Adaptive thermal throttling methods and related systems

Abstract

A system includes a controller configured to receive at least one thermal control setting and a system temperature and perform a first thermal throttling operation according to at least one thermal control instruction; and an application coupled to the controller and configured to receive the at least one thermal control setting and the system temperature from the controller and generate the at least one thermal control instruction according to the at least one thermal control setting and the system temperature.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The object of the present invention is to provide an adaptive thermal throttling method and a related system to improve the shortcomings of the prior art. Background Art

[0002] The central processing unit (CPU) / graphics processing unit (GPU) of an electronic device (such as a mobile phone or computer) may generate heat when running an application (APP) (such as a game). If the heat accumulates excessively, it may cause the electronic device to overheat. In response to this situation, the system may reduce the operating frequency of the CPU / CPU, causing the frame rate (such as frames per second, FPS) of the game to fluctuate and affect the user's experience. Therefore, finding a way to achieve thermal throttling without affecting the user's gaming experience has become a goal of the industry. Summary of the invention

[0003] An embodiment of the present invention discloses a system, including a controller, configured to receive at least one thermal control setting and a system temperature, and perform a first thermal throttling operation according to at least one thermal control instruction; and an application (APP for short), coupled to the controller, configured to receive at least one thermal control setting and a system temperature from the controller, and generate at least one thermal control instruction according to the at least one thermal control setting and the system temperature.

[0004] An embodiment of the present invention discloses an adaptive thermal throttling method, comprising: an application (APP) receiving at least one thermal control setting and a system temperature of a system through a controller; a central processing unit generating at least one thermal control instruction according to the at least one thermal control setting and the system temperature, and providing the at least one thermal control instruction to the controller; and the controller executing a first thermal throttling operation according to the at least one thermal control instruction.

[0005] These and other objects of the present invention will become apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art after reading the following detailed description and the preferred embodiments illustrated in the various figures and drawings. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0006] The present invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings by way of example and not limitation, wherein like reference numerals represent similar components. In addition, when a particular feature, structure, or characteristic is described in conjunction with an embodiment, it should be understood that those skilled in the art may implement such feature, structure, or characteristic in conjunction with other embodiments, whether or not explicitly described.

[0007] FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of a conventional thermal throttling system.

[0008] FIG. 2 is a temperature diagram of a thermal throttling operation.

[0009] FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram of an adaptive thermal throttling system according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0010] FIG. 4 is a flow chart of an adaptive thermal throttling method according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0011] FIG. 5 is a temperature diagram of a first thermal throttling operation according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0012] FIG. 6 is a schematic diagram of an adaptive thermal throttling system according to an embodiment of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0013] Throughout the description and the following claims, certain terms are used to refer to specific components. Those familiar with the technology will understand that hardware manufacturers may use different names to refer to the same component. This document does not intend to distinguish between components with different names but the same functions. In the following description and claims, the terms "include" and "comprise" are used in an open manner and should be interpreted as "including, but not limited to". "Approximately" means that within an acceptable error range, a person with ordinary knowledge can solve the technical problem and basically achieve the technical effect within a certain error range. In addition, the term "coupled" means an electrical connection whether indirect or direct, wired or wireless.

[0014] Please refer to FIG. 1. FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of a thermal throttling system 1. The thermal throttling system 1 includes a first controller 10 of a user equipment (UE) and an application (APP) 12. The user equipment can be a mobile phone or a computer, running the application 12, such as a game or a drawing application. When the application runs the application 12, its central processing unit (CPU) or graphics processing unit (GPU) may continue to generate heat. If the heat accumulates, the user equipment may enter an overheating state.

[0015] In order to prevent the user device from entering an overheating state, the first controller 10 performs a thermal throttling operation. Please refer to FIG. 2. FIG. 2 is a temperature diagram of the thermal throttling operation. As shown in FIG. 2, an overheating state occurs when the system temperature exceeds the throttling temperature. When the system temperature reaches the throttling threshold, the first controller 10 begins to perform a thermal throttling operation. For example, the first controller 10 may gradually reduce the game frame rate by lowering the target frames per second (FPS) of the gaming application or setting the target frames per second to a low fixed value to prevent the user device from entering an overheating state. This helps to avoid severe FPS fluctuations or delays when running gaming applications. However, even if thermal throttling is implemented, the user's gaming experience may still be affected due to the reduction in FPS. Time

