Methods and apparatus for achieving thermal management using processing task scheduling

• US 20050216222A1
• Filed: 03/29/2004
• Published: 09/29/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 03/29/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sony Computer Entertainment Incorporated (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Computer Entertainment Incorporated (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Inoue, Keisuke
• Granted Patent: US 8,224,639 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 702/136
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/206 comprising thermal management
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3203 Power management, i.e. event-based initiation of a power-saving mode
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/329 by task scheduling
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2209/483 Multiproc
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/3814 Implementation provisions of instruction buffers, e.g. prefetch buffer; banks
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/3836 Instruction issuing, e.g. dynamic instruction scheduling or out of order instruction execution
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/3869 Implementation aspects, e.g. pipeline latches; pipeline synchronisation and clocking
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/4893 taking into account power or heat criteria power management in computers in general G06F1/3203; thermal management in computers in general G06F1/206
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 10/00 Energy efficient computing, e.g. low power processors, power management or thermal management

Abstract

The present invention provides apparatus and methods to perform thermal management in a computing environment. In one embodiment, thermal attributes are associated with operations and/or processing components, and the operations are scheduled for processing by the components so that a thermal threshold is not exceeded. In another embodiment, hot and cool queues are provided for selected operations, and the processing components can select operations from the appropriate queue so that the thermal threshold is not exceeded.

Claims

1. A method of scheduling operations to be performed by a component having a thermal threshold comprising:

providing a plurality of operations to be performed by the component;

associating the operations with a thermal attribute, the thermal attribute representing a value related to a heat amount expected to be generated or incurred by the component during performance of the operations; and

scheduling the operations in an order of performance based on the thermal attribute so that the thermal threshold is not exceeded.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising measuring the thermal attribute with a temperature sensing means.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising estimating the thermal attribute based upon power consumption of the component.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein estimating the thermal attribute further includes performing a circuit simulation of the component.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein estimating the thermal attribute further includes determining a power density of the component.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising the component executing the operations in the order of performance.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the component includes a plurality of processing devices and the thermal attribute is an aggregate thermal attribute of selected ones of the processing devices that execute the operations.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the component includes a plurality of processing devices, each of the processing devices has an individual thermal threshold, and the thermal attribute includes a plurality of individual thermal attributes, each individual thermal attribute being associated with one of the processing devices.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

selecting at least some of the processing devices to execute the operations;

monitoring the selected processing devices; and

routing the operations among the selected processing devices so that the individual thermal thresholds are not exceeded.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the component includes a plurality of processing devices and the thermal attribute is allocated among the plurality of processing devices.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising determining the thermal attribute by:

(i) determining power consumption of the component;

(ii) determining a footprint of the component;

(iii) dividing the power consumption of the component by the footprint of the component to obtain per-area power consumption; and

(iv) multiplying the per-area power consumption by a thermal estimation constant.

12. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining a cooling attribute;

wherein scheduling the operations incorporates the cooling attribute along with the thermal attribute.

13. A thermal scheduling method, comprising:

obtaining program code including a series of operations;

determining thermal attributes associated with one or more of the operations;

determining a thermal threshold for a component; and

scheduling the operations for execution by the component in accordance with the thermal attributes so that the thermal threshold is not exceeded.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the thermal attributes account for an amount of heat expected to be generated as the component executes a selected operation.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein the thermal attributes account for an amount of heat generated over a period of time.

16. The method of claim 13, wherein the thermal attributes account for at least one of power consumption of the component and power density of the component.

17. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

the component executing the operations;

monitoring the temperature of the component during execution; and

rescheduling the operations if the thermal threshold is exceeded.

18. The method of claim 13, further comprising estimating the thermal attributes by counting the number of tasks to be performed in each of the operations.

19. The method of claim 13, wherein the component includes a plurality of processing devices, the method further comprising:

monitoring a dynamic execution of selected ones of the operations by selected ones of the processing devices;

determining an operational frequency of the selected processing devices; and

reporting the operational frequency of the selected processing devices to a compiler.

20. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

determining a cooling attribute for a computing device, the computing device including the component;

wherein scheduling the operations is performed in accordance with the cooling attribute and the thermal attribute.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein the cooling attribute is based on a type of packaging of the computing device.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein the cooling attribute is further based on a cooling means of the computing device.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein:

if the cooling means has one state, the cooling attribute is fixed; and

if the cooling means has multiple states, the cooling attribute is dynamic.

24. A processing system comprising:

a computing device including a component;

a plurality of operations to be performed by the component; and

at least one thermal attribute associated with the component and a selected one of the operations, the thermal attribute being indicative of a change in temperature of the component after performance of the selected operation.

25. The processing system of claim 24, further comprising a scheduler operable to assign at least one of the operations to the component depending on the thermal attribute.

26. The processing system of claim 25, wherein the scheduler is operable to retrieve a chosen one of the operations from a storage location depending upon the thermal attribute.

27. The processing system of claim 25, wherein the component includes a plurality of sub-components, the scheduler is a simple scheduler, and the thermal attribute is a total thermal attribute associated with the component and not associated with the plurality of sub-components.

28. The processing system of claim 25, wherein the component includes a plurality of sub-components, the scheduler is an advanced scheduler, and the thermal attribute is further associated with at least some of the sub-components.

29. The processing system of claim 25, wherein the component is a processing device and the scheduler is integrated with the processing device.

30. The processing system of claim 24, wherein the selected operation comprises a task, and the thermal attribute is a task thermal attribute.

31. The processing system of claim 30, wherein the task thermal attribute is based on at least one of an operating frequency of the component, a thermal attribute of the component, and a cooling attribute.

32. The processing system of claim 24, wherein at least some of the operations include a priority, the system further comprising:

a plurality of priority queues, wherein each priority queue includes a first queue and a second queue, the first queue for storing a first set of the operations, and the second queue for storing a second set of the operations.

33. The processing system of claim 32, further comprising a scheduler operable to assign at least some of the operations to either the first or the second queue in a selected one of the priority queues based on the priorities of the operations and on the thermal attribute.

34. The processing system of claim 33, wherein the scheduler is further operable to retrieve a chosen one of the operations from the first queue or the second queue of the selected priority queue depending upon the thermal attribute and the priority of the chosen operation.

35. A processing system, comprising:

a first operation having a first thermal attribute exceeding an operating threshold;

a second operation having a second thermal attribute not exceeding the operating threshold;

a scheduler for managing a plurality of operations comprising the first and second operations based on the thermal attributes; and

a plurality of processors for executing the plurality of operations, each of the plurality of processors having a thermal threshold.

36. The processing system of claim 35, wherein if the thermal threshold of a selected one of the plurality of processors is not exceeded, the selected processor is operable to obtain and execute at least one of the first operation and the second operation.

37. The processing system of claim 36, wherein, if the thermal threshold of the selected processor is not exceeded, the selected processor obtains the first operation.

38. The processing system of claim 35, wherein, if the thermal threshold of a selected one of the plurality of processors is exceeded, the selected processor is operable to obtain and execute the second operation.

39. The processing system of claim 35, wherein the processors include temperature sensing means for monitoring or estimating temperatures of the processors.

40. The processing system of claim 39, wherein each processor further includes an analog to digital converter that is operable to receive a temperature value from the temperature sensing means and to provide a digital temperature value.

41. The processing system of claim 35, wherein a selected one of the processors includes a plurality of sub-processors.

42. The processing system of claim 41, wherein the selected processor has a total thermal attribute associated with the selected processor and not associated with the sub-processors.

43. The processing system of claim 41, wherein each sub-processor has a component thermal attribute distinct from the component thermal attributes of the other sub-processors.

