Methods and apparatus for managing and controlling power consumption and heat generation in computer systems
First Claim
1. A method of operating a processor, the method comprising:
- executing a task scheduler in beginning of each of a periodic time slice interval of a plurality of time slice intervals to obtain a determination of scheduled applications and a schedule of application execution during said each said periodic time slice interval, the plurality of time slice intervals constituting a continuous time period;
executing the scheduled applications in said each periodic time slice interval in accordance with the determination of scheduled applications and the schedule of application execution during said each periodic time slice interval; and
executing a substitute idle task upon completion of executing the scheduled applications in said each periodic time slice interval, wherein the step of executing the substitute idle task comprises causing the processor to enter a dormant mode.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A method for reducing power consumption and heat generation in a computer system employs a substitute idle task that puts the processor into a dormant mode, e.g., sleep, nap, or doze mode. The substitute idle task replaces a conventional operating system idle task. The substitute idle task may have a low priority, such as that of the conventional idle task, which it replaces. At each occurrence of a quantum interrupt, a task scheduler schedules applications for execution during the accompanying time slice. After the scheduled applications are done, the substitute idle task is executed. The dormant mode caused by the idle task reduces the system'"'"'s power consumption. The idle task may also have a high priority and be designed to run for a predetermined percentage of time. As the processor spends the predetermined percentage of time in the dormant mode, known power consumption reduction may be guaranteed in the system.
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Citations
35 Claims
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1. A method of operating a processor, the method comprising:
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executing a task scheduler in beginning of each of a periodic time slice interval of a plurality of time slice intervals to obtain a determination of scheduled applications and a schedule of application execution during said each said periodic time slice interval, the plurality of time slice intervals constituting a continuous time period; executing the scheduled applications in said each periodic time slice interval in accordance with the determination of scheduled applications and the schedule of application execution during said each periodic time slice interval; and executing a substitute idle task upon completion of executing the scheduled applications in said each periodic time slice interval, wherein the step of executing the substitute idle task comprises causing the processor to enter a dormant mode. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A method of operating a computer system comprising a processor, the method comprising:
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providing a discretized operating system for controlling applications executed by the computer system; and replacing an idle task of the discretized operating system with a substitute idle task that causes the processor to enter a dormant mode, priority level of the substitute idle task being the same as priority level of the idle task. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. A method of operating a processor, the method comprising:
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executing a task scheduler in beginning of each periodic time slice interval of a plurality of time slice intervals to obtain a determination of scheduled applications and a schedule of application execution during said each periodic time slice interval, the schedule of application execution during said each periodic time slice interval being arranged in accordance with priority levels of the scheduled applications for said each periodic time slice interval, the plurality of time slice intervals constituting a continuous time period, the scheduled applications comprising a substitute idle task configured to cause the processor to enter a first dormant mode, the substitute idle task having an idle task priority level lower than each other scheduled application so that the substitute idle task is scheduled last during said each periodic time slice interval; executing the scheduled applications in said each periodic time slice interval in accordance with the determination of the scheduled applications and the schedule of application execution during said each periodic time slice interval. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26)
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27. A method of operating a computer system comprising a processor, the method comprising:
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providing a discretized operating system for controlling applications executed by the computer system; and replacing an idle task of the discretized operating system with a highest priority power limiting task that causes the processor to enter a dormant mode.
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28. A computer system comprising:
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at least one processor; and a memory storing program code, the memory being coupled to the at least one processor to allow the at least one processor to read the program code; wherein the program code, when executed by the at least one processor, configures the at least one processor to cause the computer system to execute a task scheduler in beginning of each periodic time slice interval of a plurality of time slice intervals to obtain a determination of scheduled applications and a schedule of application execution for said each periodic time slice interval, the schedule of application execution for said each periodic time slice interval being arranged in accordance with priority levels of the scheduled applications for said each periodic time slice interval, the plurality of time slice intervals constituting a continuous time period, the scheduled applications of said each periodic time slice interval comprising a substitute idle task configured to cause the at least one processor to enter a dormant mode, the substitute idle task having an idle task priority level lower than each other scheduled application so that the substitute idle task is scheduled last during said each periodic time slice interval; and executing the scheduled applications in said each periodic time slice interval in accordance with the determination of the scheduled applications and the schedule of application execution for said each periodic time slice interval. - View Dependent Claims (29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35)
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Specification