Staged power distribution control

• US 9,098,280 B2
• Filed: 12/28/2012
• Issued: 08/04/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 12/28/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Original Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Inventors: Vilhauer, Reed D., Glennan, William T.
• Primary Examiner(s): Tran, Vincent
• Application Number:
  US13/729,452
• Publication Number:
  US 20140189387A1
• Time in Patent Office: 949 Days
• Field of Search: 713/320, 702/63
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3212 Monitoring battery levels, e.g. power saving mode being initiated when battery voltage goes below a certain level
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3234 Power saving characterised by the action undertaken
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3243 Power saving in microcontroller unit
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3287 by switching off individual functional units in the computer system
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3293 by switching to a less power-consuming processor, e.g. sub-CPU
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3296 by lowering the supply or operating voltage
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 10/00 Energy efficient computing, e.g. low power processors, power management or thermal management

Abstract

Various embodiments are directed to restrictions in portable computing device electric power to accommodate reductions in the voltage level of a power source. An apparatus comprises a controller caused to receive configuration data from a main processor circuit specifying a voltage level threshold and selected action to take to reduce electric power to a first component in response to the voltage level falling below the first voltage level threshold, recurringly monitor the voltage level; based on the voltage level falling below the first voltage level threshold, take the first selected action and transmit a signal to the main processor circuit indicating that the voltage level has fallen below the first voltage level threshold and that the first selected action has been taken; transmit the voltage level to the main processor circuit; receive a signal from the main processor circuit to undo the first selected action; and so undo.

Claims

1. A controller comprising:

logic, at least a portion of which is implemented in hardware, to;

receive configuration data from a main processor circuit that specifies a first voltage level threshold and a first selected action to take to reduce electric power provided to a first component to provide a first feature in response to a voltage level of a power source falling below the first voltage level threshold;

based on the voltage level of the power source falling below the first voltage level threshold, take the first selected action, and transmit a signal to the main processor circuit that indicates that the voltage level of the power source has fallen below the first voltage level threshold and the first selected action has been taken;

based on the voltage level of the power source rising above the first voltage level threshold after falling below the first voltage level threshold, await a debounce period and transmit a signal to the main processor circuit that indicates that the voltage level of the power source has risen above the first voltage level threshold; and

receive a signal from the main processor circuit to undo the first selected action.

2. The controller of claim 1, the logic to:

act to undo the first selected action.

3. The controller of claim 1, the configuration data specifying a second voltage level threshold lower than the first voltage level threshold and a second selected action for the controller to take to conserve electric power in response to the voltage level of a power source falling below the second voltage level threshold;

and

the logic to take the second selected action and transmit a signal to the main processor circuit that indicates that the voltage level of the power source has fallen below the second voltage level threshold and the second selected action has been taken based on the voltage level of the power source falling below the second voltage level threshold.

4. The controller of claim 3, the first selected action comprising the logic acting to reduce an amount of electric power consumed by the first component while still enabling the first component to provide the first feature, and the second selected action comprising the logic acting to cease provision of electric power to the first component to disable provision of the first feature.

5. The controller of claim 4, the controller comprising a power switching component to control provision of electric power to the first component, the first selected action comprising the logic operating the power switching component to reduce provision of electric power to the first component, the second selected action comprising the logic operating the power switching component to cease provision of electric power to the first component, and the first component comprising one of a camera comprising a flash, a vibration motor, an audio subsystem comprising an audio amplifier, a graphics interface conveying electric power to support a backlight of a display, and an interface controller comprising a wireless transceiver.

6. The controller of claim 4, the first selected action comprising the logic signaling the first component to reduce its consumption of electric power to provide the first feature, the second selected action comprising the logic signaling the second component to cease its consumption of electric power to provide the first feature, and the first component comprising one of a camera comprising a flash, a vibration motor, an audio subsystem comprising an audio amplifier, a graphics interface conveying electric power to support a backlight of a display, an interface controller comprising a wireless transceiver, a clock circuit that provides a clock signal to the main processor circuit.

