Staged power distribution control

• US 10,459,516 B2
• Filed: 08/07/2017
• Issued: 10/29/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 12/28/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Original Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Inventors: Vilhauer, Reed D., Glennan, William T.
• Primary Examiner(s): Tran, Vincent H
• Application Number:
  US15/670,421
• Publication Number:
  US 20180052509A1
• Time in Patent Office: 813 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3212 Monitoring battery levels, e.g. power saving mode being initiated when battery voltage goes below a certain level
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3234 Power saving characterised by the action undertaken
• 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 1/3296 by lowering the supply or operating voltage
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 10/00 Energy efficient computing, e.g. low power processors, power management or thermal management

Abstract

Various embodiments are directed to restrictions in portable computing device electric power to accommodate reductions in the voltage level of a power source. An apparatus comprises a controller caused to receive configuration data from a main processor circuit specifying a voltage level threshold and selected action to take to reduce electric power to a first component in response to the voltage level falling below the first voltage level threshold, recurringly monitor the voltage level; based on the voltage level falling below the first voltage level threshold, take the first selected action and transmit a signal to the main processor circuit indicating that the voltage level has fallen below the first voltage level threshold and that the first selected action has been taken; transmit the voltage level to the main processor circuit; receive a signal from the main processor circuit to undo the first selected action; and so undo.

Claims

1. An apparatus, comprising:

logic, at least a portion of the logic implemented in hardware, the logic to;

determine a voltage level of a power source has fallen below a threshold value, wherein fall of the voltage level below the threshold value is caused by an increase in current provided by the power source;

take a selected action based on the voltage level falling below the threshold value, the selected action to cause a reduction in electric power consumption by a component; and

indicate to a main processor circuit that the selected action was taken.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, the logic to operate a power switching component to restrict electric power provided to the component to take the selected action based on the voltage level falling below the threshold value.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, the logic to signal the component to reduce consumption of electric power to take the selected action based on the voltage level falling below the threshold value.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, the logic to receive configuration data from the main processor circuit, the configuration data to indicate the threshold value and the selected action.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, the logic to:

determine the voltage level has fallen below a second threshold value;

take a second selected action based on the voltage level falling below the second threshold value, the second selected action to cause a cessation in electric power consumption by the component; and

indicate to the main processor circuit that the second selected action was taken.

6. The apparatus of claim 5, the logic to operate a power switching component to cease provision of electric power to the component to take the second selected action based on the voltage level falling below the second threshold value.

7. The apparatus of claim 5, the logic to signal the component to cease consumption of electric power to take the second selected action based on the voltage level falling below the second threshold value.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, the logic to:

determine the voltage level has risen above the threshold value; and

take a second selected action based on the voltage level rising above the threshold value, the second selected action to cause an increase in electric power consumption by the component; and

indicate to the main processor circuit the second action was taken.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, the logic to wait a debounce period after determination that the voltage level has risen above the threshold value and before the second action is taken.

10. A computer-implemented method, comprising:

determining a voltage level of a power source has fallen below a threshold value, wherein fall of the voltage level below the threshold value is caused by an increase in current provided by the power source;

taking a selected action based on the voltage level falling below the threshold value, the selected action to cause a reduction in electric power consumption by a component; and

indicating to a main processor circuit that the selected action was taken.

11. The computer-implemented method of claim 10, comprising operating a power switching component to restrict electric power provided to the component to take the selected action based on the voltage level falling below the threshold value.

12. The computer-implemented method of claim 10, comprising signaling the component to reduce consumption of electric power to take the selected action based on the voltage level falling below the threshold value.

13. The computer-implemented method of claim 10, comprising receiving configuration data from the main processor circuit, the configuration data to indicate the threshold value and the selected action.

14. The computer-implemented method of claim 10, comprising:

determining the voltage level has fallen below a second threshold value;

taking a second selected action based on the voltage level falling below the second threshold value, the second selected action to cause a cessation in electric power consumption by the component; and

indicating to the main processor circuit that the second selected action was taken.

15. The computer-implemented method of claim 14, comprising operating a power switching component to cease provision of electric power to the component to take the second selected action based on the voltage level falling below the second threshold value.

16. The computer-implemented method of claim 14, comprising signaling the component to cease consumption of electric power to take the second selected action based on the voltage level falling below the second threshold value.

17. The computer-implemented method of claim 10, comprising:

determining the voltage level has risen above the threshold value; and

taking a second selected action based on the voltage level rising above the threshold value, the second selected action to cause an increase in electric power consumption by the component; and

indicating to the main processor circuit the second action was taken.

18. The computer-implemented method of claim 17, comprising waiting a debounce period after determination that the voltage level has risen above the threshold value and before the second action is taken.

19. At least one non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising a set of instructions that, in response to being executed by a processor circuit, cause the processor circuit to:

determine a voltage level of a power source has fallen below a threshold value, wherein fall of the voltage level below the threshold value is caused by an increase in current provided by the power source;

take a selected action based on the voltage level falling below the threshold value, the selected action to cause a reduction in electric power consumption by a component; and

indicate to a main processor circuit that the selected action was taken.

20. The at least one non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 19, comprising instructions that, in response to being executed by the processor circuit, cause the processor circuit to operate a power switching component to restrict electric power provided to the component to take the selected action based on the voltage level falling below the threshold value.

21. The at least one non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 19, comprising instructions that, in response to being executed by the processor circuit, cause the processor circuit to signal the component to reduce consumption of electric power to take the selected action based on the voltage level falling below the threshold value.

22. The at least one non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 19, comprising instructions that, in response to being executed by the processor circuit, cause the processor circuit to receive configuration data from the main processor circuit, the configuration data to indicate the threshold value and the selected action.

23. The at least one non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 19, comprising instructions that, in response to being executed by the processor circuit, cause the processor circuit to:

determine the voltage level has fallen below a second threshold value;

take a second selected action based on the voltage level falling below the second threshold value, the second selected action to cause a cessation in electric power consumption by the component; and

indicate to the main processor circuit that the second selected action was taken.

24. The at least one non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 23, comprising instructions that, in response to being executed by the processor circuit, cause the processor circuit to operate a power switching component to cease provision of electric power to the component to take the second selected action based on the voltage level falling below the second threshold value.

25. The at least one non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 23, comprising instructions that, in response to being executed by the processor circuit, cause the processor circuit to signal the component to cease consumption of electric power to take the second selected action based on the voltage level falling below the second threshold value.