Advanced thermal management using an average power controller over an adjustable time window

• US 7,549,177 B2
• Filed: 03/28/2005
• Issued: 06/16/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 03/28/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Original Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Inventors: Santos, Ishmael, Diefenbaugh, Paul
• Primary Examiner(s): CERVETTI, DAVID GARCIA
• Application Number:
  US11/091,096
• Publication Number:
  US 20060218423A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,541 Days
• Field of Search: 713/310, 713/340, 713/320, 726/36
• US Class Current: 726/36
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/206 comprising thermal management
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3203 Power management, i.e. event-based initiation of a power-saving mode
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 10/00 Energy efficient computing, e.g. low power processors, power management or thermal management

Abstract

Systems and methods of conducting thermal management provide for transmitting average power data to a source device, where the source device has a thermal influence on a target device and the average power data is based on the thermal influence. Adjustable time window data may also be transmitted to the source device, where the time window defines the amount of time for determining and controlling the average power consumption of the source device.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

transmitting average power data to a source device, the source device having a thermal influence on a target device and the average power data being based on the thermal influence;

transmitting adjustable time window data to the source device, the time window data defining an amount of time for determining and controlling an average power consumption of the source device; and

determining the average power data and the adjustable time window based on a characteristic of the source device with respect to the target device, the characteristic being selected from a group comprising a thermal time constant, a thermal mass and an influence factor.

2. The method of claim 1, further including:

narrowing the time window a first time if a temperature of the target device exceeds a first temperature threshold; and

narrowing the time window a second time if the temperature exceeds a second temperature threshold, the second temperature threshold being greater than the first temperature threshold.

3. The method of claim 1, further including:

receiving the average power data and the time window; and

engaging a power policy based on the average power data and the time window if a power consumption measurement for the source device exceeds a power monitoring threshold.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein engaging the power policy includes:

monitoring an average power consumption of the source device in accordance with the time window; and

selecting a performance level for the source device based on the average power consumption and the average power data.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein transmitting the average power data and the adjustable time window includes storing the average power data and the adjustable time window to a memory location that is accessible by the source device.

6. An apparatus comprising:

a target device;

a source device, the source device to have a thermal influence on the target device; and

a thermal management controller to transmit average power data to the source device based on the thermal influence, wherein the thermal management controller includes a window setup module to transmit adjustable time window data to the source device, the time window to define an amount of time for determining and controlling an average power consumption of the source device, wherein the window setup module is to determine the average power data and the adjustable time window based on a characteristic of the source device with respect to the target device, the characteristic being selected from a group comprising a thermal time constant, a thermal mass and an influence factor.

7. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the thermal management controller further includes a window adjustment module to narrow the time window a first time if a temperature of the target device exceeds a first temperature threshold and narrow the time window a second time if the temperature exceeds a second temperature threshold, the second temperature threshold being greater than the first temperature threshold.

8. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the source device includes a power controller to receive the average power data and the time window, and engage a power policy based on the average power data and the time window if a power consumption measurement for the source device exceeds a power monitoring threshold.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the power controller is to engage the power policy by monitoring an average power consumption of the source device in accordance with the time window, and selecting a performance level of the source device based on the average power consumption and the average power data.

10. apparatus of claim 8, where in the power controller is to receive plurality of average power limits and a plurality of time windows, each average power limit and time window to correspond to a target device on which the source device has a thermal influence.

11. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the source device and the target device are computing system components selected from a group comprising a microprocessor, an individual core of a multi-core microprocessor, a memory controller hub, an input/output controller hub, a memory device and a network interface.

12. A system comprising:

a target device;

a source device, the source device to have a thermal influence on the target device; and

a programmable read only memory (PROM) including instructions which if executed are operable to transmit average power data to the source device based on the thermal influence, wherein the instructions are further operable to

transmit adjustable time window data to the source device, the time window to define an amount of time for determining and controlling an average power consumption of the source device,

narrow the time window a first time if a temperature of the target device exceeds a first temperature threshold,

narrow the time window a second time if the temperature exceeds a second temperature threshold, the second temperature threshold being greater than the first temperature threshold, and

determine the adjustable time window based on a characteristic of the source device with respect to the target device, the characteristic to be selected from a group comprising a thermal time constant, a thermal mass and an influence factor.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the source device includes a power controller to receive the average power data and the time window, and engage a power policy based on the average power data and the time window if a power consumption measurement for the source device exceeds a power monitoring threshold.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the power controller is to engage the power policy by monitoring an average power consumption of the source device in accordance with the time window, and selecting a performance level of the source device based on the average power consumption and the average power data.