DYNAMIC THERMAL BUDGET ALLOCATION FOR MULTI-PROCESSOR SYSTEMS

• US 20150185814A1
• Filed: 05/30/2014
• Published: 07/02/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 12/28/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: PING, Zhan, BRENNAN, Robert, MARTINEAU, Jason
• Granted Patent: US 9,342,136 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/206 comprising thermal management
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/329 by task scheduling
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 10/00 Energy efficient computing, e.g. low power processors, power management or thermal management

Abstract

Embodiments of the present inventive concept relate to systems and methods for dynamically allocating and/or redistributing thermal budget to each processor from a total processor thermal budget based on the workload of each processor. In this manner, the processor(s) having a higher workload can receive a higher thermal budget. The allocation can be dynamically adjusted over time. The individual and overall processor performance increases while efficiently allocating the total thermal budget. By dynamically sharing the total thermal budget of the system, the performance of the system as a whole is increased, thereby lowering, for example, the total cost of ownership (TCO) of datacenters.

Claims

1. A method for dynamically allocating a thermal budget for a multi-processor system, the method comprising:

detecting a first amount of current or power being consumed by a first processor;

detecting a second amount of current or power being consumed by a second processor;

determining, by dynamic thermal budget logic, power ratios associated with the first amount of current or power being consumed by the first processor and the second amount of current or power being consumed by the second processor;

determining credits ratios based at least in part on the power ratios;

allocating first thermal budget credits to the first processor in accordance with the credits ratios; and

allocating second thermal budget credits to the second processor in accordance with the credits ratios,

wherein the credits ratios are proportional to the power ratios.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the power ratios are referred to as first power ratios, and the credits ratios are referred to as first credits ratios, the method further comprising:

after a predetermined period of time;

detecting a third amount of current or power being consumed by the first processor;

detecting a fourth amount of current or power being consumed by the second processor;

determining, by the dynamic thermal budget logic, second power ratios associated with the third amount of current or power being consumed by the first processor and the fourth amount of current or power being consumed by the second processor;

determining second credits ratios based at least in part on the second power ratios;

allocating third thermal budget credits to the first processor in accordance with the second credits ratios; and

allocating fourth thermal budget credits to the second processor in accordance with the second credits ratios,

wherein the second credits ratios are proportional to the second power ratios.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

predictively distributing the credits ratios;

distributing heat across various physical locations of the multi-processor system according to the predictively distributed credits ratios; and

for a plurality of fixed periods of time, periodically repeating the detecting of the current or power being consumed by the first and second processors, the determining by the dynamic thermal budget logic, the determining of the credits ratios, the allocating of the first thermal budget credits, and the allocating of the second thermal budget credits.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein each of the plurality of fixed periods of time is 20 microseconds or greater.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the power ratios further comprises:

determining, by the dynamic thermal budget logic, a first processor power ratio associated with the first processor by dividing the amount of current or power being consumed by the first processor by a total amount of current or power being consumed by all processors associated with the thermal budget; and

determining, by the dynamic thermal budget logic, a second processor power ratio associated with the second processor by dividing the amount of current or power being consumed by the second processor by a total amount of current or power being consumed by all processors associated with the thermal budget.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein determining the credits ratios further comprises:

determining, by the dynamic thermal budget logic, a first processor credit ratio associated with the first processor based at least in part on the first processor power ratio; and

determining, by the dynamic thermal budget logic, a second processor credit ratio associated with the second processor based at least in part on the second processor power ratio.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein:

the first processor credit ratio is equal to the first processor power ratio, and

the second processor credit ratio is equal to the second processor power ratio.

8. The method of claim 6, further comprising:

controlling a temperature of the first processor to substantially remain within the thermal budget based at least on the first thermal budget credits allocated to the first processor; and

controlling a temperature of the second processor to substantially remain within the thermal budget based at least on the second thermal budget credits allocated to the second processor.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

detecting a third amount of current or power being consumed by a third processor;

detecting a fourth amount of current or power being consumed by a fourth processor;

determining, by the dynamic thermal budget logic, the power ratios associated with the third amount of current or power being consumed by the third processor and the fourth amount of current or power being consumed by the fourth processor;

allocating third thermal budget credits to the third processor in accordance with the credits ratios; and

allocating fourth thermal budget credits to the fourth processor in accordance with the credits ratios.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

resetting the thermal budget so that each processor is allocated a pre-determined quantity or fraction of the thermal budget; and

re-allocating the thermal budget across the various processors according to the instant power consumption or temperature of each processor.

11. A multi-processor system for dynamically allocating a thermal budget, the system comprising:

first measurement means configured to detect at least one of a first amount of current or power being consumed by a first processor;

second measurement means configured to detect at least one of a second amount of current or power being consumed by a second processor; and

dynamic thermal budget logic communicatively coupled to the first measurement means, the second measurement means, the first processor, and the second processor,

wherein the dynamic thermal budget logic is configured to determine power ratios associated with the first amount of current or power being consumed by the first processor and the second amount of current or power being consumed by the second processor, and to determine credits ratios based at least in part on the power ratios,

wherein the dynamic thermal budget logic is configured to allocate first thermal budget credits to the first processor in accordance with the credits ratios, and to allocate second thermal budget credits to the second processor in accordance with the credits ratios, and

wherein the credits ratios are proportional to the power ratios.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein:

the power ratios are referred to as first power ratios, and the credits ratios are referred to as first credits ratios,

the first measurement means is configured to detect at least one of a third amount of current or power being consumed by the first processor,

the second measurement means is configured to detect at least one of a fourth amount of current or power being consumed by the second processor,

the dynamic thermal budget logic is configured to determine second power ratios associated with the third amount of current or power being consumed by the first processor and the fourth amount of current or power being consumed by the second processor, and to determine second credits ratios based at least in part on the second power ratios,

the dynamic thermal budget logic is configured to allocate third thermal budget credits to the first processor in accordance with the second credits ratios,

the dynamic thermal budget logic is configured to allocate fourth thermal budget credits to the second processor in accordance with the second credits ratios, and

the second credits ratios are proportional to the second power ratios.

