Methods and apparatuses for dynamic power control

• US 7,788,516 B2
• Filed: 01/05/2006
• Issued: 08/31/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 08/25/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Cox, Keith A., Conroy, David G., Culbert, Michael
• Primary Examiner(s): CHEN, TSE W
• Application Number:
  US11/327,238
• Publication Number:
  US 20070050650A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,699 Days
• Field of Search: 713/300, 713/340
• US Class Current: 713/340
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 23/19 characterised by the use of electric means G05D23/1393 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/26 Power supply means, e.g. regulation thereof for memories G11C
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/28 Supervision thereof, e.g. detecting power-supply failure by out of limits supervision
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/30 Means for acting in the event of power-supply failure or interruption, e.g. power-supply fluctuations for resetting only G06F1/24
• 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 1/3287 by switching off individual functional units in the computer system
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3296 by lowering the supply or operating voltage
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 70/10 Technologies improving the efficiency by using switched-mode power supplies [SMPS], i.e. efficient power electronics conversion e.g. power factor correction or reduction of losses in power supplies or efficient standby modes
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 70/30 Systems integrating technologies related to power network operation and communication or information technologies for improving the carbon footprint of the management of residential or tertiary loads, i.e. smart grids as climate change mitigation technology in the buildings sector, including also the last stages of power distribution and the control, monitoring or operating management systems at local level
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 10/00 Energy efficient computing, e.g. low power processors, power management or thermal management

Abstract

Exemplary embodiments of methods and apparatuses to manage a power of a system that leverage intermediate power margins are described. One or more subsystems of the system are operated at one or more performance points. A power consumed by the one or more subsystems at each of the one or more performance points is measured. An operational power of the one or more subsystems at the one or more performance points is determined. The one or more subsystems are operated at well-known conditions at the one or more performance points. The operational power may be adjusted based on data associated with the one or more subsystems. The operational power is provided to a power lookup table. The power is distributed among the one or more subsystems based on the operational power.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

operating a subsystem at one or more performance points, the subsystem having a power allocation;

measuring a first power consumed by the subsystem at each of the one or more performance points;

determining an operational power of the subsystem at the one or more performance points based on the measured first power; and

distributing an additional power to one or more other subsystems, wherein the additional power includes a difference between the power allocation for the subsystem and the operational power of the subsystem at the one or more performance points.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the operating the subsystem includes consuming a maximum power by the subsystem at the one or more performance points.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more performance points is a frequency, voltage, temperature, or any combination thereof, and the operational power is a measured actual power consumed by the subsystem.

4. The method of claim 1, further including adjusting the operational power based on a data associated with the subsystem.

5. The method of claim 1, further including providing the operational power to a power lookup table.

6. A method, comprising:

operating one or more subsystems of a computer system to provide a maximum power consumption by each of the one or more subsystems at one or more performance points, wherein the one or more subsystems have a power allocation;

measuring the maximum power consumed by each of the one or more subsystems at each of the one or more performance points;

determining an operational power for each of the one or more subsystems based on the measured power;

distributing an additional power, that includes a difference between the power allocation for a first subsystem and the operational power of the first subsystem at the one or more performance points, to the rest of the one or more subsystems.

7. The method of claim 6, further including

providing the operational power for each of the one or more subsystems to one or more power distribution tables.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein the one or more subsystems are a CPU, a GPU, a memory, a microprocessor, a microcontroller, or any combination thereof.

9. The method of claim 6, further including adjusting the operational power its based on a data associated with the one or more subsystems.

10. A system, comprising:

one or more subsystems having a power allocation;

one or more sensors coupled to the one or more subsystems to measure a first power consumed by the one or more subsystems;

a power manager coupled to the one or subsystems and to the one or more sensors, wherein the power manager is configured to operate the one or more subsystems at one or more performance points and to determine an operational power of the one or more subsystems at the one or more performance points based on the measured first power; and

to distribute an additional power, that includes a difference between the power allocation for a first subsystem and the operational power of the first subsystem at the one or more performance points, among the rest of the one or more subsystems.

11. The system of claim 10, further including

a memory coupled to the power manager, wherein the memory stores a software program to operate the one or more subsystems.

