Adaptive Wake-Up Power Management for Processor Pipelines

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing cellular modem processors face challenges in power conservation, particularly in managing power usage across various processing pipelines and channels, which affects battery life in mobile devices.

Innovation Solution

The implementation of a power management circuit that selectively powers up and down memory circuits and logic circuits in different processing pipelines based on operational needs, such as listening for paging signals or engaging in data communication, while saving and restoring data to maintain functionality.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Speed

If the processor keeps all processing pipelines and channels active to maintain readiness for data communication, then the response time and availability are improved, but the power consumption increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveresponse timeVSAvoidpower consumption

Core Design Contradiction:

SpeedVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The processor is divided into multiple independent processing pipelines (first pipeline for control channels, second pipeline for data channels, third pipeline for uplink channels), each capable of being independently powered up or down. This segmentation allows selective activation of only the necessary pipelines based on current operational requirements, reducing overall power consumption while maintaining quick response capability for needed functions.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The power management circuit dynamically adjusts the power state of each processing pipeline based on real-time operational needs. The system transitions pipelines between active and low-power states adaptively, ensuring that processing capabilities are available when needed while minimizing power consumption during idle periods. This dynamic power management resolves the contradiction between maintaining readiness and conserving energy.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

2Use of energy by moving object

If the processor transitions processing pipelines to low power states to conserve battery life, then power consumption is reduced, but the time to become operational again increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvepower consumptionVSAvoidactivation time

Core Design Contradiction:

Use of energy by moving objectVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The power management circuit performs preliminary actions by pre-loading configuration data and maintaining minimal operational states in processing pipelines before full activation is needed. When a pipeline needs to be activated, the preliminary preparation reduces the time required to become fully operational, thus mitigating the activation time penalty while still benefiting from power savings during idle periods.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

Different processing pipelines are assigned different power management characteristics based on their specific functions and activation patterns. Control channel pipelines may maintain different power states compared to data channel pipelines, allowing optimization of activation time for critical functions while maximizing power savings for less time-sensitive operations. This localized power management approach balances activation time and power consumption.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

3Use of energy by moving object

If the processor selectively powers down unused memory circuits and logic circuits, then power consumption is reduced, but the complexity of power management control increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvepower consumptionVSAvoidpower management complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Use of energy by moving objectVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The power management circuit is designed as a universal control mechanism that manages multiple processing pipelines and their associated memory and logic circuits through a unified approach. This multi-functional power management system handles diverse components (control channels, data channels, uplink channels) using consistent control logic, reducing the overall complexity compared to managing each component separately while achieving comprehensive power savings.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Data Source

PatentUS12292783B2Adaptive wake-up for power conservation in a processor

Publication Date: 2025.05.06 APPLE INC

AI summary

A processor can include various processing pipelines that perform different data processing operations, with different pipelines having dedicated logic and memory circuits. A power management circuit can determine when to supply power to various pipelines, including the logic and memory circuits of the various pipelines, depending on a current operating mode of the processor. When a memory circuit transitions to a lower power state such as a sleep state, data can be saved to a different memory circuit that is not transitioning to a lower power state, and when the memory circuit is powered up again, the data can be restored from the different memory circuit.