13. The system of claim 11, wherein:

the dynamic thermal budget logic is configured to determine a first processor power ratio associated with the first processor by dividing the amount of current or power being consumed by the first processor by a total amount of current or power being consumed by all processors associated with the thermal budget, and

the dynamic thermal budget logic is configured to determine a second processor power ratio associated with the second processor by dividing the amount of current or power being consumed by the second processor by a total amount of current or power being consumed by all processors associated with the thermal budget.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein:

the dynamic thermal budget logic is configured to determine a first processor credit ratio associated with the first processor based at least in part on the first processor power ratio, and

the dynamic thermal budget logic is configured to determine a second processor credit ratio associated with the second processor based at least in part on the second processor power ratio.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein:

the first processor credit ratio is equal to the first processor power ratio, and

the second processor credit ratio is equal to the second processor power ratio.

16. The system of claim 14, wherein:

the dynamic thermal budget logic is configured to control a temperature of the first processor to substantially remain within the thermal budget based at least on the first thermal budget credits allocated to the first processor, and

the dynamic thermal budget logic is configured to control a temperature of the second processor to substantially remain within the thermal budget based at least on the second thermal budget credits allocated to the second processor.

17. The system of claim 11, further comprising:

third measurement means configured to detect at least one of a third amount of current or power being consumed by a third processor; and

fourth measurement means configured to detect at least one of a fourth amount of current or power being consumed by a fourth processor,

wherein the dynamic thermal budget logic is configured to determine the power ratios associated with the third amount of current or power being consumed by the third processor and the fourth amount of current or power being consumed by the fourth processor,

wherein the dynamic thermal budget logic is configured to allocate third thermal budget credits to the third processor in accordance with the credits ratios, and

wherein the dynamic thermal budget logic is configured to allocate fourth thermal budget credits to the fourth processor in accordance with the credits ratios.

18. The system of claim 11, wherein:

the dynamic thermal budget logic is configured to predictively distribute the credits ratios,

the dynamic thermal budget logic is configured to distribute heat across various physical locations of the multi-processor system according to the predictively distributed credits ratios, and

the dynamic thermal budget logic is configured to, for a plurality of fixed periods of time, periodically repeat the detecting of the current or power being consumed by the first and second processors, the determining by the dynamic thermal budget logic, the determining of the credits ratios, the allocating of the first thermal budget credits, and the allocating of the second thermal budget credits.

19. The system of claim 11, wherein:

the dynamic thermal budget logic is configured to reset the thermal budget so that each processor is allocated a pre-determined quantity or fraction of the thermal budget; and

re-allocate the thermal budget across the various processors according to the instant power consumption or temperature of each processor.

20. A system, comprising:

a bus;

a plurality of processors communicatively coupled to the bus;

dynamic thermal budget logic communicatively coupled to the bus and to the one or more processors;

first measurement means configured to detect at least one of a first amount of current or power being consumed by a first processor from among the plurality of processors; and

second measurement means configured to detect at least one of a second amount of current or power being consumed by a second processor from among the plurality of processors, and

wherein the dynamic thermal budget logic is configured to determine power ratios associated with the first amount of current or power being consumed by the first processor and the second amount of current or power being consumed by the second processor, and to determine credits ratios based at least in part on the power ratios,

wherein the dynamic thermal budget logic is configured to allocate first thermal budget credits to the first processor in accordance with the credits ratios, and to allocate second thermal budget credits to the second processor in accordance with the credits ratios, and

wherein the credits ratios are proportional to the power ratios.

21. The system of claim 20, wherein:

the power ratios are referred to as first power ratios, and the credits ratios are referred to as first credits ratios,

the first measurement means is configured to detect at least one of a third amount of current or power being consumed by the first processor,

the second measurement means is configured to detect at least one of a fourth amount of current or power being consumed by the second processor,

the dynamic thermal budget logic is configured to determine second power ratios associated with the third amount of current or power being consumed by the first processor and the fourth amount of current or power being consumed by the second processor, and to determine second credits ratios based at least in part on the second power ratios,

the dynamic thermal budget logic is configured to allocate third thermal budget credits to the first processor in accordance with the second credits ratios,

the dynamic thermal budget logic is configured to allocate fourth thermal budget credits to the second processor in accordance with the second credits ratios, and

the second credits ratios are proportional to the second power ratios.

22. The system of claim 20, wherein:

the dynamic thermal budget logic is configured to determine a first processor power ratio associated with the first processor by dividing the amount of current or power being consumed by the first processor by a total amount of current or power being consumed by all processors associated with the thermal budget, and

the dynamic thermal budget logic is configured to determine a second processor power ratio associated with the second processor by dividing the amount of current or power being consumed by the second processor by a total amount of current or power being consumed by all processors associated with the thermal budget.

23. The system of claim 22, wherein:

the dynamic thermal budget logic is configured to determine a first processor credit ratio associated with the first processor based at least in part on the first processor power ratio, and

the dynamic thermal budget logic is configured to determine a second processor credit ratio associated with the second processor based at least in part on the second processor power ratio.