44. A method of performing operations in a computing environment, comprising:

storing a first operation based upon a thermal attribute of the first operation;

storing a second operation based upon a thermal attribute of the second operation; and

retrieving at least one of the first and the second operations depending upon a thermal threshold of a processor.

45. The method of claim 44, wherein, if the thermal threshold of the processor is not exceeded, at least one of the first operation and the second operation is retrieved.

46. The method of claim 45, wherein only the first operation is retrieved.

47. The method of claim 44, wherein if the thermal threshold of the processor is exceeded, the second operation is retrieved.

48. The method of claim 44, further comprising:

determining a priority of the first operation;

determining a priority of the second operation; and

providing a plurality of priority queues, each of the priority queues including a first queue and a second queue;

wherein the first operation is stored in one of the first queues based upon the priority of the first operation, and the second operation is stored in one of the second queues based upon the priority of the second operation.

49. The method of claim 44, further comprising:

associating a component thermal attribute with the processor;

wherein retrieving the at least one operation further includes evaluating a current state of the component thermal attribute and selecting the at least one operation based upon the component thermal attribute.

50. A method of performing operations in a computing environment, comprising:

determining if a temperature of a processor exceeds a thermal threshold; and

(i) if the thermal threshold is not exceeded;

determining if a first operation is available, the first operation being likely to maintain or increase the temperature of the processor upon execution; and

if the first operation is available, executing the first operation;

(ii) if the thermal threshold is exceeded;

determining if a second operation is available, the second operation being likely to decrease the temperature of the processor upon execution; and

if the second operation is available, executing the second operation.

51. The method of claim 50, further comprising performing a nop if the second operation is not available.

52. The method of claim 50, further comprising:

determining a priority level;

determining if the first operation is available from a priority queue of the priority level; and

if the first operation is not available from the priority queue, determining if the second operation is available from the priority queue.

53. A processing apparatus for processing operations associated with thermal attributes, comprising:

a memory for storing a first operation and a second operation, the first operation having a thermal attribute exceeding an operating threshold, and the second operation having a thermal attribute not exceeding the operating threshold; and

a plurality of processing devices for executing the first and second operations, at least a selected one of the processing devices comprising a processing element, a processing unit or a sub-processing unit, and at least some of the processing devices having a thermal threshold and access to the memory;

wherein, if the thermal threshold of the selected processing device is not exceeded, the selected processing device is operable to obtain the first operation from the memory for processing, and

if the thermal threshold of the selected processing device is exceeded, the selected processing device is operable to obtain the second operation from the memory for processing.

54. The processing apparatus of claim 53, wherein at least some of the processing devices are processing elements.

55. The processing apparatus of claim 54, wherein at least some of the processing elements further comprise at least one sub-processing unit.

56. The processing apparatus of claim 55, wherein each sub-processing unit includes a floating point unit, an integer unit and a register associated with the floating point unit and the integer unit.

57. The processing apparatus of claim 56, wherein each sub-processing unit further includes a local store.

58. The processing apparatus of claim 54, wherein at least some of the processing elements further comprise a processing unit and a plurality of sub-processing units associated with the processing unit.

59. The processing apparatus of claim 58, wherein the sub-processing units each further include a local store.

60. The processing apparatus of claim 53, wherein a first one of the processing devices is operable to exchange operations with a second one of the processing devices depending upon the thermal threshold of the first processing device.

61. The processing apparatus of claim 53, wherein the selected processing device includes a sub-processing unit, and the memory comprises a local store in the sub-processing unit.

62. The processing apparatus of claim 61, wherein the local store includes a first queue for managing the first operation and a second queue for managing the second operation.

63. The processing device of claim 53, wherein the first and second operations are maintained in the memory in a timesharing arrangement.