[0016] It should be noted that, for the sake of brevity, the following embodiments are described in the case where the application 12 is running. In order to prevent the user device from entering an overheating state, the present invention uses a platform to exchange information between the application 12 and the first controller 10 of the application. Please refer to Figure 3. Figure 3 is a schematic diagram of an adaptive thermal throttling system 3 according to an embodiment of the present invention. The adaptive thermal throttling system 3 is derived from the thermal throttling system 1, so the same components are represented by the same symbols. The difference between the adaptive thermal throttling system 3 and the thermal throttling system 1 is that the second controller 14 of the platform is coupled between the first controller 10 and the application 12. The application 12 can receive at least one thermal control setting and system temperature from the first controller 10 through the second controller 14, and generate at least one thermal control instruction accordingly. The second controller 14 can perform a first thermal throttling operation according to the at least one thermal control instruction, thereby preventing the user device from entering an overheating state. It should be noted that, unlike the thermal throttling system 1 in which the application 12 does not participate in the thermal throttling operation, in the adaptive thermal throttling system 3, the application 12 participates in it.

[0017] The operation of the adaptive thermal throttling system 3 can be summarized as an adaptive thermal throttling method 4, as shown in Figure 4. The adaptive thermal throttling method 4 includes the following steps:

[0018] Step S400 : the application 12 receives at least one thermal control setting and a system temperature of the adaptive thermal throttling system 3 from the first controller 10 through the second controller 14 .

[0019] Step S402 : the application 12 generates at least one thermal control instruction according to at least one thermal control setting and the system temperature, and provides the at least one thermal control instruction to the second controller 14 .

[0020] Step S404: the second controller 14 performs a first thermal throttling operation according to at least one thermal control instruction.

[0021] In step S400, the application 12 receives at least one thermal control setting and a system temperature from the first controller 10 via the second controller 14. Specifically, a sensor of the application (not shown in FIG. 3 ) generates the system temperature. The first controller 10 determines at least one thermal control setting, such as a thermal alarm condition, a high load condition, a dropped frame condition, a target power, an acceleration permission, or an application programming interface query permission. These thermal control settings are well known in the art and are not described in detail here. For example, a thermal alarm condition is used to warn that the system temperature may be too high.

[0022] In step S402, the application 12 generates at least one thermal control instruction based on at least one thermal control setting and the system temperature, and provides the at least one thermal control instruction to the second controller 14. Please refer to FIG. 5. FIG. 5 is a temperature diagram of a first thermal throttling operation according to an embodiment of the present invention. The application 12 generates a first threshold value based on at least one thermal control setting, and compares the first threshold value with the system temperature to generate at least one thermal control instruction. In one embodiment, the at least one thermal control instruction may include reducing or increasing image quality, character movement update frequency, etc. In another embodiment, the at least one thermal control instruction may include reducing or increasing the target performance of the application's central processing unit or graphics processing unit.

[0023] In step S404, the second controller 14 performs a first thermal throttling operation according to at least one thermal control instruction. As shown in FIG. 5, when the system temperature exceeds a first threshold, at least one thermal control instruction instructs to reduce the image quality and the character movement update frequency to reduce the load of the CPU / GPU when running the application 12. This causes the system temperature to drop, preventing the user device from entering an overheating state. Conversely, when the system temperature is below the first threshold, at least one thermal control instruction instructs to increase the image quality and the character movement update frequency to increase the load of the CPU / GPU when running the application 12. Therefore, the user's gaming experience is enhanced.

[0024] In one embodiment, the adaptive thermal throttling system 3 can combine the first thermal throttling operation with the thermal throttling operation. As shown in FIG. 5 , if the system temperature continues to rise above the throttling threshold after the first thermal throttling operation is performed, the second controller 14 can perform the thermal throttling operation to prevent the user device from entering an overheating state. It should be noted that the throttling threshold is greater than the first threshold.

[0025] It should be noted that user devices produced by different original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) may have different specifications for thermal control settings. In addition, the thermal control settings may not be provided to the user device to generate thermal control instructions. In this case, the present invention may query the first controller 10 to determine whether to perform a first thermal throttling operation according to at least one thermal control instruction. Please refer to Figure 6. Figure 6 is a schematic diagram of an adaptive thermal throttling system 6 according to an embodiment of the present invention. The difference between the adaptive thermal throttling system 6 and the adaptive thermal throttling system 3 is that the second controller 14 of the adaptive thermal throttling system 6 can query the first controller 10 whether to provide at least one thermal control setting or perform a first thermal throttling operation according to at least one thermal control instruction. Further details and derivative changes of the adaptive thermal throttling system 6 can refer to the above content and will not be repeated here.

