Idle duration reporting for power management

• US 8,607,075 B2
• Filed: 12/31/2008
• Issued: 12/10/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 12/31/2008
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Original Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Inventors: Gough, Robert E., Kwa, Seh W., Songer, Neil W., Jeyaseelan, Jaya L., Cooper, Barnes
• Primary Examiner(s): YANCHUS III, PAUL B
• Application Number:
  US12/347,573
• Publication Number:
  US 20100169685A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,805 Days
• Field of Search: 713/300, 713/320, 713/323, 713/324
• US Class Current: 713/300
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3215 Monitoring of peripheral devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3228 Monitoring task completion, e.g. by use of idle timers, stop commands or wait commands
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3234 Power saving characterised by the action undertaken

Abstract

For one disclosed embodiment, data corresponding to an idle duration for one or more downstream devices may be received. Power may be managed based at least in part on the received data. Other embodiments are also disclosed.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising:

logic to receive data corresponding to idle durations for multiple downstream devices;

logic to track expiration of the idle durations; and

logic to transmit data corresponding to a first one of the idle durations to expire next to manage power based at least in part on the first idle duration and to transmit, in response to expiration of the first idle duration, data corresponding to a second one of the idle durations to expire next to manage power based at least in part on the second idle duration,

wherein the first idle duration and the second idle duration are to overlap in time and wherein the data corresponding to the second idle duration is to correspond to a remaining time until expiration of the second idle duration.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the logic to track expiration of idle durations is to compare data corresponding to idle durations to a timer value.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the logic to track expiration of idle durations is to store data corresponding to idle durations in corresponding timers.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the logic to receive data is to receive data corresponding to an idle duration from multiple downstream devices.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, comprising logic to manage power based at least in part on the transmitted data.

6. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the logic to manage power is to transition to a lower power state in response to the transmitted data.

7. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the logic to manage power is to transition from a lower power state based at least in part on when an idle duration is to expire.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the logic to receive data is to receive, after expiration of the first idle duration, data corresponding to a third one of the idle durations, and

wherein the logic to transmit data is to transmit, prior to expiration of the second idle duration, data corresponding to the third idle duration to manage power based at least in part on the third idle duration.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the logic to transmit data is to transmit, in response to expiration of the third idle duration, data corresponding to the second idle duration to manage power based at least in part on the second idle duration.

10. A method comprising:

receiving data corresponding to idle durations for multiple downstream devices;

tracking expiration of the idle durations;

transmitting data corresponding to a first one of the idle durations to expire next to manage power based at least in part on the first idle duration; and

transmitting, in response to expiration of the first idle duration, data corresponding to a second one of the idle durations to expire next to manage power based at least in part on the second idle duration,

wherein the first idle duration and the second idle duration overlap in time and wherein the data corresponding to the second idle duration corresponds to a remaining time until expiration of the second idle duration.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the tracking includes comparing data corresponding to idle durations to a timer value.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein the tracking includes storing data corresponding to idle durations in corresponding timers.

13. The method of claim 10, wherein the receiving includes receiving data corresponding to idle durations from multiple downstream devices.

14. The method of claim 10, comprising managing power based at least in part on the transmitted data.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the managing includes transitioning to a lower power state in response to the transmitted data.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein the managing includes transitioning from a lower power state based at least in part on when an idle duration is to expire.

17. The method of claim 10, wherein the receiving includes receiving, after expiration of the first idle duration, data corresponding to a third one of the idle durations, and

wherein the method comprises transmitting, prior to expiration of the second idle duration, data corresponding to the third idle duration to manage power based at least in part on the third idle duration.

18. The method of claim 17, comprising transmitting, in response to expiration of the third idle duration, data corresponding to the second idle duration to manage power based at least in part on the second idle duration.