Method, device and equipment for determining type selection of power supply system

Abstract

The invention provides a method, a device and equipment for determining model selection of a power supply system. The method provided by the invention comprises the following steps: constructing a simulation model according to design parameters of the NPU and design parameters of an initial power supply system which is preliminarily designed for the NPU; wherein the simulation model is used for simulating a behavior of supplying power to the NPU by using the initial power supply system; the simulation model is a model which considers the performance of a power supply network in the NPU, the performance of a power supply network on a package where the NPU is located, and the performance of a power supply network on a printed circuit board where the NPU is located; the simulation model is used for simulating the behavior that the initial power supply system supplies power to the NPU, and the current value at the output end of the power supply system is monitored in the simulation process; and determining an adaptive power supply system for the NPU according to the change rate of the current value. According to the method, the device and the equipment for determining the model selection of the power supply system, the adaptive power supply system is determined for the NPU based on the change rate of the current value at the output end of the power supply system, and the power supply system more adaptive to the NPU can be selected.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present application relates to the field of chip design technology, and in particular to a method, device and equipment for determining the selection of a power supply system. Background Art

[0002] With the rapid development of artificial intelligence technology, the demand for computing power of neural network processors (Neural Processing Unit, NPU for short) is growing. At the same time, with the continuous advancement of chip manufacturing technology, the power supply voltage is gradually reduced, and the NPU's tolerance for voltage is becoming more and more stringent. Therefore, it is crucial to provide a stable power supply voltage for the NPU, and choosing a suitable power supply system is a key factor in achieving the above goals. Therefore, how to determine a suitable power supply system for the NPU has become a problem that needs to be solved urgently. Summary of the invention

[0003] In view of this, the present application provides a method, apparatus and device for determining the selection of a power supply system, so as to determine an appropriate power supply system for an NPU.

[0004] Specifically, the present application is implemented through the following technical solutions:

[0005] The first aspect of the present application provides a method for determining the selection of a power supply system, the method being used to determine an adaptive power supply system for a designed neural network processor NPU, the power supply system comprising a power supply module and a capacitor arranged at an output end of the power supply module; the method comprising:

[0006] A simulation model is constructed according to the design parameters of the NPU and the design parameters of the initial power supply system preliminarily designed for the NPU; wherein the simulation model is used to simulate the behavior of using the initial power supply system to power the NPU; the simulation model is a model that takes into account the performance of the power supply network inside the NPU, the performance of the power supply network on the package where the NPU is located, and the performance of the power supply network on the printed circuit board where the NPU is located;

[0007] Using the simulation model to simulate the behavior of using the initial power supply system to power the NPU, and monitoring the current value at the output end of the power supply system during the simulation process;

[0008] An adapted power supply system is determined for the NPU according to the rate of change of the current value.

[0009] The second aspect of the present application provides a device for determining the selection of a power supply system, the device is used to determine an adaptive power supply system for a designed neural network processor NPU, the power supply system includes a power supply module, and a capacitor arranged at the output end of the power supply module; the device includes a construction module, a processing module and a determination module; wherein,

[0010] The building module is used to build a simulation model according to the design parameters of the NPU and the design parameters of the initial power supply system preliminarily designed for the NPU; wherein the simulation model is used to simulate the behavior of using the initial power supply system to power the NPU; the simulation model is a model that takes into account the performance of the power supply network inside the NPU, the performance of the power supply network on the package where the NPU is located, and the performance of the power supply network on the printed circuit board where the NPU is located;

[0011] The processing module is used to simulate the behavior of using the initial power supply system to power the NPU using the simulation model, and monitor the current value at the output end of the power supply system during the simulation process;

[0012] The determination module is used to determine an adaptive power supply system for the NPU according to the rate of change of the current value.

[0013] The third aspect of the present application provides a device for determining the selection of a power supply system, comprising a memory, a processor, and a computer program stored in the memory and executable on the processor, wherein when the processor executes the program, the steps of any one of the methods provided in the first aspect of the present application are implemented.

[0014] The fourth aspect of the present application provides a computer-readable storage medium having a computer program stored thereon, which, when executed by a processor, implements the steps of any one of the methods provided in the first aspect of the present application.

[0015] The method, device and equipment for determining the selection of a power supply system provided in the present application, when determining an adaptive power supply system for a designed NPU, constructs a simulation model according to the design parameters of the NPU and the design parameters of the initial power supply system preliminarily designed for the NPU, and then uses the simulation model to simulate the behavior of using the initial power supply system to power the NPU, and monitors the current value at the output end of the power supply system during the simulation process, thereby determining an adaptive power supply system for the NPU according to the rate of change of the current value. In this way, since the constructed simulation model comprehensively considers the performance of the power supply network inside the NPU, the power supply network on the package where the NPU is located, The performance of the power supply network and the performance of the power supply network on the printed circuit board where the NPU is located are modeled. Therefore, the behavior and performance of the power supply system at different levels can be more comprehensively evaluated through the simulation model, and the slope of the current value change at the output end of the power module can be accurately determined. Based on this, an adaptive power supply system is determined for the NPU. Compared with the selection of the power supply system directly based on the current jump slope of the NPU, the rate of change of the current value at the output end of the power supply system can provide a more accurate selection basis for the selection of the transient response capability of the power module, so that the selected power supply system is more compatible with the NPU, and further makes the subsequent coordination process of the NPU and the power supply system more reliable. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0016] Figure 1 A diagram showing the coordination relationship between the NPU and the power supply system according to an exemplary embodiment of the present application;