64. A processing apparatus for processing operations associated with thermal attributes, comprising:

first and second memories for storing first and second operations, the first operation having a thermal attribute exceeding an operating threshold, and the second operation having a thermal attribute not exceeding the operating threshold;

a plurality of processing devices for executing the first and second operations, at least a selected one of the processing devices comprising a processing element, a processing unit or a sub-processing unit, and at least some of the processing devices having a thermal threshold and access to the first and second memories;

wherein, if the thermal threshold of the selected processing device is not exceeded, the selected processing device obtains the first operation from either the first memory or the second memory for processing, and

if the thermal threshold of the selected processing device is exceeded, the selected processing device obtains the second operation from either the first memory or the second memory for processing.

65. A processing apparatus for processing operations associated with thermal attributes, comprising:

first and second memories for storing first and second sets of the operations, the first memory including a first queue for managing the first set of operations, the second memory including a second queue for managing the second set of operations, the first set of operations having thermal attributes exceeding an operating threshold, and the second set of operations having thermal attributes not exceeding the operating threshold;

a plurality of processing devices for executing the first and second sets of operations, at least a selected one of the processing devices comprising a processing element, a processing unit or a sub-processing unit, and at least some of the processing devices having a thermal threshold and access to the first and second memories;

wherein, if the thermal threshold of the selected processing device is not exceeded, the selected processing device obtains at least one of the first set of operations for processing, and

if the thermal threshold of the selected processing device is exceeded, the selected processing device obtains at least one of the second set of operations for processing.

66. A method of processing tasks comprising:

selecting one of a plurality of tasks for execution by a component based on an attribute, wherein the attribute for each task is related to the temperature of the component after execution of the associated task; and

executing the selected task.

67. The method of claim 66 wherein the attribute is related to an expected increase or decrease in temperature of the component after execution of the associated task.

68. The method of claim 67 wherein the expected increase or decrease is based on the power density of the component.

69. The method of claim 66 wherein the tasks are stored in at least one queue in memory.

70. The method of claim 66 wherein the tasks are stored in at least two queues in memory, one queue storing tasks whose attributes meet a condition and another queue storing tasks whose attributes do not meet the condition.

71. The method of claim 66 wherein the condition is that the attribute exceeds a threshold.

72. The method of claim 66 wherein the task is also selected based on the current temperature of the component.

73. The method of claim 66 wherein the tasks are stored in different addresses in memory prior to execution.

74. The method of claim 66 wherein the tasks are stored in the same address at different times in memory prior to execution.

75. The method of claim 66 wherein the component is a processor.

76. A system for processing tasks comprising:

memory for storing tasks to be processed;

a component that processes the tasks stored in the memory;

wherein the tasks are associated with attributes, the attribute for each task is related to the temperature of the component after processing the associated task, and one of the tasks is chosen for processing by the component based on the attribute.

77. The system of claim 76 wherein the attribute is related to an expected increase or decrease in temperature of the component after processing of the chosen task.

78. The system of claim 77 wherein the expected increase or decrease is based on the power density of the component.

79. The system of claim 76 wherein the tasks are stored in at least one queue in memory.

80. The system of claim 76 wherein the tasks are stored in at least two queues in memory, one queue storing tasks whose attributes meet a condition and another queue storing tasks whose attributes do not meet the condition.

81. The system of claim 80 wherein the condition is that the attribute exceeds a threshold.

82. The system of claim 76 wherein the memory comprises two separate collections of memory, one collection of memory storing tasks whose attributes meet a condition and another collection of memory storing tasks whose attributes do not meet the condition.

83. The system of claim 82 wherein the two separate collections of memory are stored at the same memory address but at different time periods.

84. The system of claim 82 wherein the two separate collections of memory are at different memory addresses.

85. The system of claim 84 wherein the two separate collections of memory are in the same semiconductive device.

86. The system of claim 82 wherein the two separate collections of memory are in different semiconductive devices.

87. The system of claim 76 wherein the component includes a temperature sensor and the task is selected based on an output of the temperature sensor.

88. The system of claim 76 further comprising a second component capable of processing the tasks, wherein one or more of the tasks are selected for each component based on an expected temperature of each component after processing the task.

89. The system of claim 76 further comprising a scheduler that selects one or more of the tasks for the component.