12. The system of claim 10, wherein the one or more subsystems is a microprocessor, a microcontroller, a memory, a CPU, a GPU, or any combination thereof.

13. The system of claim 10, wherein the one or more performance points is a frequency, a voltage, a temperature, or any combination thereof.

14. An article of manufacture comprising:

a machine readable storage medium storing data that, when accessed by a machine, cause the machine to perform operations comprising,

operating a subsystem at one or more performance points, the subsystem having a power allocation;

measuring a first power consumed by the subsystem at each of the one or more performance points;

determining an operational power of the subsystem at the one or more performance points based on the measured first power; and

distributing an additional power to one or more other subsystems, wherein the additional power includes a difference between the power allocation for the subsystem and the operational power of the subsystem at the one or more performance points.

15. The article of manufacture of claim 14, wherein the operating the subsystem includes consuming a maximum power by the subsystem at the one or more performance points.

16. The article of manufacture of claim 14, wherein the one or more performance points is a frequency, a voltage, a temperature, or any combination thereof, and the operational power is a measured actual power consumed by the subsystem.

17. The article of manufacture of claim 14, wherein the machine-readable storage medium further includes data that cause the machine to perform operations, comprising,

adjusting the operational power based on a data associated with the subsystem.

18. The article of manufacture of claim 14, wherein the machine-readable storage medium further includes data that cause the machine to perform operations, comprising, providing the operational power to a power lookup table.

19. An article of manufacture comprising:

a machine-readable storage medium storing data that, when accessed by a machine, cause the machine to perform operations comprising,

operating one or more subsystems of a computer system to provide a maximum power consumption by each of the one or more subsystems at one or more performance points, wherein the one or more subsystems have a power allocation;

measuring the maximum power consumed by each of the one or more subsystems at each of the one or more performance points;

determining operational power for each of the one or more subsystems based on the measured power; and

distributing an additional power, that includes a difference between the power allocation for a first subsystem and the operational power of the first subsystem at the one or more performance points, to the rest of the one or more subsystems.

20. The article of manufacture of claim 19, wherein the machine-readable storage medium further stores data that cause the machine to perform operations comprising, providing the operational power to one or more power distribution tables.

21. The article of manufacture of claim 19, wherein the one or more subsystems are a CPU, a GPU, a memory, a microprocessor, a microcontroller, or any combination thereof.

22. The article of manufacture of claim 19, wherein the machine-readable storage medium further stores data that cause the machine to perform operations comprising,

adjusting the operational power based on a data associated with the one or more subsystems.

23. A system, comprising:

a memory; and

a processor coupled to the memory, wherein the processor is configured to operate a subsystem at one or more performance points, the subsystem having a power allocation;

to measure a first power consumed by the subsystem at each of the one or more performance points;

to determine an operational power of the subsystem at the one or more performance points based on the measured first power; and

to distribute an additional power that includes a difference between the power allocation for the subsystem and the operational power of the subsystem at the one or more performance points to one or more other subsystems.

24. A system, comprising:

a memory; and

a processor coupled to the memory, wherein the processor is configured to operate one or more subsystems of a computer system to provide a maximum power consumption by each of the one or more subsystems at one or more performance points, wherein the one or more subsystems have a power allocation;

to measure the maximum power consumed by each of the one or more subsystems at each of the one or more performance points;

to determine operational power for each of the one or more subsystems based on the measured power; and

to distribute an additional power that includes a difference between the power allocation for a first subsystem and the operational power of the first subsystem at the one or more performance points to the rest of the one or more subsystems.

25. A method to operate a data processing system, comprising:

storing a value representing a power defined by an intermediate operational power point of a subsystem and an established value, wherein the intermediate operational power point has been determined by measurement at one or more performance points of the subsystem; and

providing an additional power that includes a difference between the established value for the subsystem and the power defined by the intermediate operational power point of the subsystem to the system to operate another subsystem .

26. A method, comprising:

determining an intermediate operational power point of a subsystem, the subsystem having a power allocation, wherein the intermediate operational power point has been determined by measurement at one or more performance points of the subsystem;

storing the power ; and

providing an additional power that includes a difference between the power allocation for the subsystem and the intermediate operational power point of the subsystem to another subsystem.