Methods and apparatus for managing power with an inter-processor communication link between independently operable processors

• US 10,268,261 B2
• Filed: 03/30/2018
• Issued: 04/23/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 10/08/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Sanghi, Karan, Garg, Saurabh, Zhang, Haining
• Primary Examiner(s): Tseng, Cheng Yuan
• Application Number:
  US15/942,230
• Publication Number:
  US 20180292885A1
• Time in Patent Office: 389 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3228 Monitoring task completion, e.g. by use of idle timers, stop commands or wait commands
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3243 Power saving in microcontroller unit
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3287 by switching off individual functional units in the computer system
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3293 by switching to a less power-consuming processor, e.g. sub-CPU
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/1417 Boot up procedures
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/1471 involving logging of persistent data for recovery
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/1474 in transactions G06F16/20 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 13/4282 on a serial bus, e.g. I2C bus, SPI bus on daisy chain buses G06F13/4247
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2201/805 Real-time
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2201/87 Monitoring of transactions
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/4403 Processor initialisation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/4405 Initialisation of multiprocessor systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/4411 Configuring for operating with peripheral devices; Loading of device drivers
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 10/00 Energy efficient computing, e.g. low power processors, power management or thermal management

Abstract

Methods and apparatus for an inter-processor communication (IPC) link between two (or more) independently operable processors. In one aspect, the IPC protocol is based on a “shared” memory interface for run-time processing (i.e., the independently operable processors each share (either virtually or physically) a common memory interface). In another aspect, the IPC communication link is configured to support a host driven boot protocol used during a boot sequence to establish a basic communication path between the peripheral and the host processors. Various other embodiments described herein include sleep procedures (as defined separately for the host and peripheral processors), and error handling.

Claims

1. Integrated circuit apparatus comprising:

a host processor apparatus;

an auxiliary processor apparatus; and

a shared memory interface comprising a data storage device, the shared memory interface in data communication with each of the host processor apparatus and the auxiliary processor apparatus, the shared memory interface configured to provide an inter-processor communication link configured to enable data transfers between the host processor apparatus and the auxiliary processor apparatus;

wherein the host processor apparatus is configured to transact a data structure to the auxiliary processor apparatus via the inter-processor communication link; and

wherein the data structure is configured to enable one or more of the host processor apparatus and the auxiliary processor apparatus to enter a sleep state.

2. The integrated circuit apparatus of claim 1, wherein the shared memory interface is configured to remain functional when any one of the host processor apparatus and the auxiliary processor apparatus is active.

3. The integrated circuit apparatus of claim 1, wherein the auxiliary processor apparatus comprises a wireless baseband processor apparatus, and the inter-processor communication link is configured to implement a memory-mapped serialized bus protocol to transfer operational data between the host processor apparatus and the auxiliary processor apparatus.

4. The integrated circuit apparatus of claim 3, wherein:

the integrated circuit apparatus is configured to be used in a portable user device, the portable user device comprising a cellular interface and a Wi-Fi interface;

the auxiliary processor apparatus is associated with one or more of the cellular interface and the Wi-Fi interface; and

the memory-mapped serialized bus protocol comprises a protocol compliant with a Peripheral Component Interconnect Express (PCIe) specification.

5. The integrated circuit apparatus of claim 1, wherein the data structure is configured to enable the host processor apparatus and/or the auxiliary processor apparatus to enter the sleep state without loss of operational data via the shared memory interface.

6. The integrated circuit apparatus of claim 1, wherein the shared memory interface is configured to enable the host processor apparatus and the auxiliary processor apparatus to physically and/or virtually share the shared memory interface.

7. The integrated circuit apparatus of claim 1, wherein:

the host processor apparatus comprises a first independent state machine, and the auxiliary processor apparatus comprises a second independent state machine, each of the first and the second independent state machine comprising a plurality of states;

the auxiliary processor apparatus is configured to send a sleep mode request to enter a first state of the plurality of states, and send an active mode request to enter a third state of the plurality of states; and

the host processor apparatus is configured to enter a second state of the plurality of states in response to the sleep mode request, and enter a fourth state of the plurality of states in response to the active mode request.

8. The integrated circuit apparatus of claim 7, wherein:

the first state comprises a sleep-wait mode, the second state comprises a sleep mode, the third state comprises an active-wait mode, the fourth state comprise an active mode;

the host processor apparatus is configured to enter the sleep mode in response to an update of a peripheral sleep control register by the host processor apparatus;

the auxiliary processor apparatus is configured to enter the sleep mode in response to the update of the peripheral sleep control register by the host processor apparatus, and during the sleep mode, the auxiliary processor apparatus checks for pending data transmissions from the host processor apparatus; and

the auxiliary processor apparatus is further configured to, in response to a determination that the pending data transmissions exist, send the active mode request to enter the active-wait mode, the active-wait mode being configured to allow the auxiliary processor apparatus to access the inter-processor communication link.

9. A portable device comprising:

a first processor apparatus;

a second processor apparatus; and

a memory interface shared between the first processor apparatus and the second processor apparatus, the memory interface configured to enable data communication between the first processor apparatus and the second processor apparatus via an inter-processor communication link; and

a wireless interface associated with the second processor apparatus;

wherein the first processor apparatus is configured to transmit a data structure to the second processor apparatus via the inter-processor communication link, the data structure being configured to enable either or both of the first processor apparatus or the second processor apparatus to enter a sleep state.

10. The portable device of claim 9, wherein the second processor apparatus comprises a wireless modem, the wireless modem being configured to transact data wirelessly via the wireless interface.

11. The portable device of claim 9, wherein the first processor apparatus is further configured to evaluate a condition related to the second processor apparatus to determine whether the second processor apparatus comprises a state eligible for power reduction.

12. The portable device of claim 9, wherein the second processor apparatus is further configured to evaluate a likelihood that the first processor apparatus will request data within a prescribed window of time.

13. The portable device of claim 12, wherein the second processor apparatus is further configured to enter one of a plurality of reduced power states based on the evaluated likelihood that the first processor apparatus will request the data within the prescribed window of time.

14. The portable device of claim 9, wherein the memory interface is configured to remain functional when either the first processor apparatus or the second processor apparatus is active.

15. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having instructions stored thereon, the instructions being configured to, when executed by a first processor apparatus, cause the first processor apparatus to:

transact a data structure to a second processor apparatus via a shared memory interface, the shared memory interface being configured to enable data communication between the first processor apparatus and the second processor apparatus via an inter-processor communication link; and

enable, via the transaction of the data structure, one or more of the first processor apparatus and the second processor apparatus to enter a sleep state.

16. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 15, wherein the instructions are further configured to, when executed by the first processor apparatus, cause the first processor apparatus to evaluate a condition related to the second processor apparatus to determine whether the second processor apparatus comprises a state eligible for power reduction.

17. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 15, wherein the instructions are further configured to, when executed by the first processor apparatus, cause the first processor apparatus to issue wake signaling, the wake signaling indicating a forthcoming data transfer via the inter-processor communication link.

18. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 15, wherein the instructions are further configured to, when executed by the first processor apparatus, cause the first processor apparatus to:

responsive to detection of a sleep mode request by the second processor apparatus, update a peripheral sleep control register and enter the sleep state.

19. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 18, wherein the instructions are further configured to, when executed by the first processor apparatus, cause the first processor apparatus to:

responsive to an active mode request, update the peripheral sleep control register to an active mode and enter an active state.

20. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 15, wherein the instructions are further configured to, when executed by the first processor apparatus, cause the first processor apparatus to:

inform the second processor apparatus via a host enter sleep message that the first processor apparatus is to enter the sleep state.