Adaptive Power Profile for Baseband Processing Engine Load Balancing

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional baseband processor systems face challenges in controlling power utilization effectively across multiple signal processing stages, leading to significant thermal issues and inefficient power management due to increased complexity and power consumption.

Innovation Solution

An adaptive power profiling mechanism is implemented to dynamically allocate job requests across processing engines, allowing for intelligent power management by selecting from pre-calculated or dynamically updated power profiles based on system requirements, such as the number of processing jobs and available engines, thereby reducing dynamic power consumption and achieving load balancing.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If baseband processing complexity is increased to handle more processing functions, then processing capability is improved, but power consumption increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveprocessing capabilityVSAvoidpower consumption

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements dynamic power profiling that adjusts the operational state of processing engines based on real-time workload conditions. The system transitions engines between active, idle, and low-power modes dynamically, allowing the baseband processor to maintain high processing capability when needed while reducing power consumption during lighter loads. This resolves the contradiction by making both processing capability and power consumption variable rather than fixed.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The system changes operational parameters of processing engines based on workload conditions. By adjusting power profile parameters such as clock frequency, voltage levels, and engine activation states, the system optimizes the trade-off between processing capability and power consumption. Different power profiles represent different parameter configurations that balance these two competing requirements.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

2Productivity

If more processing engines are activated to handle increased workload, then processing throughput is improved, but thermal issues worsen

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveprocessing throughputVSAvoidthermal issues

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSTemperature

Solution Approach 1:

The baseband processor is segmented into multiple independent processing engines that can be individually controlled. The power profiling mechanism selectively activates only the number of engines necessary to handle the current workload, rather than keeping all engines active. This segmentation allows the system to maintain high throughput when needed while reducing thermal generation by keeping fewer engines active during lighter loads.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The system periodically evaluates workload conditions and adjusts the activation state of processing engines accordingly. By monitoring workload patterns and transitioning engines between active and low-power states in periodic cycles, the system maintains processing throughput during high-demand periods while reducing thermal accumulation during lower-demand intervals.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #19Periodic action

3Use of energy by moving object

If conventional power saving methods disable entire processing chains, then power consumption is reduced, but processing efficiency deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvepower consumptionVSAvoidprocessing efficiency

Core Design Contradiction:

Use of energy by moving objectVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

Instead of applying a uniform power-saving state to entire processing chains, the system applies local quality control by individually managing the power state of specific processing engines based on their current workload and importance. Critical engines remain active while less critical ones are placed in low-power mode, maintaining processing efficiency for essential functions while reducing overall power consumption.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

Solution Approach 2:

The system applies partial power-saving action by selectively placing only certain processing engines in low-power mode rather than disabling entire chains. This partial action approach maintains sufficient processing efficiency by keeping essential engines active while achieving power savings from idle engines, avoiding the excessive action of completely disabling processing chains.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #16Partial or excessive action

Data Source

PatentUS12189456B2Methods and apparatus for adaptive power profiling in a baseband processing system

Publication Date: 2025.01.07 MARVELL ASIA PTE LTD

AI summary

Methods and apparatus for adaptive power profiling in a baseband processing system. In an exemplary embodiment, an apparatus includes one or more processing engines. Each processing engine performs at least one data processing function. The apparatus also includes an adaptive power profile (APP) and a job manager that receives job requests for data processing. The job manager allocates the data processing associated with the job requests to the processing engines based on the adaptive power profile. The adaptive power profile identifies a first group of the processing engines to perform the data processing associated with the job requests, and identifies remaining processing engines to be set to a low power mode.