7. The controller of claim 1, the logic to:

receive a signal from a second component that indicates that the second component is consuming a relatively high amount of electric power from the power source;

receive a signal from the first component that indicates that the first component is imminently about to consume a relatively high amount of electric power from the power source; and

based on the voltage level of the power source falling below the first voltage level threshold and the signal from the second component indicating it is consuming a relatively high amount of electric power, signal the first component to refrain from consuming a relatively high amount of electric power as the first selected action.

8. At least one machine-readable storage medium comprising instructions that when executed by a controller, cause the controller to:

receive configuration data from a main processor circuit that specifies a first voltage level threshold and a first selected action to take to reduce electric power provided to a first component to provide a first feature in response to a voltage level of a power source falling below the first voltage level threshold;

based on the voltage level of the power source falling below the first voltage level threshold, take the first selected action, and transmit a signal to the main processor circuit that indicates that the voltage level of the power source has fallen below the first voltage level threshold and the first selected action has been taken;

based on the voltage level of the power source rising above the first voltage level threshold after falling below the first voltage level threshold, await a debounce period and transmit a signal to the main processor circuit that indicates that the voltage level of the power source has risen above the first voltage level threshold; and

receive a signal from the main processor circuit to undo the first selected action.

9. The at least one machine-readable storage medium of claim 8, the controller caused to:

act to undo the first selected action.

10. The at least one machine-readable storage medium of claim 8, the configuration data specifying a second voltage level threshold lower than the first voltage level threshold and a second selected action for the controller to take to conserve electric power in response to the voltage level of a power source falling below the second voltage level threshold;

the controller caused to take the second selected action and transmit a signal to the main processor circuit that indicates that the voltage level of the power source has fallen below the second voltage level threshold and the second selected action has been taken based on the voltage level of the power source falling below the second voltage level threshold.

11. The at least one machine-readable storage medium of claim 10, the first selected action comprising the logic acting to reduce an amount of electric power consumed by the first component while still enabling the first component to provide the first feature, and the second selected action comprising the logic acting to cease provision of electric power to the first component to disable provision of the first feature.

12. The at least one machine-readable storage medium of claim 8, the controller caused to:

receive a signal from a second component that indicates that the second component is consuming a relatively high amount of electric power from the power source;

receive a signal from the first component that indicates that the first component is imminently about to consume a relatively high amount of electric power from the power source; and

based on the voltage level of the power source falling below the first voltage level threshold and the signal from the second component indicating it is consuming a relatively high amount of electric power, signal the first component to refrain from consuming a relatively high amount of electric power as the first selected action.

13. An apparatus comprising:

a main processor circuit and logic to;

transmit configuration data to a controller that controls distribution of electric power provided by a power source, the configuration data specifying a first voltage level threshold and a first selected action for the controller to take to conserve electric power in response to a voltage level of the power source falling below the first threshold;

receive a first signal from a controller that indicates that the voltage level of the power source has fallen below the first voltage level threshold and that the first selected action has been taken by the controller;

receive a second signal from the controller that indicates that the voltage level of the power source has risen above the first voltage level threshold and has remained above the first voltage level for the duration of at least a debounce period after falling below the first voltage level; and

signal the controller to undo the first selected action based on the current voltage level of the power source rising above the first voltage level threshold.

14. The apparatus of claim 13, comprising the power source, the power source comprising a battery.

15. The apparatus of claim 13, the first signal comprising an interrupt signal.

16. The apparatus of claim 13, the first selected action comprising the controller acting to reduce an amount of electric power consumed by a first component that provides a first feature while still enabling provision of the first feature, and the main processor circuit caused to alter the provision of the first feature based on receipt of the first signal.

17. The apparatus of claim 16, the first component comprising a clock circuit that provides a clock signal to the main processor circuit, the first selected action comprising one of the controller signaling the clock circuit to reduce a frequency of the clock signal and the controller acting to reduce a voltage level of electric power provided to one of the clock circuit and the main processor circuit.

18. The apparatus of claim 13, the configuration data specifying a second voltage level threshold lower than the first voltage level threshold and a second selected action for the controller to take in response to the voltage level of the power source falling below the second threshold;

and the main processor circuit caused to;

receive a third signal from the controller that indicates that the voltage level of the power source has fallen below the second voltage level threshold and that the second selected action has been taken by the controller; and

present a notice of a status of the power source and that the second selected action has been taken.

