Circuit-Level Power Management Watchdog for SoC Transition Failures
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional power management technologies face challenges such as high-power consumption, unpredictable battery life due to unanticipated power management malfunctions, insufficient traceability of power issues, and difficulty in debugging power management failures, particularly in complex computer systems with numerous OS and SW environments.
Innovation Solution
Implementing a power management watchdog (PMWD) at a circuit block granularity to ensure that each hardware IP on a System-on-a-Chip (SOC) transitions to the requested power state, with a watchdog timer that generates interrupts or forces the transition if it fails, providing fine-granularity traceability and failsafe protection.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional power management technologies are used, then system operation is maintained, but high power consumption occurs and battery life becomes unpredictable due to unanticipated power management malfunctions
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a watchdog timer that continuously monitors whether circuit blocks transition to requested power states within expected timeframes. When a circuit block fails to transition (indicating a power management malfunction), the watchdog timer detects this anomaly and generates an interrupt signal to the operating system power manager, enabling real-time feedback on power management status and allowing corrective actions to be taken.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a power management watchdog (PMWD) circuit as an intermediary component between the power management system and the operating system. The PMWD includes a watchdog timer that independently monitors power state transitions of circuit blocks, acting as a mediator that detects malfunctions and communicates with the OS power manager through interrupts, thereby improving reliability without requiring changes to the core power management logic.
2Reliability
If conventional power management technologies are used, then system operation is maintained, but traceability of power issues is insufficient and debugging power management failures is difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The watchdog timer provides continuous feedback monitoring of power state transitions by comparing actual transition timing against expected timeframes. When a circuit block fails to transition to a requested power state within the expected time, the watchdog timer detects this deviation and generates an interrupt signal, providing real-time feedback that enables precise identification of power management failures and their timing.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces manual or post-mortem debugging methods with an automated hardware-based monitoring system. The watchdog timer uses hardware-level timing mechanisms to automatically detect and report power management failures, substituting complex software debugging processes with a simpler, more reliable hardware-based detection approach that provides immediate and accurate failure information.
Data Source
AI summary
An embodiment of an integrated circuit may comprise a circuit block and a power management circuit coupled to the circuit block to manage two or more power states for the circuit block and to manage a request for the circuit block to enter a requested power state of the two or more power states, set a watchdog timer in response to the request, and monitor the watchdog timer and a transition of the circuit block from a current power state to the requested power state. Other embodiments are disclosed and claimed.