[0017] Figure 2 A flowchart of a method for determining the selection of a power supply system provided in the present application in accordance with Embodiment 1;

[0018] Figure 3 A schematic diagram of a simulation model shown as an exemplary embodiment of the present application;

[0019] Figure 4 A flowchart of Embodiment 2 of the method for determining the selection of a power supply system provided in the present application;

[0020] Figure 5 A curve diagram showing the change of current value over time according to an exemplary embodiment of the present application;

[0021] Figure 6 A flowchart of Embodiment 3 of the method for determining the selection of a power supply system provided in the present application;

[0022] Figure 7 A flowchart of a fourth embodiment of a method for determining the selection of a power supply system provided in the present application;

[0023] Figure 8A hardware structure diagram of a device for determining the type of power supply system provided in the present application;

[0024] Fig. 9 A schematic diagram of the structure of a first embodiment of a device for determining the selection of a power supply system provided in the present application. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0025] Here, exemplary embodiments are described in detail, and examples thereof are shown in the accompanying drawings. When the following description refers to the drawings, unless otherwise indicated, the same numbers in different drawings represent the same or similar elements. The implementations described in the following exemplary embodiments do not represent all implementations consistent with the present application.

[0026] The terms used in this application are only for the purpose of describing specific embodiments and are not intended to limit this application. The singular forms of "a", "said" and "the" used in this application are also intended to include plural forms, unless the context clearly indicates other meanings. It should also be understood that the term "and / or" used in this article refers to and includes any or all possible combinations of one or more associated listed items.

[0027] It should be understood that although the terms first, second, third, etc. may be used in the present application to describe various information, these information should not be limited to these terms. These terms are only used to distinguish the same type of information from each other. For example, without departing from the scope of the present application, the first information may also be referred to as the second information, and similarly, the second information may also be referred to as the first information. Depending on the context, the word "if" as used herein may be interpreted as "at the time of" or "when" or "in response to determining".

[0028] The method, device and equipment for determining the selection of a power supply system provided in the present application are used to determine an appropriate power supply system for a designed neural network processor NPU. Before introducing the method, device and equipment for determining the selection of a power supply system provided in the present application, the coordination relationship between the NPU and the power supply system is first introduced below.

[0029] Specifically, Figure 1 This is a diagram showing the coordination relationship between the NPU and the power system according to an exemplary embodiment of the present application. Figure 1 When the NPU cooperates with the power supply system, the NPU is set on the package, the package is set on the printed circuit board, and further, the power supply system is also set on the printed circuit board. At this time, the NPU is connected to the power supply system through the power supply network inside the NPU, the power supply network on the package, and the power supply network on the printed circuit board, so as to power the NPU through the power supply system.

[0030] It should be noted that the power network inside the NPU mainly includes the power distribution structure inside the NPU, and its main function is to transmit power from the package pins to the NPU to ensure that the NPU can obtain power stably and reliably. For example, the power network inside the NPU may include a metal interconnect layer, a power grid, etc.

[0031] Furthermore, the power network on the package is the transition part from the printed circuit board to the NPU, which may include the power layer, power solder balls, package lead frame, etc. on the package, and its main function is to transmit power from the printed circuit board to the NPU.

[0032] In addition, the power network on the printed circuit board is the power transmission path from the power system to the package, which usually includes power planes, power traces, decoupling capacitors, etc. Its main function is to transmit the power provided by the power system to the package.

[0033] It should be noted that the power supply system may include a power supply module and a capacitor arranged at the output end of the power supply module. For a detailed description of the power supply system, please refer to the description in the related art, which will not be repeated here.

[0034] After introducing the coordination relationship between the NPU and the power supply system, a specific embodiment is given below to introduce the technical solution of the present application in detail.

[0035] Figure 2 This is a flow chart of Embodiment 1 of the method for determining the selection of a power system provided in this application. Figure 2 The method provided in this embodiment is used to determine an adaptive power supply system for a designed neural network processor NPU, wherein the power supply system includes a power supply module and a capacitor arranged at an output end of the power supply module; the method includes:

[0036] S201. Construct a simulation model according to the design parameters of the NPU and the design parameters of the initial power supply system preliminarily designed for the NPU; wherein the simulation model is used to simulate the behavior of using the initial power supply system to power the NPU; the simulation model is a model that takes into account the performance of the power supply network inside the NPU, the performance of the power supply network on the package where the NPU is located, and the performance of the power supply network on the printed circuit board where the NPU is located.

