Patent ID: 8134356

Claim:
An integrated circuit comprising: a plurality of measurement units configured to determine whether or not a current supply voltage is to be modified to operate the integrated circuit at a given operating frequency; and a circuit coupled to the plurality of measurement units, wherein the circuit is configured to generate a voltage control output for an external voltage regulator responsive to the plurality of measurement units, and wherein the voltage control output indicates a requested supply voltage for the integrated circuit, and wherein the requested supply voltage differs from the current supply voltage to the integrated circuit responsive to the plurality of measurement units indicating that the current supply voltage is to be modified for the given operating frequency, and wherein, to increase to the given operating frequency, the circuit is configured to detect two or more pluralities of samples from the plurality of measurement units that indicate a decrease of the current supply voltage, and wherein the circuit is configured to change a current operating frequency of the integrated circuit to the increased operating frequency responsive to detecting the two or more pluralities of samples.