Programmable and flexible power management unit

• US 6,212,645 B1
• Filed: 10/09/1998
• Issued: 04/03/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 10/09/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: NVIDIA Corporation
• Original Assignee: MediaQ, Inc. (NVIDIA Corporation)
• Inventors: Tjandrasuwita, Ignatius
• Primary Examiner(s): Myers, Paul R.
• Application Number:
  US09/169,438
• Time in Patent Office: 907 Days
• Field of Search: 713/300-340
• US Class Current: 713/330
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3203 Power management, i.e. event-based initiation of a power-saving mode
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3265 Power saving in display device
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3287 by switching off individual functional units in the computer system
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2330/021 Power management, e.g. power saving
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 10/00 Energy efficient computing, e.g. low power processors, power management or thermal management
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/50 in wire-line communication networks, e.g. low power modes or reduced link rate

Abstract

A programmable Power Management Unit (PMU) is provided. The Power Management Unit (PMU) supports a number of different power states namely a normal power state, a software-controlled sleep power sate, a hardware-controlled sleep power state, and two register programmable power states. In the normal power state, all circuits in the integrated circuit (e.g., graphics/display controller) are enabled. In the software-controlled sleep power state, all circuits in the integrated circuit are disabled except for frame buffer memory refresh logic and part of the bus interface. In the hardware-controlled sleep power state, all circuits in the integrated circuit are disabled except for the memory interface logic. In the two register programmable power states, circuits can be selectively powered up or down as desired in a single power sequencing. Moreover, under the present invention, the interval between circuits that are being disabled or enabled in a power sequencing is also programmable.

Claims

1. A programmable Power Management Unit (PMU) comprising:

a state machine receiving as inputs state control signals, in response to the state control signals, the state machine selecting one of a number of main power states for the PMU wherein the selected main power state has N sub-states, in response to control signals, the state machine sequencing through the N sub-states of the selected main power state for the PMU, the state machine generating signals indicating the selected main power state and the N sub-states that the state machine is currently in, wherein each sub-state controlling a corresponding module such that the N sub-states are combined to control the corresponding modules according to a desired sequence, wherein the state machine sequencing the N sub-states according to the sequence that is determined by programmable registers; and

a plurality of enable circuits coupled to the corresponding modules, the plurality of enable circuits receiving as inputs the signals from the state machine, the plurality of enable circuits generating signals to control the corresponding modules.

2. The PMU of claim 1, wherein the N sub-states control whether the corresponding modules are disabled and whether the corresponding modules are not disabled.

3. The PMU of claim 2, wherein whether the corresponding modules are to be disabled and whether the corresponding modules are not to be disabled are predetermined.

4. The PMU of claim 2, wherein whether the corresponding modules are to be disabled and whether the corresponding modules are not to be disabled are programmable.

5. The PMU of claim 1, wherein the control signals indicating that a transition from one main power state to another main power state.

6. The PMU of claim 1, wherein the control signals indicating that a predetermined event has occured.

7. The PMU of claim 6, wherein the predetermined event is when a particular module is being enabled.

8. The PMU of claim 1, wherein the state machine sequencing the N sub-states according to a predetermined sequence.

9. The PMU of claim 1, wherein the state machine sequencing the N sub-states according to a sequence that is determined by which module being enabled and disabled.

10. The PMU of claim 1, wherein the state machine sequencing the N sub-states according to a sequence that is determined by which event triggering the sequencing of the N sub-states.

11. The PMU of claim 1 further comprising a counter circuit coupled to the state machine, the counter circuit receiving as inputs interval control signals, the counter circuit monitoring power sequencing intervals in response to the interval control signals, the counter circuit generating signals indicating whether the power sequencing intervals have expired.

12. The PMU of claim 11, wherein the power sequencing intervals are fixed.

13. The PMU of claim 11 further comprising a programmable register coupled to the counter circuit and the plurality of enable circuits, the programmable register storing interval control information on duration of power sequencing intervals.

14. The PMU of claim 11, further comprising a decoder circuit receiving as inputs the signals from the state machine, in response to the signals from the state machine, the decoder circuit monitoring status of the main power state and the N sub-states that the state machine is currently engaged in and generating status signals to indicate the status of the main power state and sub-state.

15. The PMU of claim 1, wherein the state machine supporting five (5) main power states:

a normal power state D0, a first programmable power state D1, a second programmable power state D2, a software-controlled power state D3, and a hardware-controlled power state D4.

16. The PMU of claim 15, wherein during the normal power state D0, no circuit and module is disabled.

17. The PMU of claim 16, wherein the first programmable power state D1 represents a first power saving mode during which selected circuits and modules are disabled and other circuits and modules are not disabled as controlled by a first register of the plurality of programmable registers.

