Scheduling threads on different processor cores based on memory temperature

• US 8,819,686 B2
• Filed: 07/23/2009
• Issued: 08/26/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 07/23/2009
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Empire Technology Development LLC (Allied Inventors Management, LLC)
• Original Assignee: Empire Technology Development LLC (Allied Inventors Management, LLC)
• Inventors: Memik, Gokhan, Memik, Seda Ogrenci, Mangione-Smith, Bill
• Primary Examiner(s): An, Meng
• Assistant Examiner(s): WAI, ERIC CHARLES
• Application Number:
  US12/507,952
• Publication Number:
  US 20110023039A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,860 Days
• US Class Current: 718/102
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/206 comprising thermal management
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/324 by lowering clock frequency
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/4893 taking into account power or heat criteria power management in computers in general G06F1/3203; thermal management in computers in general G06F1/206
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 10/00 Energy efficient computing, e.g. low power processors, power management or thermal management

Abstract

Techniques for scheduling a thread running in a computer system are disclosed. Example computer systems may include but are not limited to a multiprocessor having first and second cores, an operating system, and a memory bank for storing data. The example methods may include but are not limited to measuring a temperature of the memory bank and determining whether the thread includes a request for data stored in the memory bank, if the temperature of the memory bank exceeds a predetermined temperature. The methods may further include but are not limited to slowing down the execution of the thread upon determining if the thread includes a request for data.

Claims

1. A method of scheduling execution of a thread in a computer system, the method comprising:

receiving a request to execute the thread;

scheduling the thread to be executed according to a first schedule on a first core;

obtaining a measurement of a temperature of a memory bank in the computer system;

determining whether the temperature of the memory bank exceeds a threshold temperature;

determining whether the thread includes a request for data stored in the memory bank; and

in response to the determination that the temperature of the memory bank exceeds the threshold temperature and in response to the determination that the thread includes a request for data stored in the memory bank, scheduling execution of the thread on a second core different from the first core and according to a second schedule with a delayed execution for the thread relative to the first schedule.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising, prior to the scheduling execution,

determining that a first task set executing on the first core will be completed prior to a second task set executing on the second core.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the thread has a priority value, and the scheduling execution of the thread includes reducing the priority value.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the reducing of the priority value comprises reducing the priority value to a smallest priority value.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein the reducing of the priority value comprises reducing the priority value approximately 1% to approximately 99%.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the scheduling execution of the thread is carried out by an operating system

the computer system comprises computer-readable media, operably coupled to the first and second cores, and

the operating system is encoded in the computer-readable media.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the scheduling execution of the thread comprises scheduling the thread to run on the second core after a delay.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the delay is approximately 1 to approximately 1000 multiples of a time the thread would take to execute without the delay.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the threshold temperature is an approximately maximum temperature at which the memory bank operates reliably.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the threshold temperature is selected by an application program from a sliding scale indicative of power usage levels, and

the computer system comprises computer-readable media, operably coupled to the first and second cores, and

the application program is encoded in the computer-readable media.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the temperature is measured by a thermocouple.

12. A non-transitory computer program product comprising software encoded in computer-readable media, to schedule running of a thread in a computer system, the software comprising instructions, operable when executed, to:

schedule a thread to be executed according to a first schedule on a first core;

obtain a measurement of a temperature of a memory bank in a computer system;

determine whether the temperature of the memory bank exceeds a threshold temperature;

determine whether the thread includes a request for data stored in the memory bank; and

in response to the determination that the temperature of the memory bank exceeds the threshold temperature and in response to the determination that the thread includes a request for data stored in the memory bank, schedule execution of the thread on a second core different from the first core and according to a second schedule with a delayed execution for the thread relative to the first schedule.

13. The non-transitory computer program product of claim 12, comprising instructions, operable when executed, to:

determine, prior to the schedule of execution, that a first task set executing on the first core will be completed prior to a second task set executing on the second core.

14. The non-transitory computer program product of claim 12, wherein the instructions to schedule execution of the thread comprise instructions, operable when executed, to reduce a priority value of the thread.

15. The non-transitory computer program product of claim 14, wherein the instructions to reduce the priority value of the thread comprise instructions, operable when executed, to reduce the priority value of the thread approximately 1% to approximately 99%.

16. The non-transitory computer program product of claim 12, wherein the computer program product includes an operating system.

17. The non-transitory computer program product of claim 12, wherein the instructions to schedule execution of the thread comprise instructions, operable when executed, to schedule the thread to run on the second core after a delay.

18. A computer system, comprising:

first and second cores,

a memory bank, operably coupled to the first and second cores,

computer-readable media, operably coupled to the first and second cores, wherein the computer-readable media includes computer executable instructions which when executed by the computer system configure the computer system to;

schedule a thread to be executed according to a first schedule on the first core;

obtain a measurement of a temperature of the memory bank;

determine whether the temperature of the memory bank exceeds a threshold temperature;

determine whether the thread includes a request for data stored in the memory bank; and

in response to the determination that the temperature of the memory bank exceeds the threshold temperature and in response to the determination that the thread includes a request for data stored in the memory bank, schedule execution of the thread on the second core and according to a second schedule with a delayed execution for the thread relative to the first schedule.

19. The computer system of claim 18, further comprising a temperature sensor adapted to measure the temperature of the memory bank, wherein the temperature sensor is operably coupled to the first and second cores.

20. The computer system of claim 19, wherein the temperature sensor is a thermocouple.