Patent ID: 7992015

Claim:
A system for changing performance states of a processor, comprising: a processor; a core voltage regulator coupled to the processor; and a step logic sub-system coupled with the processor, the core voltage regulator, and a performance ramp table, wherein the step logic subsystem is operable, in response to receiving a desired end performance state for the processor, to: use the performance ramp table to determine a plurality of intermediate performance states for the processor between a current performance state for the processor and the desired end performance state for the processor; and determine a minimum voltage required for each of the plurality of intermediate performance states with higher voltage requirements than the current performance state; wherein for each of the plurality of intermediate performance states, the step logic subsystem is operable to: instruct the core voltage regulator to provide the minimum voltage for that intermediate performance state to the processor; and initiate a voltage-increase performance state change in the processor when the minimum voltage for that intermediate performance state is provided to the processor.