Apparatus and method for measuring and controlling power consumption of a computer system

• US 20040044914A1
• Filed: 08/29/2002
• Published: 03/04/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 08/29/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Original Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Inventors: Gedeon, Mazen G.
• Granted Patent: US 7,243,243 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

An apparatus and method for measuring and controlling power consumption of a computer system utilizing sensing circuitry. The sensing circuitry simultaneously senses the power consumption for each one of various components in the computer system, including the Central Processing Unit (CPU). The power consumption data is accumulated and sent to CPU in order to enable the CPU to control power of the various components of the computer system, including the CPU itself.

Claims

1. An apparatus for determining power characteristics within a computer system, the apparatus comprising:

a sensing circuit within the computer system that senses power consumption of a processor circuit and communicates the sensed power consumption to the processor circuit.

2. An apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein the sensed power consumption is communicated to the processor circuit in order to enable the processor circuit to control the power characteristics of the computer system including the processor circuit itself.

3. An apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein the computer system comprises one of a laptop computer, a PDA, a personal computer and a server.

4. An apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein the processor circuit comprises a central processing unit and the sensing circuit.

5. An apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein the processor circuit comprises a motherboard including at least a central processing unit and the sensing circuit.

6. An apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein the sensing circuit further comprises:

a sensor in circuit with one or more power feeds of the processor circuit for sensing current and voltage values in each of the power feeds;

an analog to digital converter for receiving the sensed current or voltage and converting the received current and voltage values into digital signals; and

a controller for receiving the digital signal, determining power characteristics based on the received signals and transmitting the power characteristics to the processor circuit.

7. An apparatus as defined in claim 6, wherein the controller comprises a keyboard and system controller of a motherboard.

8. An apparatus as defined in claim 6, wherein the controller is further configured to periodically receive the digital signals at a predetermined sampling rate.

9. An apparatus as defined in claim 6, wherein the controller is configured to receive both digital signals representing current and voltage in the one or more power feeds and compute power in the one or more power feeds by computing the product of the current and voltage.

10. An apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein the processor circuit comprises a central processing unit that includes an associated operating system running a computer power usage routine.

11. An apparatus as defined in claim 10, wherein the power usage routine is configured to modify power usage of the central processing unit and other components connected in the processor circuit.

12. An apparatus as defined in claim 11, wherein the sensing circuit further determines total power consumption of the computer system and a remaining watt-hour state of a battery powering the computer system;

and

the power usage routine receives at least one of a desired run time and desired performance that is entered by a user and manage power consumption of the processor circuitry and other components in the computer system based on the sensed power consumption, the total power consumption and the remaining watt-hour state of the battery in order ensure that the desired run time and performance is effected.

13. An apparatus for determining power characteristics of a plurality of components within a computer system, the apparatus comprising:

a plurality of sensors, where each sensor is configured to sense voltage and current of a corresponding component of the plurality of components;

an analog-to-digital converter in communication with the plurality of sensors and configured to simultaneously receive the voltages and currents sensed by the plurality of sensors and convert the voltages and currents into digital signals; and

a controller in communication with the analog-to-digital converter to receive the digital signals and determine power characteristics for one or more of the plurality of components based on the received digital signals.

14. An apparatus as defined in claim 13, wherein where each of the plurality of sensors is in circuit with a respective power feed connection of corresponding ones of the plurality of components.

15. An apparatus as defined in claim 13, wherein the controller comprises one of the plurality of components.

16. An apparatus as defined in claim 13, wherein one of the plurality of components comprises a central processing unit and the controller is configured to communicate the determined power characteristics to the central processing unit.

17. An apparatus as defined in claim 16, wherein the central processing unit utilizes the received power characteristics to modify power consumption of the other ones of the plurality of components.

18. A method for sensing power consumption in a computer system comprising:

detecting the power consumption of a central processing unit with a sensing circuit disposed within the computer system; and

communicating the detected power consumption from the sensing circuit to the central processing unit.

19. A method as defined in claim 18, wherein the sensing circuit includes a sensor disposed in a power feed of the central processing unit and detecting the power consumption includes acquiring current and voltage in the power feed using the sensor.

20. A method as defined in claim 19, wherein detecting the power consumption further includes determining a product of the sensed voltage and current and calculating the power consumption using the sensed voltage and current.

21. A method as defined in claim 20, wherein detecting power consumption further includes determining when the calculated power exceeds a predetermined threshold value.

22. A method as defined in claim 21, wherein communicating the detected power consumption to the central processing unit is performed when a determination has been made that the calculated power exceeds the predetermined threshold value.

23. An apparatus for managing power within a computer system comprising:

a data acquisition circuit configured to acquire current and voltage for one or more devices within the computer system;

a conversion circuit configured to simultaneously convert the acquired currents and voltages to corresponding digital values;

a processing circuit configured to compute power data from the digital values for each of the one or more devices; and

a memory buffer configured to store the computed power data.

24. An apparatus as defined in claim 23, wherein the processing circuit is further configured to determine when the computed power data exceeds a predetermined threshold power and issue an interrupt signal to a central processing unit when the predetermined threshold is exceeded.

25. An apparatus as defined in claim 23, wherein one of the one or more devices comprises a central processing unit.

26. An apparatus as defined in claim 23, wherein the data acquisition circuit is configured to acquire voltage and current data according to a prescribed periodic sampling rate.

27. An apparatus as defined in claim 26, wherein the memory buffer comprises a circular buffer that is configured to store power data during each current sampling period.

28. A method of monitoring and controlling power consumption in a computer system comprising:

monitoring power consumption of a central processing unit using a power monitoring circuit;

communicating the monitored power consumption from the power monitoring circuit to the central processing unit;

determining within the central processing unit power consumption related to particular processing tasks being run by the central processing unit; and

controlling power consumption of the central processing unit by the central processing unit based on the power consumption associated with the particular processing tasks.

29. A method according to claim 28, wherein controlling power consumption includes initiation of a predetermined power reduction procedure by the central processing unit.

30. A method according to claim 29, wherein the predetermined power reduction procedure includes at least one or more of reducing power consumption of the central processing unit;

reducing power consumption of peripheral devices;

limiting processing tasks executed by the central processing unit; and

modifying operation of software applications run by the central processing unit.