Adaptive Early Wake Timing for Low-Power Interrupt Response

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing embedded systems face issues with latency and energy consumption during transitions between low-power and active modes due to inflexible power mode switching based on variable throughput, especially when asynchronous interrupt signals are involved.

Innovation Solution

A system with a standby mode control circuit and interrupt generation circuit that adaptively generates early wake signals based on determined lead times to transition from standby to active mode before receiving interrupt signals, reducing latency and energy consumption.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Use of energy by moving object

If the system operates in deep low-power modes to maximize energy conservation, then energy consumption is reduced, but transition latency to active mode increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvepower consumptionVSAvoidtransition latency

Core Design Contradiction:

Use of energy by moving objectVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary actions by generating early wake signals that trigger a gradual exit from low-power mode before the actual interrupt occurs. The standby mode control circuit receives the early wake signal and begins transitioning clock circuitry and power circuitry to active states in advance, so that by the time the interrupt signal arrives, the system is already prepared to service it immediately.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The system dynamically adjusts the transition timing based on the specific low-power mode being used. Different standby modes have different exit latencies, and the system adapts the early wake signal timing accordingly. The standby mode control circuit determines the appropriate lead time based on the configured standby mode, creating a dynamic rather than static wake-up mechanism.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

2Device complexity

If the system uses fixed pre-determined intervals for waking from low-power mode, then transition timing is simplified, but flexibility to respond to variable throughput and asynchronous interrupts is lost

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecontrol logic simplicityVSAvoidresponse flexibility

Core Design Contradiction:

Device complexityVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The system uses feedback from the standby mode configuration to determine the appropriate early wake timing. The standby mode control circuit receives configuration information about the specific standby mode and uses this feedback to calculate the correct lead time for generating early wake signals. This creates an adaptive system that responds appropriately to different power management scenarios without requiring complex external control logic.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

Solution Approach 2:

The system serves itself by having the standby mode control circuit automatically determine and implement the appropriate wake-up timing based on the configured standby mode. Rather than requiring external controllers to manage the complex timing relationships between different power modes and interrupt sources, the system self-manages the transition timing using the information already available from its power mode configuration.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

3Speed

If the system transitions immediately upon interrupt signal receipt, then response time is minimized, but energy is wasted transitioning from deep low-power modes

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveinterrupt response speedVSAvoidenergy consumption

Core Design Contradiction:

SpeedVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs the transition preparation in advance by generating early wake signals that initiate the exit from low-power mode before the interrupt occurs. This preliminary action ensures that when the interrupt signal is received, the system is already in or near the active state, eliminating the need for last-minute transitions and enabling immediate interrupt servicing.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The system dynamically times the early wake signal generation based on the specific standby mode configuration. Rather than using a fixed advance time, the system adapts the lead time to match the characteristics of the configured standby mode, ensuring that the transition is completed just in time for the interrupt without starting the transition too early (which would waste energy) or too late (which would increase latency).

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Data Source

PatentUS20260030037A1Hardware-managed adaptive wakeup of processing systems

Publication Date: 2026.01.29 TEXAS INSTRUMENTS INC

AI summary

Various embodiments disclosed herein relate to adaptive wake-up of elements of a processing system, and more specifically, to generating early wake signals prior to interrupt signals to perform wake-up operations ahead of triggering interrupt service routines based on the interrupt signals. In an example embodiment, a system includes a standby mode control circuit and a first interrupt generation circuit coupled to the standby mode control circuit. The standby mode control circuit is configured to receive an indication of a standby mode and determine an early wake value based on the standby mode. The first interrupt generation circuit is configured to receive the early wake value, determine a first lead time value based on the early wake value, generate a first early wake signal corresponding to the standby mode based on the first lead time value, and subsequent to generating the early wake signal, generate an interrupt signal.