[0026] It should be noted that the adaptive thermal throttling systems 3 and 6 are different embodiments of the present invention. Those skilled in the art can easily combine, modify and / or change according to the above description and examples. The suggested steps contained in the above description, steps, procedures and / or processes can be implemented by hardware, software, firmware (i.e., a combination of hardware devices and computer instructions and data, which reside on the hardware devices as read-only software), electronic systems or a combination thereof. Examples of hardware may include simulation, digital and hybrid circuits, which are referred to as microcircuits, microchips or silicon chips. Examples of electronic systems may include systems on chips (SoCs), packaged systems (SiPs), module computers (CoMs) and computer systems. Any of the above programs and examples may be compiled into program codes or instructions stored in a storage unit. The storage unit may include a read-only memory (ROM), a flash memory, a random access memory (RAM), a user identity module (SIM), a hard disk or a CD-ROM / DVD-ROM / BD-ROM, but is not limited thereto. The first controller 10 and the second controller 14 may read and execute the program codes or instructions stored in the storage unit to implement the above functions.

[0027] In summary, in the adaptive thermal throttling system of the present invention, the application generates thermal control instructions, which enables the application to adjust the load or target performance of the CPU / GPU. In this way, compared with the prior art, the adaptive thermal throttling system of the present invention prevents the variation of the number of frames per second and improves the user experience.

[0028] Those skilled in the art will readily appreciate that numerous modifications and variations of the apparatus and method can be made while retaining the teachings of the present invention. Therefore, the above disclosure should be interpreted only in accordance with the limits of the appended claims.

Claims

1. An adaptive thermal throttling system, comprising: a controller configured to receive at least one thermal control setting and a system temperature and to perform a first thermal throttling operation in accordance with at least one thermal control instruction; as well as An application program (APP) is coupled to the controller and configured to receive at least one thermal control setting and a system temperature from the controller and generate at least one thermal control instruction according to the at least one thermal control setting and the system temperature.

2. The system according to claim 1, further comprising: A first controller, coupled to the controller, is configured to provide the at least one thermal control setting and the system temperature.

3. The system as described in claim 2, wherein the controller is further configured to query the first controller whether to perform the first thermal throttling operation according to the at least one thermal control instruction.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the first thermal throttling operation comprises at least one of the following steps: Increase or decrease the target performance of the system's CPU or GPU; and Increase or decrease the load of the CPU or GPU.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the application is configured to generate a first threshold value based on the at least one thermal control setting, and compare the first threshold value with the system temperature to generate the at least one thermal control instruction.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the controller is further configured to perform a second thermal throttling operation based on the at least one thermal control setting and the system temperature.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the controller is configured to generate a second threshold value based on the at least one thermal control setting, and compare the second threshold value with the system temperature to determine whether to perform the second thermal throttling operation.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the second threshold is greater than the first threshold.

9. The system of claim 6, wherein the second thermal throttling operation comprises at least one of the following steps: Increasing the target performance of the system's CPU or GPU; and Reduce the target performance of the CPU or the GPU.

10. An adaptive thermal throttling method, comprising: Receiving at least one thermal control setting and a system temperature of a system by an application program (APP) through a controller; generating, by the application, at least one thermal control instruction based on the at least one thermal control setting and the system temperature, and providing the at least one thermal control instruction to the controller; A first thermal throttling operation is performed by the controller according to the at least one thermal control instruction.

11. The adaptive thermal throttling method of claim 9, wherein the at least one thermal control setting and the system temperature of the system are provided by a first controller.

12. The adaptive thermal throttling method of claim 11, wherein performing the first thermal throttling operation comprises: The controller queries the first controller whether to perform the first thermal throttling operation according to the at least one thermal control instruction.

13. The adaptive thermal throttling method of claim 10, wherein the first thermal throttling operation comprises at least one of the following steps: Increase or decrease the target performance of the system's CPU or GPU; and Increase or decrease the load of the CPU or GPU.

14. The adaptive thermal throttling method of claim 10, wherein generating the at least one thermal control instruction comprises: generating a first threshold value based on the at least one thermal control setting; as well as The first threshold is compared by the application to the system temperature to generate the at least one thermal control instruction.

15. The adaptive thermal throttling method of claim 14, further comprising: A second thermal throttling operation is performed by the controller based on the at least one thermal control setting and the system temperature.

16. The adaptive thermal throttling method of claim 15, further comprising: A second threshold is generated by the controller according to the at least one thermal control setting, and the second threshold is compared with the system temperature to determine whether to perform the second thermal throttling operation.

17. The adaptive thermal throttling method of claim 16, wherein the second threshold is greater than the first threshold.

18. The adaptive thermal throttling method of claim 15, wherein the second thermal throttling operation comprises at least one of the following steps: Increasing the target performance of the system's CPU or GPU; and Lower the target performance of the CPU or GPU.

Images