System for reducing the power consumption of a computer system and method therefor

• US 5,787,294 A
• Filed: 10/13/1995
• Issued: 07/28/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 10/13/1995
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: STMicroelectronics International N.V. (STMicroelectronics NV)
• Original Assignee: VLSI Technology, Inc. (Koninklijke Philips N.V.)
• Inventors: Evoy, David R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Sheikh, Ayaz R.
• Assistant Examiner(s): PHAN, RAYMOND NGAN
• Application Number:
  US08/542,498
• Time in Patent Office: 1,019 Days
• Field of Search: 395/750, 395/182.12, 395/750.03, 395/750.07, 395/750.08, 364/707, 323/222, 323/223, 323/232, 323/234, 320/31, 320/35, 320/39, 320/40, 331/143
• US Class Current: 713/320
• 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

The present invention relates to a system and method for reducing the power consumption of a computer system, more specifically a notebook computer system. The system comprises a programmable frequency generator and a programmable power supply which alters the current operating frequency and voltage of the computer'"'"'s microprocessor to match current operating conditions. If the microprocessor is not doing any meaningful work, the programmable frequency generator and the programmable power supply can reduce both the operating frequency and voltage thereby lowering the power consumption of the computer system based on the formula: power=voltage² ×frequency. It should be noted that the programmable frequency generator and the programmable power supply may be attached to other system components in the computer system that consume a large amount of the computer system'"'"'s power.

Claims

1. A system for reducing power consumption of a computer system comprising, in combination:

programmable power supply means coupled to at least one of a plurality of system components for individually adjusting an operating voltage of said at least one of said plurality of system components based on current operating conditions of said at least one of said plurality of system components; and

programmable frequency generator means coupled to at least one of said plurality of system components for individually adjusting an operating frequency of said at least one of said plurality of system components based on current operating conditions of said at least one of said plurality of system components;

said programmable power supply means being coupled to each of said plurality of system components for individually adjusting operating voltage supplied to each of said plurality of system components based on current operating conditions of each of said plurality of system components such that each of said plurality of system components may be simultaneously supplied with different operating voltages in order to optimize overall system power savings and said programmable frequency generator means being coupled to each of said plurality of system components for individually adjusting operating frequency supplied to each of said plurality of system components based on current operating conditions of each of said plurality of system components such that each of said plurality of system components may be simultaneously supplied with different operating frequencies in order to optimize overall system power savings.

2. A system for reducing power consumption of a computer system in accordance with claim 1 further comprising power management unit means coupled to said programmable frequency generator means and each of said plurality of system components for receiving said current operating conditions of each of said plurality of system components and for controlling said programmable frequency generator means by providing said programmable frequency generator means with said operating frequencies for each of said plurality of system components based on current operating conditions.

3. A system for reducing power consumption of a computer system in accordance with claim 1 further comprising power management unit means coupled to said programmable power supply means and each of said plurality of system components for receiving said current operating conditions of each of said plurality of system components and for controlling said programmable power supply means by providing said programmable power supply means with said operating voltages for each of said plurality of system components based on current operating conditions.

4. A system for reducing power consumption of a computer system comprising, in combination:

programmable power supply means coupled to a plurality of system components for individually adjusting operating voltages of each of said plurality of system components based on current operating conditions of each of said plurality of system components;

programmable frequency generator means coupled to said plurality of system components for individually adjusting operating frequencies of each of said plurality of system components based on current operating conditions of each of said plurality of system components; and

power management unit means coupled to said programmable frequency generator means, said programmable power supply means, and each of said plurality of system components for receiving said current operating conditions of each of said plurality of system components and for controlling said programmable frequency generator means by providing said programmable frequency generator means with said operating frequencies for each of said plurality of system components based on current operating conditions such that each of said plurality of system components may be simultaneously supplied with different operating frequencies in order to optimize overall system power savings and for controlling said programmable power supply means by providing said programmable power supply means with said operating voltages for each of said plurality of system components based on current operating conditions such that each of said plurality of system components may be simultaneously supplied with different operating voltages in order to optimize overall system power savings.

5. A system for reducing power consumption of a computer system in accordance with claim 4 further comprising data bus means coupled to said power management means, said programmable frequency generator means, and said programmable power supply means for transferring data to said programmable frequency generator means indicating said operating frequencies that each of said plurality of system components should be operating at under current operating conditions and for transferring data to said programmable power supply means indicating said operating voltages that each of said plurality of system components should be operating at under current operating conditions.

6. A system for reducing power consumption of a computer system in accordance with claim 4 further comprising power on reset line means coupled to said power management unit means, said programmable frequency generator means, said programmable power supply means, and each of said plurality of system components for sending a signal that puts said programmable frequency generator means, said programmable power supply means, and each of said plurality of system components in an initial operating condition.

