method and an apparatus for reducing an effect of local process variations of a digital circuit on a hardware performance monitor includes measuring a set of performance values (c1, c2 . . . cn) of the digital circuit by n identical hardware performance monitors, where n is a natural number greater than 1, determining an average value cmean of the measured performance values (c1, c2 . . . cn), as an approximation of an ideal performance value c0, selecting one performance value cj of the set of performance values (c1, c2 . . . cn) by a controller, comparing the performance value cj with a reference value cref by a controller the controller, resulting in a deviation value ?c, and controlling an actuator by using the deviation ?c for regulating the local global process variations to the approximation cmean of the ideal performance value c0.

Abstract: A method and an apparatus for reducing the effect of local process variations of a digital circuit on a hardware performance monitor includes measuring a set of performance values cn of the digital circuit by n identical hardware performance monitors, where n is a natural number greater than 1, determining an average value cmean of the measured performance values cn, as an approximation of an ideal performance value c0, selecting one performance value cj of the set of performance values cn by a signal converter, comparing the performance value cj with a reference value cref by a controller, resulting in a deviation value ?c, and controlling an actuator by using the deviation ?c for regulating the local global process variations to the approximation cmean of the ideal performance value c0.

Abstract: An apparatus and a method for generation and adaptive regulation of body bias voltages of an integrated circuit efficiently generates control voltages for active body biasing The apparatus includes a digital circuit, a counter, a control unit and at least one charge pump. The control unit and the digital circuit are connected in a closed control loop, and the digital circuit comprises at least one hardware performance monitor to monitor a timing of a body bias voltage. The control loop is formed by a control path comprising the at least one charge pump, the hardware performance monitor and the control unit. The charge pump is controllably connected to the control unit to adjust the charge pump for generation and adaptive regulation of the body bias voltage according to a timing frequency difference between an output signal of the hardware performance monitor and a reference clock signal.

Abstract: An apparatus and a method for generation and adaptive regulation of body bias voltages of an integrated circuit efficiently generates control voltages for active body biasing The apparatus includes a digital circuit, a counter, a control unit and at least one charge pump. The control unit and the digital circuit are connected in a closed control loop, and the digital circuit comprises at least one hardware performance monitor to monitor a timing of a body bias voltage. The control loop is formed by a control path comprising the at least one charge pump, the hardware performance monitor and the control unit. The charge pump is controllably connected to the control unit to adjust the charge pump for generation and adaptive regulation of the body bias voltage according to a timing frequency difference between an output signal of the hardware performance monitor and a reference clock signal.

Abstract: An arrangement of signal line pairs and amplifiers is disclosed. One embodiment provides each signal line pair of a group of signal line pairs that are directly adjacent and run parallel to one another is respectively assigned an amplifier from a group of amplifiers arranged successively in a signal line direction. Each signal line pair includes a first and a second signal line, between which the amplifier assigned to the respective signal line pair is arranged. The position of an amplifier is assigned to a specific signal line pair in the amplifier group along the signal line direction is chosen in such a way that a first coupling section which forms the first signal line assigned to the respective amplifier together with its adjacent lines along the amplifier group, and a second coupling section, which forms the second signal line assigned to the respective amplifier together with its adjacent lines along the amplifier group, substantially have the same coupling properties.