Modifying Operating Parameters Based on Device Use

• US 20120297174A1
• Filed: 05/17/2011
• Published: 11/22/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 05/17/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Frank, Michael, McNamara, Patrick D., Noorlag, Date Jan Willem
• Granted Patent: US 8,578,143 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 713/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/3058 Monitoring arrangements for monitoring environmental properties or parameters of the computing system or of the computing system component, e.g. monitoring of power, currents, temperature, humidity, position, vibrations thermal management in cooling arrangements of a computing system G06F1/206
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/3419 by assessing time
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2209/504 Resource capping
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/5011 the resources being hardware resources other than CPUs, Servers and Terminals
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 10/00 Energy efficient computing, e.g. low power processors, power management or thermal management

Abstract

Monitoring aging information for multiple devices. Aging information of the devices may be received. Statistics regarding the multiple devices may be determined based on the aging information. For at least some of the devices, update information may be determined based on the respective aging information. The update information may include modifications to operating parameters of the devices. For example, the devices may operate according to initial parameters that are above sustainable parameters and the update information may lower the operating parameters based on the aging information.

Claims

1. A method for operating a device, the method comprising:

configuring the device according to one or more first operating parameters, wherein the one or more first operating parameters are above one or more sustainable operating parameters, wherein the one or more sustainable operating parameters are determined based on at least one assumption of use of the device;

monitoring use of the device;

configuring the device according to one or more second operating parameters based on said monitoring the use of the device, wherein the one or more second operating parameters are lower than the one or more first operating parameters.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one assumption comprises above average use.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one assumption comprises an assumption of use that exceeds 80% of cases of use.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the operating parameters comprise one or more operating frequencies.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the operating parameters comprise one or more operating voltages.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein said configuring, said monitoring, and said configuring is performed by the device.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein said configuring, said monitoring, and said configuring are performed by a computer system, wherein said monitoring comprises receiving aging information of the device one or more times.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the computer system is coupled to one or more servers, wherein the method further comprises:

the computer system providing the aging information to the one or more servers over a wide area network; and

the computer system receiving the one or more second parameters from the one or more servers over the wide area network.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein said configuring, said monitoring, and said configuring are performed by one or more servers, wherein said configuring the device according to the one or more first operating parameters comprises providing the one or more first operating parameters over a wide area network, wherein said monitoring use of the device comprises receiving aging information over the wide area network, and wherein said configuring the device according to the one or more second operating parameters comprises providing the one or more second operating parameters over the wide area network.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein said configuring the device according to one or more second operating parameters is also based on statistics of a plurality of devices.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

monitoring battery condition of the device;

wherein said configuring the device according to one or more second operating parameters is also based on the battery condition of the device.

12. A non-transitory computer-readable memory medium comprising program instructions for updating a device, wherein the program instructions are executable to:

monitor use of a device, wherein the device initially operates according to one or more first operating parameters, wherein the one or more first operating parameters are above one or more sustainable operating parameters, wherein the one or more sustainable operating parameters are determined based on at least one assumption of use of the device;

determine one or more second operating parameters based on said monitoring the use of the device, wherein the one or more second operating parameters are lower than the one or more first operating parameters; and

provide the one or more second operating parameters to the device, wherein the device is configured to operate according to the one or more second operating parameters in response to said providing.

13. The non-transitory computer-readable memory medium of claim 12, wherein the program instructions are executable to:

generate an update for the device, wherein the update includes the one or more second operating parameters, wherein said providing the one or mores second operating parameters to the device comprises providing the update to the device.

14. The non-transitory computer-readable memory medium of claim 12,

wherein the program instructions comprise a management program for the device.

15. The non-transitory computer-readable memory medium of claim 12, wherein said determining the one or more second operating parameters is also based on an update of the at least one assumption of use of the device.

16. An electronic device, comprising:

one or more aging circuits configured to determine aging information of the electronic device;

a memory coupled to the one or more aging circuits for storing the aging information;

control logic, wherein the control logic is configured to;

initially operate the device according to one or more first operating parameters, wherein the one or more first operating parameters are above one or more sustainable operating parameters, wherein the one or more sustainable operating parameters are determined based on at least one assumption of use of the device;

monitor aging of the device;

modify the one or more first operating parameters to one or more second operating parameters based on said monitoring the aging of the device, wherein the one or more second operating parameters are lower than the one or more first operating parameters; and

operate the device according to the one or more second operating parameters.

17. The electronic device of claim 16, wherein the operating parameters comprise an operating frequency, wherein the one or more first operating parameters comprise an operating frequency that is higher than the operating frequency of the one or more second operating parameters.

18. The electronic device of claim 16, wherein the operating parameters comprise an operating voltage, wherein the one or more first operating parameters comprise an operating voltage that is lower than the operating voltage of the one or more second operating parameters.

19. The electronic device of claim 16, wherein the control logic is further configured to:

provide aging information to a computer system based on said monitoring aging of the device.

20. The electronic device of claim 19, wherein the control logic is further configured to:

receive the one or more second operating parameters from the computer system based on said providing the aging information.

21. A system comprising:

an integrated circuit (IC) having one or more aging detection circuits each configured to provide an indication of aging of the IC, wherein the integrated circuit is initially configured according to a first operating frequency that is higher than a sustainable operating frequency;

a storage unit configured to store one or more indications of aging each received from the one or more aging detection circuits, respectively;

an age compensator configured to;

determine an age of the IC by reading the one or more indications of aging from the storage unit; and

modify the first operating frequency to a second operating frequency based on said determining the age of the IC, wherein the second operating frequency is lower than the first operating frequency.

22. The system of claim 21, wherein the integrated circuit is initially configured according to a first operating voltage that is lower than a sustainable operating voltage, wherein the age compensator is further configured to modify the first operating voltage to a second operating voltage based on said determining the age of the IC, wherein the second operating voltage is higher than the first operating voltage.

23. A non-transitory computer-readable memory medium comprising program instructions for modifying operating parameters of a plurality of devices, wherein the program instructions are executable to:

receive aging information of the plurality of devices over a wide area network, wherein, for each respective device, the aging information specifies aging of one or more electronic circuits in the respective device, wherein the plurality of devices are initially configured according to one or more first operating parameters, wherein the one or more first operating parameters are above one or more sustainable operating parameters, wherein the one or more sustainable operating parameters are determined based on at least one assumption of use of the device;

for each of a subset of the plurality of devices;

determine one or more second operating parameters based on the respective aging information of the device, wherein the one or more second operating parameters are lower than the one or more first operating parameters; and

provide the one or more second operating parameters over the wide area network for modifying the one or more first operating parameters.

24. The non-transitory computer-readable memory medium of claim 23, wherein the program instructions are further executable to:

determine statistical information of operation of the plurality of devices based on the aging information.

25. The non-transitory computer-readable memory medium of claim 23, wherein the program instructions are further executable to:

receive battery condition information of the plurality of devices over the wide area network;

wherein, for each of a subset of the plurality of devices, said determining the one or more second operating parameters is also based on the respective battery condition information of the device.