[0037] Specifically, the design parameters of the NPU refer to the key technical indicators involved in designing the NPU, which may include power consumption related parameters, voltage and current parameters, performance related parameters, internal topology structure, package design parameters and printed circuit board design parameters (wherein, the package design parameters may include the power network design parameters on the package, and the printed circuit board design parameters may include the power network design parameters on the printed circuit board).

[0038] Furthermore, the design parameters of the initial power supply system refer to the parameters that need to be considered when designing the initial power supply system to ensure that the power supply system can stably provide the required power to the NPU, which may include the output voltage, output current, voltage regulation capability and load response time of the power module.

[0039] It should be noted that the specific contents of the design parameters of the NPU and the design parameters of the initial power supply system can be found in the introduction of the relevant technology and will not be repeated here.

[0040] Specifically, the simulation model is used to comprehensively simulate the behavior of the initial power system supplying power to the NPU, so as to select the power system based on the simulation results.

[0041] In specific implementation, when establishing a simulation model, the power distribution, voltage regulation or current distribution inside the NPU can be analyzed, the power network inside the NPU can be modeled, and the power supply capacity of the power network can be considered; further, the power pins and power transmission paths on the package where the NPU is located can be modeled, and the influence of the package pins on the transmission of the power signal can be analyzed; in addition, the power network on the printed circuit board can also be modeled, that is, the established simulation model is a model that takes into account the performance of the power network inside the NPU, the performance of the power network on the package where the NPU is located, and the performance of the power network on the printed circuit board where the NPU is located.

[0042] Optionally, in a possible implementation manner, constructing a simulation model according to design parameters of the NPU and design parameters of a power supply system preliminarily designed for the NPU includes:

[0043] (1) constructing an NPU model corresponding to the NPU according to the design parameters of the NPU; wherein the NPU model is used to evaluate the current characteristics of the NPU, the performance of the power supply network inside the NPU, the performance of the power supply network on the package where the NPU is located, and the performance of the power supply network on the printed circuit board where the NPU is located.

[0044] Specifically, the performance of the power supply network inside the NPU refers to the power supply distribution inside the NPU, such as current, voltage drop, impedance of the internal power supply, etc.; the performance of the power supply network on the package where the NPU is located refers to the performance of the power transmission path on the package after the NPU chip is packaged, such as the resistance and inductance of the package pins, etc.; the performance of the power supply network on the printed circuit board where the NPU is located refers to the performance of the power supply network on the printed circuit board when the NPU package is soldered on the printed circuit board, such as the impedance of the power layer and ground layer on the printed circuit board, current distribution, etc.

[0045] Specifically, Figure 3This is a schematic diagram of a simulation model shown in an exemplary embodiment of the present application, please refer to Figure 3 ,exist Figure 3 In the example shown, the NPU model is composed of a current model of the NPU, a power network model of the power network inside the NPU, a first scattering parameter model of the power network on the package where the NPU is located, and a second scattering parameter model of the power network on the printed circuit board where the NPU is located. Figure 4 This is a flow chart of Embodiment 2 of the method for determining the selection of a power supply system provided in this application. Figure 3 and Figure 4 Based on the above embodiment, the method for determining the selection of a power supply system provided in this embodiment, wherein the NPU model corresponding to the NPU is constructed, may include:

[0046] S401. Construct a current model of the NPU according to a working vector VCD file of the NPU.

[0047] Specifically, VCD (Value Change Dump) is a file format for recording signal changes. The VCD file records the changes of various registers, signal lines and working states inside the NPU, that is, it records the signal changes of the NPU in different working states, which may include the following contents:

[0048] (1) Timestamp: records the time point when the signal changes.

[0049] (2) Signal ID: the name or identifier of the signal.

[0050] (3) Signal value: The value of a signal at a specific point in time, which may be a binary value, hexadecimal value, or a specific code.

[0051] (4) Change type: whether the signal changes along the rising edge, the falling edge, or remains unchanged.

[0052] (5) Other metadata: may include information such as the signal bit width and range.

[0053] Furthermore, the working state transition of the NPU includes the transition process from the idle state to the maximum power state, and from the maximum power state back to the idle state, wherein each process lasts for more than 5us, so as to ensure that there is enough time to accurately measure and simulate the change of the working state.

[0054] Furthermore, the VCD file can be parsed to extract current data, obtain the dynamic current demand of the NPU, and then build the current model of the NPU based on the dynamic current demand. The current model of the NPU is used to describe the current changes of the NPU in different operation modes.

[0055] In specific implementation, the extracted current data can be analyzed to determine the current curves corresponding to the transient current, the peak current, and the average current, and then the determined current curves are determined as the constructed current model, which describes the current changes of the NPU in different operating modes. In addition, the PTPX tool can be used to construct the current model, which is not limited in this embodiment.

[0056] S402: Construct a power supply network model inside the NPU according to the design parameters of the NPU.

[0057] Specifically, the power network model characterizes the electrical characteristics of the power network inside the NPU. The power network model usually includes the capacitance (Cdie) parameter and the resistance (Rdie) parameter of the power network. The capacitance parameter characterizes the ability of the power network to store energy. It is the equivalent capacitance of the power network, which affects the stability and transient response of the power supply voltage. Furthermore, the resistance parameter characterizes the loss when the current flows in the power network. It is the equivalent resistance of the power network, which affects the power drop and loss.

