Patent ID: 8779846

Claim:
A method for improving performance of a digital circuit, the method comprising: adjusting a real frequency of operation of the digital circuit using a control loop in the digital circuit, the adjusting the real frequency being responsive to a change in an operating condition of the digital circuit, wherein the control loop comprises a critical path monitor and a digital phase lock loop, wherein the operating condition comprises a combination of a supply voltage to the digital circuit, workload to execute using the digital circuit, and ambient conditions in which to operate the digital circuit, and wherein the control loop reacts to the change in the operating condition in the order of nanoseconds of detecting the change; receiving, from a voltage regulator supplying electrical power to the digital circuit, a measurement of a current drawn by the digital circuit; receiving an over-current target current value; and adjusting a voltage output from the voltage regulator to the digital circuit such that the current drawn by the digital circuit does not exceed the over-current target current value.