19. The apparatus of claim 18, the first selected action comprising the controller acting to reduce an amount of electric power consumed by a first component that provides a first feature while still enabling provision of the first feature, and the second selected action comprising the controller acting to cease provision of electric power to the first component to disable provision of the first feature.

20. At least one machine-readable storage medium comprising instructions that when executed by a main processor circuit of the computing device, cause the main processor circuit to:

transmit configuration data to a controller of the computing device that controls distribution of electric power provided by a power source of the computing device, the configuration data specifying a first voltage level threshold and a first selected action for the controller to take to conserve electric power in response to a voltage level of the power source falling below the first threshold;

receive a first signal from a controller that indicates that the voltage level of the power source has fallen below the first voltage level threshold and that the first selected action has been taken by the controller;

receive a second signal from the controller that indicates that the voltage level of the power source has risen above the first voltage level threshold and has remained above the first voltage level for the duration of at least a debounce period after falling below the first voltage level; and

signal the controller to undo the first selected action based on the current voltage level of the power source rising above the first voltage level threshold.

21. The at least one machine-readable storage medium of claim 20, the first selected action comprising the controller acting to reduce an amount of electric power consumed by a first component that provides a first feature while still enabling provision of the first feature, and the main processor circuit caused to alter the provision of the first feature based on receipt of the first signal.

22. The at least one machine-readable storage medium of claim 20, the configuration data specifying a second voltage level threshold lower than the first voltage level threshold and a second selected action for the controller to take in response to the voltage level of the power source falling below the second threshold;

and the main processor circuit caused to;

receive a third signal from the controller that indicates that the voltage level of the power source has fallen below the second voltage level threshold and that the second selected action has been taken by the controller; and

present a notice of a status of the power source and that the second selected action has been taken.

23. An apparatus comprising:

a main processor circuit; and

a controller to control distribution of electric power provided by a power source and comprising logic to;

receive configuration data from the main processor circuit, the configuration data specifying first and second voltage level thresholds, and first and second selected actions for the controller to take to conserve electric power in response to the voltage level of the power source falling below the first and second voltage level thresholds, respectively, the first voltage level threshold specified as higher than the second;

based on the voltage level of the power source falling below the first voltage level threshold, take the first selected action, and transmit a first signal to the main processor circuit that indicates that the voltage level of the power source has fallen below the first voltage level threshold and the first selected action has been taken;

based on the voltage level of the power source falling below the second voltage level threshold, take the second selected action, and transmit a second signal to the main processor circuit that indicates that the voltage level of the power source has fallen below the second voltage level threshold and the second selected action has been taken; and

based on the voltage level of the power source rising above one of the first and second voltage level thresholds, transmit a third signal to the main processor circuit that indicates that the voltage level of the power source has risen above one of the first and second voltage level thresholds;

the main processor circuit to signal the controller to undo one of the first and second selected actions based on the third signal.

24. The apparatus of claim 23, comprising the power source, the power source comprising a battery.

25. The apparatus of claim 23, the first selected action comprising the logic acting to reduce an amount of electric power consumed by a first component that provides a first feature while still enabling provision of the first feature, and the second selected action comprising the logic acting to cease provision of electric power to the first component to disable provision of the first feature.

26. The apparatus of claim 25, comprising a power switching component operable by the controller to control provision of electric power to the first component, the first selected action comprising the logic operating the power switching component to reduce provision of electric power to the first component, and the second selected action comprising the logic operating the power switching component to cease provision of electric power to the first component.

27. The apparatus of claim 25, the first selected action comprising the logic causing the controller to signal the first component to reduce its consumption of electric power to provide the first feature, and the second selected action comprising the logic causing the controller to signal the second component to cease its consumption of electric power to provide the first feature.

28. The apparatus of claim 23, the main processor circuit to:

transmit the configuration data to the controller;

receive the first signal from a controller; and

receive the second signal from the controller.