18. The PMU of claim 17, wherein the second programmable power state D2 represents a second power saving mode during which selected circuits and modules are disabled and other circuits and modules are not disabled as controlled by a second register of the plurality of programmable registers.

19. The PMU of claim 18, wherein the software controlled power state D3 represents a first sleep mode during which most predetermined circuits and modules are disabled.

20. The PMU of claim 19, wherein the hardware controlled power state D4 represents a second sleep mode during which most predetermined circuits and modules are disabled.

21. The PMU of claim 20, wherein the plurality of enable circuits comprising a clock enable circuit, a memory enable circuit, a display/graphics engine enable circuit, and a flat panel enable circuit.

22. A computer system comprising:

a central processing unit (CPU);

system memory coupled to the CPU;

a graphics/display controller coupled to the CPU and the system memory, the graphics controller comprising;

a CPU interface unit (CIF) coupled to the CPU;

a graphics engine (GE) coupled to the CIF;

a memory interface unit (MIU) coupled to the GE

a frame buffer coupled to the MIU;

a display controller coupled to the MIU;

a flat panel interface coupled to the display controller;

a CRT Digital-to-Analog converter (DAC) coupled to the display controller;

a plurality of phase lock loop circuits; and

a programmable Power Management Unit (PMU) comprising;

a state machine receiving as inputs state control signals, in response to the state control signals, the state machine selecting one of a number of main power states for the PMU wherein the selected main power state has N sub-states, in response to control signals, the state machine sequencing through the N sub-states of the selected main power state for the PMU, the state machine generating signals indicating the selected main power state and the N sub-states that the state machine is currently in, wherein each sub-state controlling a corresponding module such that the N sub-states are combined to control the corresponding modules according to a desired sequence, wherein the state machine sequencing the N sub-states according to the sequence that is determined by programmable registers; and

a plurality of enable circuits coupled to the corresponding modules, the plurality of enable circuits receiving as inputs the signals from the state machine, the plurality of enable circuits generating signals to control the corresponding modules.

23. The computer system of claim 22, wherein the N sub-states control whether the corresponding modules are disabled a nd whether the corresponding modules are not disabled.

24. The computer system of claim 23, wherein whether the corresponding modules are to be disabled and whether the corresponding modules are not to be disabled are predetermined.

25. The computer system of claim 23, wherein whether the corresponding modules are to be disabled and whether the corresponding modules are not to be disabled are programmable.

26. The computer system of claim 22, wherein the control signals indicating that a transition from one main power state to another main power state.

27. The computer system of claim 22, wherein the control signals indicating that a predetermined event has occured.

28. The computer system of claim 27, wherein the predetermined event is when a particular module is being enabled.

29. The computer system of claim 22, wherein the state machine sequencing the N sub-states according to a predetermined sequence.

30. The computer system of claim 22, wherein the state machine sequencing the N sub-states according to a sequence that that is determined by which module being enabled and disabled.

31. The computer system of claim 22, wherein the state machine sequencing the N sub-states according to a sequence that is determined by which event triggering the sequencing of the N sub-states.

32. The computer system of claim 22 further comprising a counter circuit coupled to the state machine, the counter circuit receiving as inputs interval control signals, the counter circuit monitoring power sequencing intervals in response to the interval control signals, the counter circuit generating signals indicating whether the power sequencing intervals have expired.

33. The computer system of claim 32, wherein the power sequencing intervals are fixed.

34. The computer system of claim 32 further comprising a programmable register coupled to the counter circuit and the plurality of enable circuits, the programmable register storing interval control information on duration of power sequencing intervals.

35. The computer system of claim 32, further comprising a decoder circuit receiving as inputs the signals from the state machine, in response to the signals from the state machine, the decoder circuit monitoring status of the main power state and the N sub-states that the state machine is currently engaged in and generating status signals to indicate the status of the main power state and sub-state.

36. The computer system of claim 22, wherein the state machine supporting five (5) main power states:

a normal power state D0, a first programmable power state D1, a second programmable power state D2, a software-controlled power state D3, and a hardware-controlled power state D4.

37. A method to manage power in a circuit comprising:

in response to state control signals, selecting one of a number of main power states, wherein the selected main power state has N sub-states, each sub-state controlling a corresponding module such that the N sub-states are combined to control the corresponding modules according to a desired sequence;

in response to control signals, sequencing through the N sub-states of the selected main power state, wherein the N sub-states are sequenced according to a sequence that is determined by programmable registers;

monitoring current status of the main power state and sub-state;

generating signals indicating the current status of the selected main power state and sub-state; and

in response to the signals indicating the status of the selected main power state and the sub-state, generating signals to enable selected sub-circuits in the circuit.

38. The method of claim 37 further comprising the steps:

in response to interval control signals, monitoring power sequencing intervals; and

generating signals indicating whether the power sequencing intervals have expired.