Invention Grant
- Patent Title: Processor including multiple dissimilar processor cores
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Application No.: US15866014Application Date: 2018-01-09
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Publication No.: US10289191B2Publication Date: 2019-05-14
- Inventor: David J. Williamson , Gerard R. Williams, III
- Applicant: Apple Inc.
- Applicant Address: US CA Cupertino
- Assignee: Apple Inc.
- Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
- Current Assignee Address: US CA Cupertino
- Agency: Meyertons, Hood, Kivlin, Kowert & Goetzel, P.C.
- Agent Lawrence J. Merkel
- Main IPC: G06F1/32
- IPC: G06F1/32 ; G06F1/3293 ; G06F1/3287 ; G06F9/46 ; G06F1/3206 ; G06F1/3234 ; G06F1/3296

Abstract:
In an embodiment, an integrated circuit may include one or more processors. Each processor may include multiple processor cores, and each core has a different design/implementation and performance level. For example, a core may be implemented for high performance, but may have higher minimum voltage at which it operates correctly. Another core may be implemented at a lower maximum performance, but may be optimized for efficiency and may operate correctly at a lower minimum voltage. The processor may support multiple processor states (PStates). Each PState may specify an operating point and may be mapped to one of the processor cores. During operation, one of the cores is active: the core to which the current PState is mapped. If a new PState is selected and is mapped to a different core, the processor may automatically context switch the processor state to the newly-selected core and may begin execution on that core.
Public/Granted literature
- US20180129271A1 Processor Including Multiple Dissimilar Processor Cores Public/Granted day:2018-05-10
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