[0058] In specific implementation, relevant parameters such as power distribution, decoupling capacitors, power lines, etc. inside the NPU can be obtained from the design parameters, and then based on the obtained relevant parameters, a power network model inside the NPU is constructed to describe how power is distributed inside the NPU.

[0059] S403: Construct a first scattering parameter model of a power supply network on the package where the NPU is located.

[0060] Specifically, the first scattering parameter model is used to describe the reflection and transmission characteristics of the power network on the package where the NPU is located to the power signal.

[0061] In specific implementation, the package-related design parameters (such as pin layout, resistance, inductance and capacitance, etc.) can be extracted from the design parameters of the NPU, and then the first scattering parameter of the package can be calculated (the first scattering parameter is the S parameter, and the specific calculation method of the S parameter can be found in the description in the relevant technology, which will not be repeated here), and the first scattering parameter model can be obtained to describe the reflection and transmission characteristics of the power signal in the package through the first scattering parameter model.

[0062] S404: Construct a second scattering parameter model of a power supply network on a printed circuit board where the NPU is located.

[0063] Specifically, the second scattering parameter model is used to describe the reflection and transmission characteristics of the power supply network on the printed circuit board where the NPU is located to the power supply signal.

[0064] In specific implementation, the design parameters related to the printed circuit board (such as the power plane, the ground plane and the wiring layout) can be extracted from the design parameters of the NPU, and then the second scattering parameters can be calculated to obtain the second scattering parameter model, so as to describe the influence of the printed circuit board on the power signal through the second scattering parameter model.

[0065] S405 . Combine the current model, the power network model, the first scattering parameter model, and the second scattering parameter to obtain the NPU model.

[0066] For specific implementation, see Figure 3 , Figure 3 Where a is the current model, b is the power network model, c is the first scattering parameter model, and d is the second scattering parameter model. In this step, the current model, the power network model, the first scattering parameter model, and the second scattering parameter model are connected together in sequence to form an NPU model.

[0067] (2) constructing a power model corresponding to the power system according to design parameters of the power system preliminarily designed for the NPU; wherein the power model is composed of a voltage source model and a capacitor model connected in parallel;

[0068] For details, please refer to Figure 3 ,in, Figure 3 The e in the figure is the capacitor model in the power system. Figure 3 f in the figure is the voltage source model in the power supply system. The power supply model consists of a parallel voltage source model and a capacitor model.

[0069] In specific implementation, a voltage source model can be constructed first, wherein the voltage source model is used to provide a stable voltage output, and its specific parameter settings include a voltage value; further, a capacitor model can be constructed, wherein the capacitor model is used to filter and stabilize the power supply voltage, and its specific parameter settings include a decoupling capacitor, an equivalent resistor, and an equivalent inductor. Finally, the voltage source model and the capacitor model are connected in parallel to obtain a power supply model.

[0070] As described above, in a specific implementation, a corresponding voltage source model can be constructed according to the design parameters of the power module. For example, in a possible implementation, the design parameters of the power system are input voltage: 0.8V; load current: 10A; decoupling capacitor: 100μF; based on the design parameters, a voltage source model with a voltage value of 0.8V and a load current of 10A and a capacitor model with a capacitance value of 100μF are constructed, and the voltage source model and the capacitor model are connected in parallel to form a power model.

[0071] (3) Combining the NPU model and the power supply model to obtain the simulation model.

[0072] Specifically, refer to Figure 3 , combining the NPU and the power model so that the power model can dynamically respond to the power consumption requirements of the NPU.

[0073] S202: Use the simulation model to simulate the behavior of using the initial power supply system to power the NPU, and monitor the current value at the output end of the power supply system during the simulation process.

[0074] In specific implementation, simulation software (such as SPICE, Keysight ADS, etc.) can be used for simulation to simulate the process of the power supply system supplying power to the NPU; further, during the simulation process, an observation point is set to record the current value at the output end of the power supply system. It should be noted that the monitoring function in the simulation tool, such as the built-in measurement module or current detector of the tool such as SPICE, Keysight ADS, etc., can be used to monitor the current value of the observation point and record the monitoring results.

[0075] For further information, please refer to Figure 3 , the output end of the power supply system is Figure 3 Specifically, after the simulation model is constructed, the current value can be monitored at the observation point h, and then the rate of change of the current value can be measured. It should be noted that the faster the current value changes, the higher the transient response requirements for the power module.

[0076] S203: Determine an adaptive power supply system for the NPU according to the rate of change of the current value.

[0077] Specifically, after obtaining the current value corresponding to each moment, the change rate of the current value can be calculated. It should be noted that in this application, the change rate of the current value refers to the change rate of the current value within a specified time period, and the specified time period refers to the time period when the current value changes sharply.

[0078] Figure 5 This is a curve diagram showing the change of current value over time according to an exemplary embodiment of the present application. Please refer to Figure 5 , combined with the previous introduction, for example, in a possible implementation, within 30us-32.5us, the rate of change of the current value is 1.88A / us.

