Apple patents chip feature that slows data flow to prevent power spikes
Apple describes a method for managing power in computer chips by monitoring how fast data moves between different parts of the hardware. If the system detects that data movement is causing too much electrical current, it automatically slows down the data transfer rate to stay within safe limits.
In the filing’s own words
Disclosed techniques relate to limiting a data rate of communications on fabric circuitry proportionally to a violation of a power-related threshold. Toggle rate detector circuitry, measuring a toggle rate between a given interface circuit and the fabric circuitry, may be distributed at interfaces that couple the fabric circuitry and multiple client circuits. Power control circuitry may generate an estimate of electrical current use by a given client circuit based on a toggle rate between the client circuit's interface and the fabric circuitry and based on a communication event. The power control circuitry may detect, based on the estimates of electrical current use, a violation of an electrical current threshold. Additionally, the power control circuitry may limit the data rate of communications on the fabric circuitry, proportionally to a magnitude of the violation. Disclosed techniques may mitigate violations with reduced impacts on performance relative to traditional techniques.
What exactly they claim (claim 1)
1. An apparatus, comprising: fabric circuitry; a first client circuit configured to communicate via the fabric circuitry; a second client circuit configured to communicate via the fabric circuitry; toggle rate detector circuitry distributed at a first interface between the first client circuit and the fabric circuitry and a second interface between the second client circuit and the fabric circuitry and configured to measure toggle rate at the first and second interfaces; and power control circuitry configured to: generate, for the first client circuit, an estimate of electrical current use by the first client circuit based on the measured toggle rate at the first interface; determine a magnitude of a power event based on the estimated electrical current use; and limit a data rate of communications on the fabric circuitry, proportionally to the determined magnitude.
Facts
- Company
- Apple (Apple Inc.)
- Official title
- Fabric Data Rate Limiting Proportional to Electrical Current Threshold Violations
- Publication number
- US20260277290A1
- Application number
- 19666902
- Filed
- May 4, 2026
- Published
- Sep 17, 2026
- Inventors
- 4
- Claims
- 20
Classified under
G06F 1/30 Physics & computingMore from Apple in Chips & hardware
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Summaries are simplified from the filing’s own abstract and first claim. A patent filing is not a product announcement.
Patent data and drawings: U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO). Nebula is not affiliated with or endorsed by the USPTO.