Abstract: A method and chip design are provided for reducing power consumption. A first functional block having a phase logic circuit may be provided in a first area of a chip. A second functional block having an edge-triggered circuit may be provided in a second area of the chip. Edge-triggered circuits within the second functional block may be replaced with dual edge-triggered circuits. Phase logic circuits may be clocked by a full frequency clock signal and dual edge-triggered circuits may be clocked by a half-frequency clock signal.

Abstract: Apparatus and systems, as well as methods and articles, may operate to select a microprocessor clock frequency responsive to a desired voltage and/or a desired temperature of operation.

Abstract: Embodiments of clock modulation circuits with time averaging are described herein.

Abstract: In some embodiments, a PLL with an output to provide a PLL output clock at a target frequency is provided. The PLL comprises a VCO to generate a clock to be used to generate the PLL output clock. Also provided is circuitry to maintain the VCO's bias level at a sufficient level if it is insufficient. Other embodiments may be disclosed herein.

Abstract: A method and chip design are provided for reducing power consumption. A first functional block having a phase logic circuit may be provided in a first area of a chip. A second functional block having an edge-triggered circuit may be provided in a second area of the chip. Edge-triggered circuits within the second functional block may be replaced with dual edge-triggered circuits. Phase logic circuits may be clocked by a full frequency clock signal and dual edge-triggered circuits may be clocked by a half-frequency clock signal.

Abstract: A method and chip design are provided for reducing power consumption. A first functional block having a phase logic circuit may be provided in a first area of a chip. A second functional block having an edge-triggered circuit may be provided in a second area of the chip. Edge-triggered circuits within the second functional block may be replaced with dual edge-triggered circuits. Phase logic circuits may be clocked by a full frequency clock signal and dual edge-triggered circuits may be clocked by a half-frequency clock signal.

Abstract: Apparatus and systems, as well as methods and articles, may operate to select a microprocessor clock frequency responsive to a desired voltage and/or a desired temperature of operation.

Abstract: Transistor bodies are biased to modify delay in clock buffers.

Abstract: A clock generating apparatus is provided that includes a first phase lock loop device powered by an analog (or fixed) power supply voltage and a second phase lock loop device powered by the analog power supply voltage and a digital power supply voltage. The second phase lock loop device to output a clock signal having an adaptive frequency based on the digital power supply voltage.

Abstract: On-die voltage and/or frequency detectors. For one aspect, an adaptive frequency clock generation circuit includes a droop detector to detect a supply voltage level and to cause the frequency of an on-die clock signal to be adjusted accordingly.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for optimizing clock distribution in a circuit to reduce the effect of power supply noise. Parameters are determined including: a response curve of a power source for a circuit, a delay sensitivity of a clock net in the circuit to the power source, a delay sensitivity of a data net in the circuit to the power source, a data delay for the data net, and a clock delay for the clock net. The clock delay is adjusted to reduce the effect of power supply noise on the data net. The adjusting is based on the response curve of the power source, the delay sensitivity of the clock net, the delay sensitivity of the data net, the data delay, and the clock delay. The adjusting includes adding a pre-distribution clock delay.

Abstract: Transistor bodies are biased to modify delay in clock buffers.

Abstract: A method and chip design are provided for reducing power consumption. A first functional block having a phase logic circuit may be provided in a first area of a chip. A second functional block having an edge-triggered circuit may be provided in a second area of the chip. Edge-triggered circuits within the second functional block may be replaced with dual edge-triggered circuits. Phase logic circuits may be clocked by a full frequency clock signal and dual edge-triggered circuits may be clocked by a half-frequency clock signal.

Abstract: A skew measure circuit, an exclusion circuit, and an up/down counter are connected to form a skew detection circuit. The skew measure circuit asserts a first output signal if a first input clock leads a second input clock, and asserts a second output signal if the second clock leads the first clock. The exclusion circuit provides first and second digital pulse signals that represent the outputs of the skew measure circuit. The exclusion circuit also prevents the states of these pulse signals from changing, so long as the skew measure circuit is experiencing metastability. The up/down counter's count is incremented in response to the first pulse signal and decremented in response to the other pulse signal.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for optimizing clock distribution in a circuit to reduce the effect of power supply noise. Parameters are determined including: a response curve of a power source for a circuit, a delay sensitivity of a clock net in the circuit to the power source, a delay sensitivity of a data net in the circuit to the power source, a data delay for the data net, and a clock delay for the clock net. The clock delay is adjusted to reduce the effect of power supply noise on the data net. The adjusting is based on the response curve of the power source, the delay sensitivity of the clock net, the delay sensitivity of the data net, the data delay, and the clock delay. The adjusting includes adding a pre-distribution clock delay.

Abstract: A circuit contains a microprocessor die, containing a microprocessor, and a cache memory die, containing a cache memory, for operation in conjunction with the microprocessor. A microprocessor clock and a cache memory clock are generated for operation of the microprocessor and the cache memory, respectively. The microprocessor and cache memory clocks are generated on the microprocessor die, and the cache memory clock is transmitted to the cache memory die. In order to transmit data between the microprocessor die and the cache memory die, clock cycles are designated. The microprocessor clock and the cache memory clock are synchronized to the clock cycles including compensation for the propagation delay between the two dies. The microprocessor includes a stop clock function which halts the cache memory clock and the microprocessor clock on the same clock cycle so that data integrity, in both the microprocessor and cache memory, are maintained.