[0079] Furthermore, when the rate of change of the current value is obtained, an appropriate power supply system can be selected according to the rate of change of the current value. For example, in one possible implementation, the specification of the power module of the power supply system indicates the transient response capability of the power module to the NPU, and the transient response capability requires that the rate of change of the current value does not exceed the maximum allowable current change rate. In specific implementation, the calculated rate of change of the current value can be used as its transient response capability to determine whether the transient response capability meets the requirements.

[0080] It should be noted that the NPU often has instantaneous jumps in current demand during operation. Whether the power module's transient response capability can cope with the instantaneous jumps in current demand of the NPU will affect the stability of the NPU power supply voltage. If the transient response capability is not timely, when the NPU current demand increases rapidly, the NPU power supply voltage will drop too quickly, and when the NPU current demand decreases rapidly, the NPU power supply voltage will rise too quickly and overshoot too much.

[0081] In the related art, the power supply system is selected based on the current jump slope of the NPU. However, the current jump slope of the NPU reflects the current jump on the NPU, while the transient response capability of the power module only needs to focus on the current change slope at the output end of the power supply system. The power jump slope of the NPU will be much larger than the current change slope at the output end of the power supply system. Directly selecting the power supply system based on the current jump slope of the NPU is likely to cause over-design, making the selected power supply system incompatible with the NPU.

[0082] The method for determining the selection of a power supply system provided in this embodiment, when determining an adaptive power supply system for a designed NPU, constructs a simulation model according to the design parameters of the NPU and the design parameters of the initial power supply system preliminarily designed for the NPU, and then uses the simulation model to simulate the behavior of using the initial power supply system to power the NPU, and monitors the current value at the output end of the power supply system during the simulation process, thereby determining an adaptive power supply system for the NPU according to the rate of change of the current value. In this way, since the constructed simulation model comprehensively considers the performance of the power supply network inside the NPU, the power supply network on the package where the NPU is located, The simulation model can be used to evaluate the performance of the power supply network and the performance of the power supply network on the printed circuit board where the NPU is located. Therefore, the behavior and performance of the power supply system at different levels can be more comprehensively evaluated through the simulation model, and the slope of the current value change at the output end of the power module can be accurately determined. Based on this, an adaptive power supply system is determined for the NPU. Compared with selecting the power supply system directly based on the current jump slope of the NPU, the change rate of the current value at the output end of the power supply system can provide a more accurate selection basis for the selection of the transient response capability of the power module, so that the selected power supply system is more compatible with the NPU, and further makes the subsequent coordination process of the NPU and the power supply system more reliable.

[0083] Figure 6 This is a flowchart of Embodiment 3 of the method for determining the selection of a power supply system provided in this application. Figure 6 Based on the above embodiment, the step of determining an adapted power supply system for the NPU according to the rate of change of the current value includes:

[0084] S601. Obtain a maximum current change rate allowed by a power module in the initial power system.

[0085] Specifically, for the power module in the initial power system, the specification sheet of the power module may be obtained, and the maximum current change rate allowed by the voltage module may be obtained from the specification sheet.

[0086] S602: When the rate of change of the current value is less than or equal to the maximum current rate of change, determine the power supply system as a power supply system adapted by the NPU.

[0087] In specific implementation, the change rate of the current value is compared with the maximum current change rate allowed by the power module. If the change rate of the current value is less than or equal to the maximum current change rate allowed by the power module, it means that the power system meets the requirements and is compatible with the NPU. At this time, the power system is directly determined as a power system adapted to the NPU.

[0088] For example, in one possible implementation, the current value change rate is 2.72A / us, and the maximum current change rate allowed by the power module is 3A / us. At this time, the current value change rate is less than the maximum current change rate allowed by the power module, and the power system is adapted to the NPU.

[0089] S603: When the rate of change of the current value exceeds the maximum current rate of change, change the capacitor and / or power module in the power system to obtain a first updated power system.

[0090] Specifically, when the rate of change of the current value exceeds the maximum current change rate allowed by the power module, that is, the rate of change of the current value is greater than the maximum current change rate allowed by the power module, at this time, it means that the power system does not meet the requirements and the power system is not compatible with the NPU. At this time, the capacitor and / or power module in the power system can be changed to obtain a new power system (for the convenience of explanation, in this application, the new power system is recorded as the first updated power system). For example, in one possible implementation, the capacitor in the power system is changed to obtain a first updated power system; for another example, in one possible implementation, the power module in the power system is changed to obtain a first updated power system; for another example, in one possible implementation, the capacitor and the power module in the power system are changed at the same time to obtain a first updated power system.

[0091] It should be noted that when changing the capacitor in the power supply system, a capacitor with a larger capacitance value or a capacitor with a smaller capacitance value may be replaced, which is not limited in this embodiment.

[0092] S604: Use the first updated power system as the initial power system and execute the step of building a simulation model again until a power system adapted to the NPU is selected.

