Performance control method for a computer

• US 20040006719A1
• Filed: 10/24/2002
• Published: 01/08/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 07/08/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Quanta Computer
• Original Assignee: Quanta Computer
• Inventors: Kuo, Chih-Hung, Yang, Ping-Tsun
• Granted Patent: US 6,966,007 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 713/300
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3203 Power management, i.e. event-based initiation of a power-saving mode

Abstract

This present invention describes a performance control method for a computer. An advanced configuration and power interface (ACPI) is used to control the performance of desktop CPU. According to this method, the control items in the ACPI are set according to the throttling function setting and according to the requirement of the user to set the number of the related performance states supported by the CPU. Then, the operation system selects the related performance state of the CPU according to the required system power.

Claims

1. A performance control method for a computer with a desktop CPU, wherein said desktop CPU having a specified number of supported performance states is connected to a chipset, said desktop CPU and said chipset both support a throttling function technology, said method comprising:

setting _PCT control instruction, _PSS control instruction and _PPC control instruction provided by the Advanced Configuration and Power Interface (ACPI), wherein said setting is respectively in accord with said throttling function technology and the specified number of supported performance states.

2. The performance control method for a computer according to claim 1, wherein said setting _PCT control instruction provided by the ACPI in accordance with said throttling function technology further comprises:

setting said _PCT control instruction to a setting port of the throttling function in said chipset; and

setting a Performance Control Register and a Performance Status Register of said _PCT control instruction to a same register value.

3. The performance control method for a computer according to claim 2, wherein said register value set in said Performance Control Register and said Performance Status Register is related to said chipset.

4. The performance control method for a computer according to claim 1, wherein said setting _PSS control instruction provided by the ACPI in accordance with said throttling function technology further comprises setting register values existing in the _PSS control instruction as follows:

“

CoreFreq”

, “

power dissipation”

, “

BusMasterLatency”

, “

TransitionLatency”

, “

control” and

“

status”

.

5. The performance control method for a computer according to claim 4, wherein said register values of said “

control” and

said “

status”

are set to a same value.

6. The performance control method for a computer according to claim 4, wherein said register values of said “

BusMasterLatency”

are set to zero.

7. The performance control method for a computer according to claim 4, wherein said register value of said “

TransitionLatency”

is related to the hardware of the computer.

8. The performance control method for a computer according to claim 4, wherein said performance state is a percentage of said desktop CPU working in a duty cycle.

9. A performance control method using an ACPI applied to a computer with a desktop CPU, wherein said desktop CPU having a specified number of supported performance states is connected to a chipset, said desktop CPU and said chipset both support a throttling function technology, said ACPI comprises three control instructions, _PCT control instruction, _PSS control instruction and _PPC control instruction, said method comprising:

setting said _PCT control instruction to a setting port of throttling function in said chipset;

setting the register values of the Performance Control Register and the Performance Status Register of said _PCT control instruction to a same register value;

setting register values existing in the _PSS control instruction of “

CoreFreq”

, “

power dissipation”

, “

BusMasterLatency”

, “

TransitionLatency”

, “

control” and

“

status”

, wherein said register values of said “

control” and

said “

status”

are set to a same value and said register values of said “

BusMasterLatency”

are set to zero; and

setting said _PPC control instruction in accordance with the specified number of supported performance states by said desktop CPU.

10. The performance control method using an ACPI applied to a computer with a desktop CPU according to claim 9, wherein said register value set in said Performance Control Register and the Performance Status Register is related to said chipset.

11. The performance control method using an ACPI applied to a computer with a desktop CPU according to claim 9, wherein said register values set in said “

control” and

said “

status”

are related to said chipset.

12. The performance control method using an ACPI applied to a computer with a desktop CPU according to claim 9, wherein said register value of said “

TransitionLatency”

is related to the hardware of the computer.

13. The performance control method using an ACPI applied to a computer with a desktop CPU according to claim 9, wherein said performance state is a percentage of said desktop CPU working in a duty cycle.

14. A performance control method applied to a computer with a desktop CPU under Win XP environment, wherein said Win XP supports an ACPI comprising three control instructions, _PCT control instruction, _PSS control instruction and _PPC control instruction, said desktop CPU having a specified number of supported performance states is connected to a chipset, said desktop CPU and said chipset both support the throttling function technology and said ACPI, said method comprising:

setting said _PCT control instruction to a setting port of the throttling function in said chipset;

setting register values of the Performance Control Register and the Performance Status Register of said _PCT control instruction to a same register value;

setting register values existing in the _PSS control instruction of “

CoreFreq”

, “

power dissipation”

, “

BusMasterLatency”

, “

TransitionLatency”

, “

control” and

“

status”

, wherein said register values of said “

control” and

said “

status”

are set to a same value and said register values of said “

BusMasterLatency”

is set to zero; and

setting said _PPC control instruction in accordance with the specified number of supported performance states by said desktop CPU.

15. The performance control method applied to a computer with a desktop CPU under Win XP environment according to claim 14, wherein said register value set in said Performance Control Register and the Performance Status Register is related to said chipset.

16. The performance control method applied to a computer with a desktop CPU under Win XP environment according to claim 14, wherein said register values set in said “

control” and

said “

status”

are related to said chipset.

17. The performance control method applied to a computer with a desktop CPU under Win XP environment according to claim 14, wherein said register value of said “

TransitionLatency”

is related to the hardware of the computer.

18. The performance control method applied to a computer with a desktop CPU under Win XP environment according to claim 14, wherein said performance state is a percentage of said desktop CPU working in a duty cycle.