Power management architecture, method and configuration system

• US 8,078,894 B1
• Filed: 03/27/2008
• Issued: 12/13/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 04/25/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cypress Semiconductor Corporation (Infineon Technologies AG)
• Original Assignee: Cypress Semiconductor Corporation (Infineon Technologies AG)
• Inventors: Ogami, Kenneth Y.
• Primary Examiner(s): DU, THUAN N
• Application Number:
  US12/057,149
• Time in Patent Office: 1,356 Days
• Field of Search: 713/300, 713/321, 713/340, 323/318
• US Class Current: 713/321
• 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

Power management architectures, methods and systems for programmable integrated circuit are disclosed. One embodiment of the present invention pertains to a power management software architecture which comprises power management modules each associated with a respective driver. Each driver is associated with a component of a programmable integrated circuit and displayable as a graphic image within an on-screen display of an integrated circuit design tool for programming the programmable integrated circuit. In addition, each power management module is operable to report power consumption data customized to its respective driver. The power management software architecture also comprises a power source module associated with a power source for the programmable integrated circuit for reporting power supply characteristics. Furthermore, the power management software architecture comprises a global power management module operable to control a power state of the programmable integrated circuit based on communication with the power management modules and the power source module.

Claims

1. A power management software architecture, comprising:

a plurality of power management modules each associated with a respective driver, wherein each driver is associated with a component of a programmable integrated circuit and displayable as a graphic image within an on-screen display of an integrated circuit design tool for programming the programmable integrated circuit, and wherein each power management module is operable to report power consumption data customized to its respective driver;

a power source module associated with a power source for the programmable integrated circuit for reporting power supply characteristics of the power source; and

a global power management module for communicating with the plurality of power management modules and the power source module and, based thereon, operable to control a power state of the programmable integrated circuit.

2. The power management software architecture of claim 1, wherein the power management is activated in response to a user placing a graphical representation of the global power management module within the on-screen display.

3. The power management software architecture of claim 1, wherein the power management is activated in response to a user placing a graphical representation of one of the plurality of power management modules within the on-screen display.

4. The power management software architecture of claim 1, wherein the each power management module is operable to define power consumption characteristics for a respective component of the programmable integrated circuit.

5. The power management software architecture of claim 1, wherein the each power management module comprises an associated graphical user interface (GUI) operable to be displayed within the on-screen display and wherein the associated GUI is operable to control power management characteristics of the each power management module.

6. The power management software architecture of claim 5, wherein the power management characteristics comprise a power priority of a respective component;

and power consumption rates for specified functionalities of the respective component.

7. The power management software architecture of claim 1, wherein the global power management module is operable to impose the power state on the plurality of power management modules.

8. The power management software architecture of claim 1, wherein the global power management module is operable to compute an aggregate power consumption of the plurality of power management modules based on the power consumption data and based thereon operable to perform power management functions.

9. The power management software architecture of claim 1, wherein the each power management module is operable to communicate its respective component'"'"'s readiness to engage in a particular one of the power state to the global power management module.

10. The power management software architecture of claim 9, wherein the each power management module is operable to configure at least one wakeup event for generating an interrupt signal directed to the global power management module.

11. The power management software architecture of claim 1, wherein the communicating and the control is performed through at least one channel which processes information in a common format.

12. The power management software architecture of claim 1, wherein the global power management module is associated with a state machine.

13. A power management method, comprising:

accessing power consumption data of a plurality of components in a programmable integrated circuit design, wherein respective drivers for the plurality of components are displayable as graphic images within an on-screen display of an integrated circuit design tool for developing the programmable integrated circuit design, and wherein the respective drivers are operable to add a function of collecting and reporting the power consumption data of the plurality of components;

accessing power supply data of at least one power source associated with the programmable integrated circuit design; and

determining a power state of the programmable integrated circuit design by assessing the power consumption data and the power supply data.

14. The power management method of claim 13, wherein the accessing the power consumption data or the power supply data is performed by a global power management unit performing polling.

15. The power management method of claim 13, wherein the assessing the power consumption data and the power supply data comprises comparing an aggregate of the power consumption data of the plurality of components and the power supply data.

16. The power management method of claim 13, further comprising forwarding a command imposing the power state to each of the plurality of components in the programmable integrated circuit design.

17. A design tool comprising instructions that when executed on a processor implement a method of power management of a programmable integrated circuit design, the method comprising:

accessing power consumption data of a plurality of components in the programmable integrated circuit design;

accessing power supply data of at least one power source associated with the programmable integrated circuit design;

determining a power state of the programmable integrated circuit design by assessing the power consumption data and the power supply data, wherein the integrated circuit design tool is operable to display respective drivers for the plurality of components within an on-screen display, wherein the respective drivers are operable to add at least one power management characteristic to the programmable integrated circuit design; and

automatically generating application firmware to implement the power management including the at least one power management characteristic.

18. The power management configuration system of claim 17, wherein the power management is activated in response to a user placing a graphical representation of one component of the plurality of components within the on-screen display.

19. The power management configuration system of claim 17, wherein the at least one power management characteristic comprises:

a power priority of each of the plurality of components; and

power consumption rates for specified functionalities of each of the plurality of components.

20. The power management configuration system of claim 17, wherein the at least one power management characteristic comprises a wakeup event for each of the plurality of components.