[0093] In specific implementation, the first updated power supply system can be used as the initial power supply system, and a simulation model can be further constructed. The simulation model can then be used to simulate the behavior of using the initial power supply system to power the NPU, and the current value at the output end of the power supply system can be monitored during the simulation process. Finally, the maximum current change rate allowed by the power module in the initial power supply system is obtained, and it is further determined whether the change rate of the monitored current value is less than or equal to the maximum current change rate allowed by the power module, until the change rate of the monitored current value is less than or equal to the maximum current change rate allowed by the power module, that is, until a power supply system suitable for the NPU is selected.

[0094] The method provided in this embodiment provides a method for determining an adaptive power supply system for the NPU based on the rate of change of the current value obtained by simulation. Based on this method, a more adaptive power supply system can be accurately determined for the NPU by continuously adjusting the capacitors and / or power modules in the power supply system.

[0095] Figure 7 This is a flowchart of Embodiment 4 of the method for determining the selection of a power supply system provided in this application. Figure 7 , the method further comprises:

[0096] S701: sequentially change the capacitance values ​​of capacitors in the power supply system to a plurality of preset capacitance values ​​to obtain a plurality of second updated power supply systems.

[0097] It should be noted that the multiple preset capacitance values ​​are set according to actual needs and are not limited in this embodiment. For example, in a possible implementation, the multiple preset capacitance values ​​include: 0, 220 μF and 470 μF.

[0098] In a specific implementation, for any one of the plurality of preset capacitance values, after the capacitance value of the capacitor in the power supply system is changed to the capacitance value, a second updated power supply system can be obtained. Combining the above example, three second updated power supply systems can be obtained, wherein the capacitance value of the capacitor in one second updated power supply system is 0, the capacitance value of the capacitor in one second updated power supply system is 220 μF, and the capacitance value of the capacitor in another second updated power supply system is 470 μF.

[0099] S702: For each second updated power system, construct a simulation model corresponding to the second updated power system.

[0100] Specifically, for the specific implementation process and implementation principle of building the simulation model, please refer to the description in the above embodiment, which will not be repeated here.

[0101] S703: Use the simulation model to simulate the behavior of using the second updated power supply system to power the NPU, and monitor the current value at the output end of the power supply system during the simulation process.

[0102] Specifically, by monitoring the current value at the output end of the power supply system during the simulation process, the current value at each moment in the simulation process can be obtained, and a corresponding relationship between the current value and the moment can be established.

[0103] S704: Obtain a changing trend of the rate of change of the current value with respect to the change of the capacitance value, so as to guide the selection of the power supply system through the changing trend.

[0104] Specifically, for any one of the multiple preset capacitance values, the capacitance value of the capacitor in the power supply system is changed to the capacitance value to obtain a second updated power supply system. Further, after constructing the simulation model corresponding to the second updated power supply system, the behavior of using the second updated power supply system to power the NPU can be simulated based on the simulation model, and the current value at the output end of the power supply system is monitored during the simulation process. Further, after obtaining the current value at each moment in the simulation process, the rate of change of the current value can be calculated to obtain the rate of change of the current value corresponding to the capacitance value, and establish a corresponding relationship between the capacitance value and the rate of change of the current value. Further, based on the corresponding relationship between the capacitance value and the rate of change of the current value, the trend of the rate of change of the current value with the change of the capacitance value can be obtained; wherein, the trend of the rate of change of the current value with the change of the capacitance value is used to characterize how the rate of change of the current value changes with the increase or decrease of the capacitance value.

[0105] Specifically, in combination with the above example, for example, in one embodiment, for the second updated power supply system with a capacitance value of 0, after simulation, it is determined that the rate of change of the current value is 2.72A / us; for the second updated power supply system with a capacitance value of 220μF, after simulation, it is determined that the rate of change of the current value is 2.26A / us; for the second updated power supply system with a capacitance value of 470μF, after simulation, it is determined that the rate of change of the current value is 1.88A / us. It can be seen that as the capacitance value increases, the rate of change of the current value tends to decrease, that is, as the capacitance value increases, the rate of change of the current value decreases.

[0106] It should be noted that after obtaining the changing trend of the rate of change of the current value with the change of the capacitance value, the selection of the power supply system can be guided based on this. For example, in the specific implementation, when selecting the power supply system, a power supply system with a larger capacitance value can be selected to power the NPU to ensure that the rate of change of the current value is small, thereby ensuring the transient response capability and stability of the power supply system.

[0107] The method provided in this embodiment obtains multiple second updated power supply systems by sequentially changing the capacitance value of the capacitor in the power supply system to multiple preset capacitance values, and then constructs a simulation model corresponding to the second updated power supply system for each second updated power supply system, so as to use the simulation model to simulate the behavior of using the second updated power supply system to power the NPU, and monitor the current value at the output end of the power supply system during the simulation process. In this way, the changing trend of the rate of change of the current value with the change of the capacitance value can be obtained, and then the selection of the power supply system is guided by the changing trend, so that a more suitable power supply system can be selected quickly and accurately.

