Abstract: Method and systems for dynamically recovering from voltage droops are disclosed. In one embodiment, a microprocessor coupled to a plurality of voltage sensing circuits is provided. The microprocessor includes an instruction sequencing unit and pipeline including a first series of instructions. A central voltage droop detection processor may be coupled to each of the voltage sensing circuits and the microprocessor. Voltage droop is detected using a voltage sensing circuit, after which processing of the microprocessor is interrupted. The pipeline may then be cleared. Subsequently, a second series of instructions including the first series of instructions, and additional instructions are issued. The additional instructions may include stall instructions that cause a delay in processing of the first series of instructions, which prevents re-occurrence of the voltage droop.

Abstract: A method for tuning a plurality of supply voltages across and integrated circuit (IC) package that supplies a number of voltage supply regions within an IC chip. The inventive method includes extracting a power draw for each voltage supply region and the region's functional circuit blocks to generate a current map, assigning C4 bumps and module pins, and designing an IC package layout to define a supply grid of metal conductive power distribution wiring, analyzing the IC package layout using an IR-drop application, creating an internal plane voltage map and an internal plane current map for each of the IC package voltage supply planes and identifying required via and plane current changes necessary to tune the IC package in accordance with plane voltage and plane current maps, and repeating the steps of assigning, analyzing and creating until the IR drops within the voltage supply regions of the IC package are thoroughly balanced.

Abstract: A supply switch circuit is provided for implementing a switchable on-chip high voltage supply. A stack of transistors is coupled between an on-chip high voltage supply and a circuit node. A control signal is coupled to the stack of transistors for selectively switching the high voltage supply to the circuit node. The control signal is coupled to a voltage divider included with the stack of transistors to limit a maximum node voltage within the stack of transistors.

Abstract: A system and method of shifting a clock frequency of an integrated circuit device from a first frequency to a second frequency, including alternating between the first frequency and the second frequency according to a dithering pattern, the alternating occurring for a predetermined number of cycles; and setting the clock frequency to the second frequency after the predetermined number of cycles.

Abstract: A method and circuit for adjusting the read margin of a self-timed memory array. The electronic circuit, including: a memory cell array including a sense amplifier self-timed decode circuit adapted to set a base read time delay of the memory cell array; and a read delay adjustment circuit coupled to the memory cell array, the read delay adjustment circuit adapted to adjust the base read time delay of the memory array based on an operating frequency of the memory cell array.

Abstract: A synchronization system capable of simultaneously resetting frequency divide-by counters (124A, 124B) of multiple processors (A, B) to zero regardless of the divide-by frequency signal (Mclk/n signal (168A, 168B)) and regardless of the magnitude of the clock mesh delays experienced by the Mclk/n signals in the processors. The synchronization system includes a mesh delay circuit (176A, 176B) for each processor that simulates in the undivided signal (Mclk/1 signal (136A, 136B)) the clock mesh delay experienced by the Mclk/n signal in that processor so as to provide an Lclk signal (172A, 172B). A phase detector detects the phase offset between the Mclk/n signal and the Sysclk signal (112) and sends an asynchronous offset signal (194A, 194B) to a counter re-setter (196A, 196B) that resets the divide-by counter to zero based on the offset signal.