SYSTEM AND METHOD OF DYNAMICALLY CONTROLLING A PROCESSOR

• US 20110173617A1
• Filed: 07/29/2010
• Published: 07/14/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 01/11/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Salsbery, Brian J., Gargash, Norman S.
• Granted Patent: US 8,671,413 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 718/100
• 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: G06F 9/505 considering the load
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 10/00 Energy efficient computing, e.g. low power processors, power management or thermal management

Abstract

A method of executing a dynamic clock and voltage scaling (DCVS) algorithm in a central processing unit (CPU) is disclosed and may include monitoring CPU activity and determining whether a workload is designated as a special workload when the workload is added to the CPU activity.

Claims

1. A method of executing a dynamic clock and voltage scaling (DCVS) algorithm in a central processing unit (CPU), the method comprising:

monitoring CPU activity; and

determining whether a workload is designated as a special workload when the workload is added to the CPU activity.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein a special workload comprises an impulse workload, a defined workload, an isochronous workload, a pulsed workload, a best effort workload, a schedule workload, or a combination thereof.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

executing an unaltered DCVS algorithm if the workload is not designated as a special workload.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a unique identifier associated with the workload; and

searching a database using the unique identifier.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising:

determining whether a DCVS solution is associated with the unique identifier for the workload.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising:

retuning the DCVS algorithm based on the DCVS solution associated with the workload.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising:

executing a retuned DCVS algorithm.

8. The method of claim 5, further comprising:

determining whether to create a new DCVS solution for the workload when the workload does not include a DCVS solution.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

executing an unaltered DCVS algorithm when determined to not create a new DCVS solution.

10. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

creating a new DCVS solution for the workload; and

storing the new DCVS solution in conjunction with the unique identifier associated with the workload.

11. A wireless device, comprising:

means for monitoring CPU activity; and

means for determining whether a workload is designated as a special workload when the workload is added to the CPU activity.

12. The wireless device of claim 11, wherein a special workload comprises an impulse workload, a defined workload, an isochronous workload, a pulsed workload, a best effort workload, a schedule workload, or a combination thereof.

13. The wireless device of claim 11, further comprising:

means for executing an unaltered DCVS algorithm if the workload is not designated as a special workload.

14. The wireless device of claim 11, further comprising:

means for receiving a unique identifier associated with the workload; and

means for searching a database using the unique identifier.

15. The wireless device of claim 14, further comprising:

means for determining whether a DCVS solution is associated with the unique identifier for the workload.

16. The wireless device of claim 15, further comprising:

means for retuning a DCVS algorithm based on the DCVS solution associated with the workload.

17. The wireless device of claim 16, further comprising:

means for executing a retuned DCVS algorithm.

18. The wireless device of claim 15, further comprising:

means for determining whether to create a new DCVS solution for the workload when the workload does not include a DCVS solution.

19. The wireless device of claim 18, further comprising:

means for executing an unaltered DCVS algorithm when determined to not create a new DCVS solution.

20. The wireless device of claim 18, further comprising:

means for creating a new DCVS solution for the workload; and

means for storing the new DCVS solution in conjunction with the unique identifier associated with the workload.

21. A wireless device, comprising:

a processor, wherein the processor is operable to;

monitor CPU activity; and

determine whether a workload is designated as a special workload when the workload is added to the CPU activity.

22. The wireless device of claim 21, wherein a special workload comprises an impulse workload, a defined workload, an isochronous workload, a pulsed workload, a best effort workload, a schedule workload, or a combination thereof.

23. The wireless device of claim 21, wherein the processor is further operable to:

execute an unaltered DCVS algorithm if the workload is not designated as a special workload.

24. The wireless device of claim 21, wherein the processor is further operable to:

receive a unique identifier associated with the workload; and

search a database using the unique identifier.

25. The wireless device of claim 24, wherein the processor is further operable to:

determine whether a DCVS solution is associated with the unique identifier for the workload.

26. The wireless device of claim 25, wherein the processor is further operable to:

retune a DCVS algorithm based on the DCVS solution associated with the workload.

27. The wireless device of claim 26, wherein the processor is further operable to:

execute a retuned DCVS algorithm.

28. The wireless device of claim 25, wherein the processor is further operable to:

determine whether to create a new DCVS solution for the workload when the workload does not include a DCVS solution.

29. The wireless device of claim 28, wherein the processor is further operable to:

execute an unaltered DCVS algorithm when determined to not create a new DCVS solution.

30. The wireless device of claim 28, wherein the processor is further operable to:

create a new DCVS solution for the workload; and

store the new DCVS solution in conjunction with the unique identifier associated with the workload.

31. A memory medium, comprising:

at least one instruction for monitoring CPU activity; and

at least one instruction for determining whether a workload is designated as a special workload when the workload is added to the CPU activity.

32. The memory medium of claim 31, wherein a special workload comprises an impulse workload, a defined workload, an isochronous workload, a pulsed workload, a best effort workload, a schedule workload, or a combination thereof.

33. The memory medium of claim 31, further comprising:

at least one instruction for executing an unaltered DCVS algorithm if the workload is not designated as a special workload.

34. The memory medium of claim 31, further comprising:

at least one instruction for receiving a unique identifier associated with the workload; and

at least one instruction for searching a database using the unique identifier.

35. The memory medium of claim 34, further comprising:

at least one instruction for determining whether a DCVS solution is associated with the unique identifier for the workload.

36. The memory medium of claim 35, further comprising:

at least one instruction for retuning a DCVS algorithm based on the DCVS solution associated with the workload.

37. The memory medium of claim 36, further comprising:

at least one instruction for executing a retuned DCVS algorithm.

38. The memory medium of claim 35, further comprising:

at least one instruction for determining whether to create a new DCVS solution for the workload when the workload does not include a DCVS solution.

39. The memory medium of claim 38, further comprising:

at least one instruction for executing an unaltered DCVS algorithm when determined to not create a new DCVS solution.

40. The memory medium of claim 38, further comprising:

at least one instruction for creating a new DCVS solution for the workload; and

at least one instruction for storing the new DCVS solution in conjunction with the unique identifier associated with the workload.