[0108] Optionally, in a possible implementation, after obtaining the change trend, when changing the capacitance in the power system to obtain the first updated power system, the capacitance in the power system may be changed according to the following method:

[0109] According to the change trend, the capacitance in the power system is changed so that the change rate of the current value of the first updated power system obtained after the capacitance is changed is reduced.

[0110] Referring to the previous description, the rate of change of the current value decreases as the capacitance value increases. In order to ensure that the rate of change of the current value of the first updated power supply system is reduced, when changing the capacitance, the capacitance can be changed in the direction of increasing the capacitance value.

[0111] The method provided in this embodiment changes the capacitance in a direction that reduces the rate of change of the current value, so that a more suitable NPU can be found quickly and accurately.

[0112] Corresponding to the aforementioned embodiment of a method for determining the type of power supply system, the present application also provides an embodiment of a device for determining the type of power supply system.

[0113] An embodiment of a device for determining the selection of a power system in the present application can be applied to a device for determining the selection of a power system. The device embodiment can be implemented by software, or by hardware, or by a combination of software and hardware. Taking software implementation as an example, as a device in a logical sense, the processor of the device for determining the selection of a power system reads the corresponding computer program instructions in the non-volatile memory into the memory and runs them. From a hardware perspective, if Figure 8 As shown, it is a hardware structure diagram of the device for determining the selection of the power supply system provided by the present application, in which the device for determining the selection of the power supply system is located, except Figure 8 In addition to the processor, memory, network interface, and non-volatile memory shown, the device for determining the selection of the power system in the embodiment may also include other hardware, which will not be described in detail, depending on the actual function of the device for determining the selection of the power system.

[0114] Fig. 9 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the first embodiment of the device for determining the selection of the power supply system provided by this application. Fig. 9 The device provided in this embodiment is used to determine an adaptive power supply system for a designed neural network processor NPU, wherein the power supply system includes a power supply module and a capacitor arranged at the output end of the power supply module; the device includes a construction module 910, a processing module 920 and a confirmation module 930; wherein,

[0115] The construction module 910 is used to construct a simulation model according to the design parameters of the NPU and the design parameters of the initial power supply system preliminarily designed for the NPU; wherein the simulation model is used to simulate the behavior of using the initial power supply system to power the NPU; the simulation model is a model that takes into account the performance of the power supply network inside the NPU, the performance of the power supply network on the package where the NPU is located, and the performance of the power supply network on the printed circuit board where the NPU is located;

[0116] The processing module 920 is used to simulate the behavior of using the initial power system to power the NPU using the simulation model, and monitor the current value at the output end of the power system during the simulation process;

[0117] The confirmation module 930 is used to determine an adaptive power supply system for the NPU according to the change rate of the current value.

[0118] The device of this embodiment can be used to perform Figure 1 The steps, specific implementation principles and implementation processes of the method embodiment shown are similar and will not be repeated here.

[0119] Optionally, the processing module 920 is further used to sequentially change the capacitance value of the capacitor in the power supply system to a plurality of preset capacitance values ​​to obtain a plurality of second updated power supply systems;

[0120] The construction module 910 is further used to construct a simulation model corresponding to each second updated power system;

[0121] The processing module 920 is further configured to use the simulation model to simulate the behavior of using the second updated power supply system to power the NPU, and monitor the current value at the output end of the power supply system during the simulation process;

[0122] The processing module 920 is further used to determine a changing trend of the rate of change of the current value with the change of the capacitance value, so as to guide the selection of the power supply system through the changing trend.

[0123] Please continue to refer to Figure 8 The present application also provides a device for determining the selection of a power supply system, comprising a memory, a processor, and a computer program stored in the memory and executable on the processor, wherein when the processor executes the program, the steps of any one of the methods provided in the first aspect of the present application are implemented.

[0124] The present application also provides a computer-readable storage medium having a computer program stored thereon, and when the program is executed by a processor, the steps of any one of the methods provided in the present application are implemented.

[0125] The implementation process of the functions and effects of each unit in the above-mentioned device is specifically described in the implementation process of the corresponding steps in the above-mentioned method, and will not be repeated here.

[0126] For the device embodiment, since it basically corresponds to the method embodiment, the relevant parts can refer to the partial description of the method embodiment. The device embodiment described above is only schematic, wherein the units described as separate components may or may not be physically separated, and the components displayed as units may or may not be physical units, that is, they may be located in one place, or they may be distributed on multiple network units. Some or all of the modules may be selected according to actual needs to achieve the purpose of the present application scheme. A person of ordinary skill in the art can understand and implement it without paying any creative work.

[0127] The above description is only a preferred embodiment of the present application and is not intended to limit the present application. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions, improvements, etc. made within the spirit and principles of the present application shall be included in the scope of protection of the present application.