7. A system for reducing power consumption of a computer system in accordance with claim 4 wherein at least one of said plurality of system components is a central processing unit.

8. A system for reducing power consumption of a computer system in accordance with claim 4 wherein at least one of said plurality of system components is a system controller.

9. A system for reducing power consumption of a computer system in accordance with claim 4 wherein at least one of said plurality system components is a dynamic random access memory component.

10. A system for reducing power consumption of a computer system in accordance with claim 5 further comprising set frequency line means coupled to said power management unit means and said programmable frequency generator means for sending a signal to said programmable frequency generator means to load said data from said power management unit means to alter said operating frequencies of each of said plurality of system components to match current operating conditions.

11. A system for reducing power consumption of a computer system in accordance with claim 5 further comprising set voltage line means coupled to said power management unit means and said programmable power supply means for sending a signal to said programmable power supply means to load said data from said power management unit means to alter said operating voltages of each of said plurality of system components to match current operating conditions.

12. A system for reducing power consumption of a computer system comprising, in combination:

programmable power supply means individually coupled to each of a plurality of system components one of said plurality of system components being a central processing unit for individually adjusting operating voltages of each of said plurality of system components based on current operating conditions of each of said plurality of system components;

programmable frequency generator means individually coupled to said plurality of system components for individually adjusting operating frequencies of each of said plurality of system components based on current operating conditions of each of said plurality of system components;

power management unit means coupled to said programmable frequency generator means, said programmable power supply means, and each of said plurality of system components for receiving said current operating conditions of each of said plurality of system components and for controlling said programmable frequency generator means by providing said programmable frequency generator means with said operating frequencies for each of said plurality of system components based on current operating conditions such that each of said plurality of system components may be simultaneously supplied with different operating frequencies in order to optimize overall system power savings and for controlling said programmable power supply means by providing said programmable power supply means with said operating voltages for each of said plurality of system components based on current operating conditions such that each of said plurality of system components may be simultaneously supplied with different operating voltages in order to optimize overall system power savings;

data bus means coupled to said power management means, said programmable frequency generator means, and said programmable power supply means for transferring data to said programmable frequency generator means indicating said operating frequencies that each of said plurality of system components should be operating at under current operating conditions and for transferring data to said programmable power supply means indicating said operating voltages that each of said plurality of system components should be operating at under current operating conditions;

set frequency line means coupled to said power management unit means and said programmable frequency generator means for sending a signal to said programmable frequency generator means to load said data from said power management unit means to alter said operating frequencies of each of said plurality of system components to match current operating conditions;

set voltage line means coupled to said power management unit means and said programmable power supply means for sending a signal to said programmable power supply means to load said data from said power management unit means to alter said operating voltages of each of said plurality of system components to match current operating conditions; and

power on reset line means coupled to said power management unit means, said programmable frequency generator means, said programmable power supply means, and each of said plurality of system components for sending a signal that puts said programmable frequency generator means, said programmable power supply means, and each of said plurality of system components in an initial operating condition.

13. A system for reducing power consumption of a computer system in accordance with claim 12 wherein said plurality of system components further comprises a system controller.

14. A system for reducing power consumption of a computer system in accordance with claim 12 wherein said plurality of system components further comprises a dynamic random access memory component.

15. A method for reducing power consumption of a computer system comprising the steps of:

providing a system for individually adjusting a frequency and a voltage of a plurality of system components;

monitoring current operating conditions of said plurality of system components;

adjusting frequencies of each of said plurality of system components to conform to target frequencies for each of said plurality of system components such that each of said plurality of system components may be simultaneously supplied with different operating frequencies in order to optimize overall system power savings, said target frequencies being based on current operating conditions; and

adjusting voltages of each of said plurality of system components to conform to target voltages for each of said plurality of system components such that each of said plurality of system components may be simultaneously supplied with different operating voltages in order to optimize overall system power savings, said target voltages being based on current operating conditions.

16. The method of claim 15 wherein said step of providing a system for individually adjusting a frequency and a voltage of a plurality of system components further comprises the steps of:

providing programmable power supply means coupled to each of a plurality of system components for individually adjusting operating voltages of each of said plurality of system components based on current operating conditions of each of said plurality of system components;

providing programmable frequency generator means coupled to said plurality of system components for individually adjusting operating frequencies of each of said plurality of system components based on current operating conditions of each of said plurality of system components;

providing power management unit means coupled to said programmable frequency generator means, said programmable power supply means, and each of said plurality of system components for receiving said current operating conditions of each of said plurality of system components and for controlling said programmable frequency generator means by providing said programmable frequency generator means with said operating frequencies for each of said plurality of system components based on current operating conditions and for controlling said programmable power supply means by providing said programmable power supply means with said operating voltages for each of said plurality of system components based on current operating conditions.

