Patent ID: 7814350

Claim:
A microprocessor for use in a computing system having a voltage source controllable by the microprocessor to provide thereto one of N possible different output voltage levels, the microprocessor comprising: core logic, configured to operate to execute program instructions according to a core clock signal; a temperature sensor, configured to provide a temperature of the core logic; clock generation circuitry, controllable to generate a clock signal having one of M possible different frequencies for provision to said core logic, wherein said M frequencies comprises a highest frequency, a lowest frequency, and a plurality of intermediate frequencies; and a control circuit, coupled to said temperature sensor to continuously monitor said operating temperature, and configured to: detect that the operating temperature has risen above a first temperature, and responsively iteratively control the voltage source to output a next lower one of the N output voltage levels and control said clock generation circuitry to output a lower one of the M core clock signal frequencies as necessitated by a transition to said next lower one of the N output voltage levels, until the operating temperature drops below the first temperature; and detect that the operating temperature has dropped below a second temperature, and responsively iteratively control the voltage source to output a next higher one of the N output voltage levels and control said clock generation circuitry to output a higher one of the M core clock signal frequencies as permitted by said next higher one of the N output voltage levels, until the operating temperature rises above the second temperature.