Real-time power conservation for electronic device having a processor
DCFirst Claim
1. An apparatus, comprising:
- a central processing unit (CPU) having a monitor for measuring the relative amount of idle time within said CPU; and
a clock manager coupled to said CPU, said clock manager selectively modifying a clock signal being sent to said CPU.
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Abstract
A real-time power conservation apparatus and method for portable computers employs a monitor to determine whether a CPU may rest based upon a real-time sampling of the CPU activity level and to activate a hardware selector to carry out the monitor'"'"'s determination. If the monitor determines the CPU may rest, the hardware selector reduces CPU clock time; if the CPU is to be active, the hardware selector returns the CPU to its previous high speed clock level. Switching back into full operation from its rest state occurs without a user having to request it and without any delay in the operation of the computer while waiting for the computer to return to a “ready” state. Furthermore, the monitor adjusts the performance level of the computer to manage power conservation in response to the real-time sampling of CPU activity. Such adjustments are accomplished within the CPU cycles and do not affect the user'"'"'s perception of performance and do not affect any system application software executing on the computer.
119 Citations
31 Claims
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1. An apparatus, comprising:
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a central processing unit (CPU) having a monitor for measuring the relative amount of idle time within said CPU; and
a clock manager coupled to said CPU, said clock manager selectively modifying a clock signal being sent to said CPU.
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2. An apparatus, comprising:
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a central processing unit (CPU) having a monitor for measuring the relative amount of idle time within said CPU; and
a clock manager coupled to said CPU, said clock manager selectively modifying a clock signal being sent to said CPU in response to usage of said CPU being below a preselected level.
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3. An apparatus, comprising:
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a central processing unit (CPU) having a monitor for measuring the relative amount of idle time within said CPU; and
a clock manager coupled to said CPU, said clock manager selectively modifying a clock signal being sent to said CPU to reduce the idle time in said CPU. - View Dependent Claims (4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. An apparatus, comprising:
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a central processing unit (CPU) having a monitor for measuring the relative amount of idle time within said CPU; and
a clock manager coupled to said CPU, said clock manager selectively modifying a clock signal being sent to said CPU to minimize the relative amount of idle time in said CPU.
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9. An apparatus, comprising:
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a central processing unit (CPU) having a monitor for measuring the relative amount of activity time within said CPU; and
a clock manager coupled to said CPU, said clock manager selectively modifying a clock signal being sent to said CPU. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. An apparatus, comprising:
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a central processing unit (CPU) having a monitor for measuring the relative amount of activity time within said CPU; and
a clock manager coupled to said CPU, said clock manager selectively modifying a clock signal being sent to said CPU in response to usage of said CPU being below a preselected level.
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15. An apparatus, comprising:
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a central processing unit (CPU) having a monitor for measuring the relative amount of activity time within said CPU; and
a clock manager coupled to said CPU, said clock manager selectively modifying a clock signal being sent to said CPU to control the amount of activity time in said CPU.
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16. An apparatus, comprising:
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a central processing unit (CPU) having a monitor for measuring the relative amount of activity time within said CPU; and
a clock manager coupled to said CPU, said clock manager selectively modifying a clock signal being sent to said CPU to optimize the activity time within said CPU in response to usage of said CPU being below a preselected level.
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17. An apparatus, comprising:
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a central processing unit (CPU) having a monitor for measuring the relative amount of idle time and activity time within said CPU; and
a clock manager coupled to said CPU, said clock manager selectively modifying a clock signal being sent to said CPU.
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18. An apparatus, comprising:
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a central processing unit (CPU) having a monitor for measuring the relative amount of idle time and activity time within said CPU; and
a clock manager coupled to said CPU, said clock manager selectively modifying a clock signal being sent to said CPU in response to usage of said CPU being below a preselected level.
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19. An apparatus, comprising:
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a central processing unit (CPU) having a monitor for measuring the relative amount of idle time and activity time within said CPU; and
a clock manager coupled to said CPU, said clock manager selectively modifying a clock signal being sent to said CPU to control the amount of idle time and activity time in said CPU. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21, 22, 23)
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24. An apparatus, comprising:
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a central processing unit (CPU) having a monitor for measuring the relative amount of idle time and activity time within said CPU; and
a clock manager coupled to said CPU, said clock manager selectively modifying a clock signal being sent to said CPU to control the amount of idle time and activity time in said CPU in response to a utilization percentage of said CPU being below a preselected level.
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25. An apparatus, comprising:
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a central processing unit (CPU) having a monitor for measuring the utilization of said CPU; and
a clock manager coupled to said CPU, said clock manager selectively modifying a clock signal being sent to said CPU to control a utilization percentage of said CPU.
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26. An apparatus, comprising:
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a central processing unit (CPU) coupled to a clock and having a monitor for measuring the relative amount of idle time and activity time within said CPU; and
a clock manager coupled to said CPU, said clock manager controlling periods of time said clock is in an OFF state, the length of said periods of time said clock is in an OFF state being appropriate to allow said CPU to operate at an efficient utilization percentage. - View Dependent Claims (27, 28, 29, 30, 31)
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Specification