Claims

1. A method for determining the selection of a power supply system, characterized in that: The method is used to determine an adaptive power supply system for a designed neural network processor NPU, wherein the power supply system includes a power supply module and a capacitor arranged at an output end of the power supply module; the method includes: A simulation model is constructed according to the design parameters of the NPU and the design parameters of the initial power supply system preliminarily designed for the NPU; wherein the simulation model is used to simulate the behavior of using the initial power supply system to power the NPU; the simulation model is a model that takes into account the performance of the power supply network inside the NPU, the performance of the power supply network on the package where the NPU is located, and the performance of the power supply network on the printed circuit board where the NPU is located; Using the simulation model to simulate the behavior of using the initial power supply system to power the NPU, and monitoring the current value at the output end of the power supply system during the simulation process; An adapted power supply system is determined for the NPU according to the rate of change of the current value.

2. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that: The method of determining an adapted power supply system for the NPU according to the rate of change of the current value includes: Obtaining a maximum current change rate allowed by a power module in the initial power system; When the rate of change of the current value is less than or equal to the maximum current change rate, determining the power supply system as a power supply system adapted by the NPU; When the rate of change of the current value exceeds the maximum current rate of change, changing the capacitor and / or the power module in the power system to obtain a first updated power system; The first updated power system is used as the initial power system, and the step of building a simulation model is performed again until a power system adapted to the NPU is selected.

3. The method according to claim 2, characterized in that The method further comprises: Sequentially changing the capacitance values ​​of the capacitors in the power system to a plurality of preset capacitance values ​​to obtain a plurality of second updated power systems; For each second updated power system, construct a simulation model corresponding to the second updated power system; Using the simulation model to simulate the behavior of using the second updated power supply system to power the NPU, and monitoring the current value at the output end of the power supply system during the simulation process; The changing trend of the rate of change of the current value with the change of the capacitance value is determined, so as to guide the selection of the power supply system through the changing trend.

4. The method according to claim 3, characterized in that The step of changing the capacitance in the power supply system to obtain a first updated power supply system comprises: According to the change trend, the capacitance in the power system is changed so that the change rate of the current value of the first updated power system obtained after the capacitance is changed is reduced.

5. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that The constructing of a simulation model according to the design parameters of the NPU and the design parameters of the power supply system preliminarily designed for the NPU includes: According to the design parameters of the NPU, an NPU model corresponding to the NPU is constructed; wherein the NPU model is used to evaluate the current characteristics of the NPU, the performance of the power supply network inside the NPU, the performance of the power supply network on the package where the NPU is located, and the performance of the power supply network on the printed circuit board where the NPU is located; According to the design parameters of the power supply system preliminarily designed for the NPU, a power supply model corresponding to the power supply system is constructed; wherein the power supply model is composed of a voltage source model and a capacitor model connected in parallel; The NPU model and the power supply model are combined to obtain the simulation model.

6. The method according to claim 5, characterized in that The NPU model is composed of a current model of the NPU, a power network model of a power network inside the NPU, a first scattering parameter model of a power network on a package where the NPU is located, and a second scattering parameter model of a power network on a printed circuit board where the NPU is located; and constructing the NPU model corresponding to the NPU includes: Constructing a current model of the NPU according to the working vector VCD file of the NPU; Constructing a power supply network model inside the NPU according to the design parameters of the NPU; Constructing a first scattering parameter model of a power supply network on a package where the NPU is located; Constructing a second scattering parameter model of a power supply network on a printed circuit board where the NPU is located; The current model, the power network model, the first scattering parameter model, and the second scattering parameter are combined to obtain the NPU model.

7. A device for determining the type of power supply system, characterized in that: The device is used to determine an adaptive power supply system for a designed neural network processor NPU, wherein the power supply system includes a power supply module and a capacitor arranged at the output end of the power supply module; the device includes a construction module, a processing module and a determination module; wherein, The building module is used to build a simulation model according to the design parameters of the NPU and the design parameters of the initial power supply system preliminarily designed for the NPU; wherein the simulation model is used to simulate the behavior of using the initial power supply system to power the NPU; the simulation model is a model that takes into account the performance of the power supply network inside the NPU, the performance of the power supply network on the package where the NPU is located, and the performance of the power supply network on the printed circuit board where the NPU is located; The processing module is used to simulate the behavior of using the initial power supply system to power the NPU using the simulation model, and monitor the current value at the output end of the power supply system during the simulation process; The determination module is used to determine an adaptive power supply system for the NPU according to the rate of change of the current value.

8. The device according to claim 7, characterized in that The processing module is further used to sequentially change the capacitance values ​​of the capacitors in the power supply system to a plurality of preset capacitance values ​​to obtain a plurality of second updated power supply systems; The construction module is further used to construct a simulation model corresponding to each second updated power system; The processing module is further used to simulate the behavior of using the second updated power supply system to power the NPU using the simulation model, and monitor the current value at the output end of the power supply system during the simulation process; The processing module is further used to determine the changing trend of the rate of change of the current value with the change of the capacitance value, so as to guide the selection of the power supply system through the changing trend.

9. A device for determining the type of power supply system, characterized in that: The method comprises a memory, a processor and a computer program stored in the memory and executable on the processor, wherein the processor implements the steps of the method according to any one of claims 1 to 6 when executing the program.

10. A computer-readable storage medium having a computer program stored thereon, characterized in that: When the program is executed by a processor, the steps of the method according to any one of claims 1 to 6 are implemented.

Images