Lowered PU power usage method and apparatus
First Claim
1. A computer system, comprising:
- a channel unit comprising a counter corresponding to a data channel;
a processor coupled to receive computer program instructions and a power control signal, wherein the processor is configured to execute the received computer program instructions, and wherein the processor comprises at least one component that is not used when the processor has executed all received computer program instructions and is waiting for further computer program instructions, and wherein the processor is configured to transition the at least one component to a low power mode in response to the power control signal;
means for decrementing a count stored in the counter when the processor executes an instruction corresponding to the data channel;
means for producing the power control signal in the event the count stored in the counter reaches a predetermined value;
wherein the channel unit is configured to decrement the count stored in the counter when the processor executes an instruction corresponding to the data channel; and
wherein the processor is configured to provide a signal to the channel unit in the event an instruction corresponding to the data channel is executed, and wherein the channel unit is configured to produce a wait signal in the event the count stored in the counter reaches the predetermined value.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Disclosed is an apparatus which places computer program instructions into instruction channels in accordance with predefined criteria such that at least some external event instructions are placed in a special “blocking channel.” The number of instructions, in a channel, is monitored in channel specific counters. When a computer processor is awaiting a response from an external entity event (in other words, is blocked from proceeding with the operation the PU is attempting), as signified by the blocking counter being at a predetermined value, the entire PU or at least processor auxiliary components that would be idle, such as math logic, while awaiting an external event response, are deactivated to save power until an awaited external event response is received.
21 Citations
16 Claims
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1. A computer system, comprising:
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a channel unit comprising a counter corresponding to a data channel; a processor coupled to receive computer program instructions and a power control signal, wherein the processor is configured to execute the received computer program instructions, and wherein the processor comprises at least one component that is not used when the processor has executed all received computer program instructions and is waiting for further computer program instructions, and wherein the processor is configured to transition the at least one component to a low power mode in response to the power control signal; means for decrementing a count stored in the counter when the processor executes an instruction corresponding to the data channel; means for producing the power control signal in the event the count stored in the counter reaches a predetermined value; wherein the channel unit is configured to decrement the count stored in the counter when the processor executes an instruction corresponding to the data channel; and wherein the processor is configured to provide a signal to the channel unit in the event an instruction corresponding to the data channel is executed, and wherein the channel unit is configured to produce a wait signal in the event the count stored in the counter reaches the predetermined value. - View Dependent Claims (2)
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3. A computer system, comprising:
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a channel unit coupled to receive an external channel event signal corresponding to a data channel, wherein the channel unit comprises a counter corresponding to the data channel, and wherein the channel unit is configured to produce a wait signal; an instruction issue unit coupled to receive computer program instructions and the wait signal produced by the channel unit, wherein the instruction issue unit is configured to provide the computer program instructions and to produce a power control signal; a processor coupled to the channel unit and to receive the computer program instructions and the power control signal from the instruction issue unit, wherein the processor is configured to execute the received computer program instructions; wherein the processor is configured to provide a signal to the channel unit in the event an instruction corresponding to the data channel is executed; wherein the channel unit is configured to respond to the signal from the processor by decrementing a count stored in the counter, and to produce the wait signal in the even the count reaches a predetermined value; wherein the instruction issue unit is configured to respond to the wait signal by producing the power control signal; wherein the processor comprises at least one component that is not used when the processor has executed all received computer program instructions and is waiting for further computer program instructions; and wherein the processor is configured to respond to the power control signal from the instruction issue unit by transitioning the at least one component to a low power mode. - View Dependent Claims (4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. A computer system, comprising:
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a channel unit coupled to receive an external channel event signal corresponding to a blocking channel of a plurality of data channels, and wherein the channel unit comprises a plurality of counters each corresponding to a different one of the data channels, and wherein the channel unit is configured to produce a wait signal; an instruction issue unit coupled to receive computer program instructions of an instruction set and the wait signal produced by the channel unit, wherein the instruction issue unit is configured to provide the computer program instructions and to produce a power control signal; a processor coupled to the channel unit and to receive the computer program instructions and the power control signal from the instruction issue unit, wherein the processor is configured to execute the received computer program instructions; wherein the processor is configured to provide a signal to the channel unit in the event an instruction corresponding to one of the data channels is executed; wherein the channel unit is configured to respond to the signal from the processor by decrementing a count stored in the counter corresponding to the data channel, and to produce the wait signal in the event the count corresponding to the blocking channel is a predetermined value; wherein the instruction issue unit is configured to respond to the wait signal by producing the power control signal; wherein the processor comprises at least one component that is not used when the processor has executed all received computer program instructions and is waiting for further computer program instructions; and wherein the processor is configured to respond to the power control signal from the instruction issue unit by transitioning the at least one component to a low power mode. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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Specification