Patent ID: 7802118
Filing Date: 2010-09-21
Classification: G06F,Y02D

Abstract:
1. A method, comprising: receiving an indicator of an activity-level of each of a plurality of graphics processing stages within a graphics processor indicative of a data flow, the graphics processing stages being included in a graphics processing pipeline, each graphics processing stage from the plurality being configured to receive a clock signal from a clock signal generator; determining a status of each of the plurality of graphics processing stages based on the indicator of the activity-level; disabling the clock signal to at least a portion of a particular graphics processing stage when the status indicates that the particular graphics processing stage is an inactive status and disabling said at least a portion of the particular graphics processing stage for at least one clock cycle saves power without significantly affecting processing performance of the graphics processing pipeline; determining the status of the graphics processing stage during a pulse wake-up time period in response to a wake-up signal; and sending an indicator of the status to at least one of an upstream circuit component within the graphics processing pipeline or a downstream component within the graphics processing pipeline.