17. The method of claim 15 wherein said step of monitoring current operating conditions of said plurality of system components further comprises the step of providing a power management unit means coupled to each of said plurality of system components for receiving data on said current operating conditions of each of said plurality of system components.

18. The method of claim 15 wherein said step of adjusting frequencies of each of said plurality of system components to conform to target frequencies for each of said plurality of system components based on current operating conditions further comprises the steps of:

providing programmable frequency generator means coupled to a plurality of system components for individually adjusting operating frequencies of each of said plurality of system components based on current operating conditions;

providing power management unit means coupled to said programmable frequency generator means and each of said plurality of system components for receiving said current operating conditions of each of said plurality of system components and for controlling said programmable frequency generator means by providing said programmable frequency generator means with said target frequencies for each of said plurality of system components based on current operating conditions;

sending said target frequencies for each of said plurality of system components from said power management unit means to said programmable frequency generator means; and

sending said target frequencies for each of said plurality of system components from said programmable frequency generator means to each of said plurality of system components for adjusting said current operating frequencies of each of said plurality of system components.

19. The method of claim 15 wherein said step of adjusting voltages of each of said plurality of system components to conform to target voltages for each of said plurality of system components based on current operating conditions further comprises the steps of:

providing programmable power supply means coupled to said plurality of system components for individually adjusting operating voltages of each of said plurality of system components based on current operating conditions of said plurality of system components;

providing power management unit means coupled to said programmable power supply means and each of said plurality of system components for receiving said current operating conditions of each of said plurality of system components and for controlling said programmable power supply means by providing said programmable power supply means with said target voltages of each of said plurality of system components based on current operating conditions;

sending said target voltages for each of said plurality of system components from said power management unit means to said programmable power supply means; and

sending said target voltages for each of said plurality of system components from said programmable power supply means to each of said plurality of system components for adjusting said current operating voltages of each of said plurality of system components.

20. A system for reducing power consumption of a computer system comprising, in combination:

programmable power supply means coupled to at least one of a plurality of system components for individually adjusting an operating voltage of said at least one of said plurality of system components based on current operating conditions of said at least one of said plurality of system components;

programmable frequency generator means coupled to said at least one of said plurality of system components for individually adjusting an operating frequency of said at least one of said plurality of system components based on current operating conditions of said at least one of said plurality of system components; and

power management unit means coupled to said programmable frequency generator means, said programmable power supply means, and said at least one of said plurality of system components for receiving said current operating conditions of said at least one of said plurality of system components and for controlling said programmable frequency generator means by providing said programmable frequency generator means with said operating frequency of said at least one of said plurality of system components based on current operating conditions such that each of said plurality of system components may be simultaneously supplied with different operating frequencies in order to optimize overall system power savings and for controlling said programmable power supply means by providing said programmable power supply means with said operating voltage for said at least one of said plurality of system components based on current operating conditions such that each of said plurality of system components may be simultaneously supplied with different operating voltages in order to optimize overall system power savings.

21. A system for reducing power consumption of a computer system in accordance with claim 20 further comprising data bus means coupled to said power management means, said programmable frequency generator means, and said programmable power supply means for transferring data to said programmable frequency generator means indicating said operating frequency that said at least one of said plurality of system components should be operating at under current operating conditions and for transferring data to said programmable power supply means indicating said operating voltage that said at least one of said plurality of system components should be operating at under current operating conditions.

22. A system for reducing power consumption of a computer system in accordance with claim 20 further comprising power on reset line means coupled to said power management unit means, said programmable frequency generator means, said programmable power supply means, and said at least one of said plurality of system components for sending a signal that puts said programmable frequency generator means, said programmable power supply means, and said at least one of said plurality of system components in an initial operating condition.

23. A system for reducing power consumption of a computer system in accordance with claim 21 further comprising set frequency line means coupled to said power management unit means and said programmable frequency generator means for sending a signal to said programmable frequency generator means to load said data from said power management unit means to alter said operating frequency of said at least one of said plurality of system components to match current operating conditions.

24. A system for reducing power consumption of a computer system in accordance with claim 21 further comprising set voltage line means coupled to said power management unit means and said programmable power supply means for sending a signal to said programmable power supply means to load said data from said power management unit means to alter said operating voltage of said at least one of said plurality of system components to match current operating conditions.

25. A system for reducing power consumption of a computer system in accordance with claim 21 wherein at least one of said plurality of system components is a central processing unit.