ADAPTIVE POWER CONTROL

• US 20100011233A1
• Filed: 07/14/2009
• Published: 01/14/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 01/18/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Semcon IP Inc. (Quest Patent Research Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Intellectual Ventures Funding LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Inventors: Lawrence, Thomas, Fleischmann, Marc, Chen, Zongjian, D'Souza, Godfrey P., Anvin, H. Peter, Halepete, Sameer, Klayman, Keith, Read, Andrew
• Granted Patent: US 8,566,627 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 713/322
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/08 Clock generators with changeable or programmable clock frequency
• 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 1/3296 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

A method for controlling the power used by a computer including the steps of measuring the operating characteristics of a central processor of the computer, determining when the operating characteristics of the central processor are significantly different than required by the operations being conducted, and changing the operating characteristics of the central processor to a level commensurate with the operations being conducted.

Claims

1. A method for controlling the operating condition of a computer processor comprising the steps of:

determining a maximum allowable power consumption level from the operating condition of the processor,

determining a maximum frequency which provides power not greater than the allowable power consumption level,

determining a minimum voltage which allows operation at the maximum frequency determined, and

dynamically changing the operating condition of the processor by changing the frequency and voltage to the maximum frequency and minimum voltage determined.

2. A computing device comprising:

a power supply furnishing selectable output voltages,

a clock frequency source,

a central processor including;

a processing unit for providing values indicative of operating conditions of the central processor, and

a clock frequency generator receiving a clock frequency from the clock frequency source and providing a selectable output clock frequency to the processing unit; and

means for detecting the values indicative of operating conditions of the central processor and causing the power supply and clock frequency generator to furnish an output clock frequency and voltage level for the central processor.

3. A computing device as claimed in claim 2 in which the means for detecting the values indicative of operating conditions of the central processor comprises control software for determining an output clock frequency and voltage level for the central processor adapted to conserve power while maintaining an effective execution rate.

4. A computing device as claimed in claim 2 in which the clock frequency generator provides a plurality of selectable output clock frequencies, and

the means for detecting the values indicative of operating conditions of the central processor causes the clock frequency generator to generate frequencies which are selected for optimum operation of a plurality of functional units of the computing device.

5. A method for controlling the power used by a computer comprising the steps of:

utilizing control software to measure the operating characteristics of a central processor of the computer,

determining when the operating characteristics of the central processor are significantly different than required by the operations being conducted, and

changing the operating characteristics of the central processor to a level commensurate with the operations being conducted.

6. A method as claimed in claim 5 in which:

the step of determining when the operating characteristics of the central processor are significantly different than required by the operations being conducted comprising utilizing the control software to determine desirable voltages and frequencies for the operation of the central processor based on the measured operating characteristics, and

the step of changing the operating characteristics of the central processor to a level commensurate with the operations being conducted comprises providing signals;

for controlling voltages furnished by a programmable power supply to the central processor, and

for controlling frequencies furnished by the central processor to the central processor.

7. A method as claimed in claim 6 in which the step of changing the operating characteristics of the central processor to a level commensurate with the operations being conducted comprises also providing signals for controlling frequencies furnished by the central processor to other functional units of the computer.

8. A computer comprising:

a power supply furnishing selectable output voltages,

a clock frequency source,

a bus,

system memory,

a central processor including;

a processing unit for providing values indicative of operating conditions of the central processor, and

a clock frequency generator receiving a clock frequency from the clock frequency source and providing a selectable output clock frequency to the processing unit; and

means for detecting the values indicative of operating conditions of the central processor and causing the power supply and clock frequency generator to furnish an output clock frequency and voltage level for the central processor.

9. A computer as claimed in claim 8 in which the means for detecting the values indicative of operating conditions of the central processor comprises control software for determining an output clock frequency and voltage level for the central processor adapted to conserve power while maintaining an effective execution rate.

10. A computing device as claimed in claim 8 in which the clock frequency generator provides a plurality of selectable output clock frequencies, and

the means for detecting the values indicative of operating conditions of the central processor causes the clock frequency generator to generate frequencies which are selected for optimum operation of a plurality of functional units of the computing device including system memory.

11. A computing device as claimed in claim 8 in which the clock frequency generator provides a plurality of selectable output clock frequencies, and

the means for detecting the values indicative of operating conditions of the central processor causes the clock frequency generator to generate frequencies which are selected for optimum operation of a plurality of functional units of the computing device including the bus.