A selectable control over multiple clock frequency/voltage level combinations
that
can be activated in a processor. A table can be placed in hardware that defines
multiple combinations of CPU clock frequency and CPU operating voltage. By placing
the table in hardware, it can be assured that all the various combinations will
work for the particular processor device. Software can then be used to select a
combination from this table, to control the actual frequency/voltage combination
that is being implemented at a given time. This allows dynamic control over the
power/performance tradeoff, so that the system can see maximum power savings consistent
with acceptable performance, as operating and environmental considerations continue
to change the most desirable selections.