Methods and apparatuses for dynamic power control

• US 20070050650A1
• Filed: 01/05/2006
• Published: 03/01/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 08/25/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Culbert, Michael, Cox, Keith, Conroy, David
• Granted Patent: US 7,788,516 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 713/300
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 23/19 characterised by the use of electric means G05D23/1393 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/26 Power supply means, e.g. regulation thereof for memories G11C
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/28 Supervision thereof, e.g. detecting power-supply failure by out of limits supervision
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/30 Means for acting in the event of power-supply failure or interruption, e.g. power-supply fluctuations for resetting only G06F1/24
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3203 Power management, i.e. event-based initiation of a power-saving mode
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/324 by lowering clock frequency
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3287 by switching off individual functional units in the computer system
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3296 by lowering the supply or operating voltage
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 70/10 Technologies improving the efficiency by using switched-mode power supplies [SMPS], i.e. efficient power electronics conversion e.g. power factor correction or reduction of losses in power supplies or efficient standby modes
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 70/30 Systems integrating technologies related to power network operation and communication or information technologies for improving the carbon footprint of the management of residential or tertiary loads, i.e. smart grids as climate change mitigation technology in the buildings sector, including also the last stages of power distribution and the control, monitoring or operating management systems at local level
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 10/00 Energy efficient computing, e.g. low power processors, power management or thermal management

Abstract

Exemplary embodiments of methods and apparatuses to manage a power of a system that leverage intermediate power margins are described. One or more subsystems of the system are operated at one or more performance points. A power consumed by the one or more subsystems at each of the one or more performance points is measured. An operational power of the one or more subsystems at the one or more performance points is determined. The one or more subsystems are operated at well-known conditions at the one or more performance points. The operational power may be adjusted based on data associated with the one or more subsystems. The operational power is provided to a power lookup table. The power is distributed among the one or more subsystems based on the operational power.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

operating a subsystem at one or more performance points;

measuring a power consumed by the subsystem at each of the one or more performance points; and

determining an operational power of the subsystem at the one or more performance points.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the operating the subsystem includes consuming a maximum power by the subsystem at the one or more performance points.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more performance points is a frequency, voltage, temperature, or any combination thereof, and the operational power is a measured actual power consumed by the subsystem.

4. The method of claim 1, further including

adjusting the operational power based on a data associated with the subsystem.

5. The method of claim 1, further including

providing the operational power to a power lookup table.

6. A method, comprising:

operating one or more subsystems of a computer system to provide a maximum power consumption by each of the one or more subsystems at one or more performance points;

measuring the maximum power consumed by each of the one or more subsystems at each of the one or more performance points; and

determining operational powers of each of the one or more subsystems based on a measured power.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising

distributing the power among the one or more subsystems based on the operational powers.

8. The method of claim 6, further including

providing the operational powers to one or more power distribution tables.

9. The method of claim 6, wherein the one or more subsystems are a CPU, a GPU, a memory, a microprocessor, a microcontroller, or any combination thereof.

10. The method of claim 6, further including

adjusting the operational power based on a data associated with the one or more subsystems.

11. A system, comprising:

one or more subsystems;

one or more sensors coupled to the one or more subsystems to measure a power consumed by the one or more subsystems;

a power manager coupled to the one or subsystems and to the one or more sensors, wherein the power manager is configured to operate the one or more subsystems at one or more performance points and to determine an operational power of the one or more subsystems at the one or more performance points.

12. The system of claim 11, further including

a memory coupled to the power manager, wherein the memory stores a software program to operate the one or more subsystems.

13. The system of claim 11, wherein the one or more subsystems is a microprocessor, a microcontroller, a memory, a CPU, a GPU, or any combination thereof.

14. The system of claim 11, wherein the one or more performance points is a frequency, a voltage, a temperature, or any combination thereof.

15. An article of manufacture comprising:

a machine-accessible medium including data that, when accessed by a machine, cause the machine to perform operations comprising,

operating a subsystem at one or more performance points;

measuring a power consumed by the subsystem at each of the one or more performance points; and

determining an operational power of the subsystem at the one or more performance points.

16. The article of manufacture of claim 15, wherein the operating the subsystem includes consuming a maximum power by the subsystem at the one or more performance points.

17. The article of manufacture of claim 15, wherein the one or more performance points is a frequency, a voltage, a temperature, or any combination thereof, and the operational power is a measured actual power consumed by the subsystem.

18. The article of manufacture of claim 15, wherein the machine-accessible medium further includes data that cause the machine to perform operations, comprising,

adjusting the operational power based on a data associated with the subsystem.

19. The article of manufacture of claim 15, wherein the machine-accessible medium further includes data that cause the machine to perform operations, comprising,

providing the operational power to a power lookup table.

20. An article of manufacture comprising:

a machine-accessible medium including data that, when accessed by a machine, cause the machine to perform operations comprising,

operating one or more subsystems of a computer system to provide a maximum power consumption by each of the one or more subsystems at one or more performance points;

measuring the maximum power consumed by each of the one or more subsystems at each of the one or more performance points; and

determining operational powers of each of the one or more subsystems based on a measured power.

21. The article of manufacture of claim 20, wherein the machine-accessible medium further includes data that cause the machine to perform operations comprising,

distributing the power among the one or more subsystems based on the operational powers.

22. The article of manufacture of claim 20, wherein the machine-accessible medium further includes data that cause the machine to perform operations comprising,

providing the operational powers to one or more power distribution tables.

23. The article of manufacture of claim 20, wherein the one or more subsystems are a CPU, a GPU, a memory, a microprocessor, a microcontroller, or any combination thereof.

24. The article of manufacture of claim 20, wherein the machine-accessible medium further includes data that cause the machine to perform operations comprising,

adjusting the operational power based on a data associated with the one or more subsystems.

25. A system, comprising:

means for operating a subsystem at one or more performance points;

means for measuring a power consumed by the subsystem at each of the one or more performance points; and

means for determining an operational power of the subsystem at the one or more performance points.

26. A system, comprising:

means for operating one or more subsystems of a computer system to provide a maximum power consumption by each of the one or more subsystems at one or more performance points;

means for measuring the maximum power consumed by each of the one or more subsystems at each of the one or more performance points; and

means for determining operational powers of each of the one or more subsystems based on a measured power.

27. A method to operate a data processing system, comprising:

storing a power representing a power margin defined by an intermediate operational power point of a subsystem and an established value; and

providing the power to the system to operate another subsystem.

28. A method, comprising:

determining an intermediate operational power point of a subsystem, wherein the intermediate operational power point includes a power margin;

storing the power margin.