Patent ID: 7636863
Filing Date: 2009-12-22
Classification: G06F,Y02D

Abstract:
1. An apparatus for controlling power of a processor having a plurality of cores, comprising: a plurality of power supply units each for independently supplying power to a different one of the plurality of cores provided in one processor; a plurality of DC/DC converters each coupled to a different one of the plurality of power supply units to individually supply power to a corresponding one of the cores; a single device driver, coupled to each of the plurality of cores, to check at least one of a state of each core, a use amount of each core or a processor power mode of each core, wherein the single device driver provides separate and individual ON and OFF control to each of the cores of the one processor; and a controller, coupled to the single device driver, to separately and individually provide ON and OFF control to each of the DC/DC converters based on the checked state of each corresponding core, the checked use amount of each corresponding core or the checked processor power mode of each corresponding core by the single device driver.