Appeal No. 2006-2707
Application No. 09/749,792
2. Further, at column 8, lines 55 through 66, Georgiou
states the following:
The clock selector includes a decoder
460 which receives signal 270 associated with
a particular functional unit via its thermal
sensor 119 and the temperature decoder 130.
The decoder 460 decodes the signal 270 and
outputs a clock select signal 465 to a select
input (S) to the multiplexer associated with
the particular functional unit. The clock
select signal 465 is used to select the clock
frequency corresponding to the voltage output
by voltage regulator 330 according to signal
270. The clock selector also includes a
multiplexor selector which selects and
latches signal 465 into the appropriate
multiplexor 470 according to functional unit
address 280. (Emphasis Added)
With the above discussion in mind, we find that Georgiou
teaches a method and apparatus for keeping a processor from
overheating. Particularly, Georgiou teaches a thermal sensor and
a comparator for determining when the temperature of the
processor has exceeded a predetermined threshold (i.e
overheating). Further, Georgiou discloses that upon receipt of a
signal (270) from the comparator indicating that the processor is
overheating, the voltage regulators (330) reduce the supply
voltage, and the clock selector (430) selects a modulated clock
frequency (425) that correspondingly reduces the clock frequency
10
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