Lane Merging Buffer for Multi-Lane Serial Bus Power Management
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Solution Overview
Problem
In systems with both serial and parallel buses, uneven data throughput can be problematic, particularly in mobile battery-powered systems where peak data transfer demands can strain the battery due to asynchronous data movement.
Innovation Solution
A buffer is associated with each data lane of a multi-lane serial bus, where data words are timed through active buffers and merged onto a parallel bus in a pre-defined repeating sequence, allowing non-active lanes to conserve power, ensuring efficient data transfer and managing varying throughput demands.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If data is transferred asynchronously on serial buses to meet peak throughput demands, then data transfer capability is improved, but power consumption increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically activates and deactivates individual data lanes based on real-time throughput requirements. When peak transfer capability is needed, additional lanes are activated; during low-activity periods, lanes are deactivated to conserve power. This dynamic adaptation resolves the contradiction between maintaining high data transfer capability and reducing power consumption.
Solution Approach 2:
The serial bus is divided into multiple independent data lanes, each with its own buffer and control logic. This segmentation allows the system to activate only the necessary number of lanes based on current throughput demands, rather than keeping all lanes continuously active. Each lane can be independently controlled, enabling fine-grained power management while maintaining overall system performance.
2Productivity
If multiple data lanes are kept active to handle variable throughput, then data transfer efficiency is improved, but power consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system employs periodic monitoring of throughput requirements and periodic activation/deactivation of data lanes. The controller assesses current and anticipated data transfer needs, activates the appropriate number of lanes, and deactivates them when no longer needed. This periodic adjustment ensures high transfer efficiency when required while minimizing power consumption during idle periods.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes operational parameters by adjusting the number of active data lanes based on throughput demands. When high transfer efficiency is needed, more lanes are activated; when demands are low, fewer lanes remain active. This parameter adjustment allows the system to optimize the balance between transfer efficiency and power consumption dynamically.
3Use of energy by moving object
If data lanes are deactivated for power conservation, then power consumption is reduced, but data transfer capability decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary assessment of throughput requirements before activating data lanes. The controller anticipates data transfer needs and proactively activates the necessary number of lanes before peak demand occurs, ensuring that when data transfer is needed, the capability is already in place. This prevents the need to keep all lanes continuously active, reducing power consumption while maintaining transfer capability.
4Adaptability or versatility
If asynchronous data movement is used to meet varying throughput demands, then system flexibility is improved, but power management becomes problematic
Solution Approach 1:
The system employs feedback mechanisms where the controller continuously monitors data throughput requirements and adjusts the number of active data lanes accordingly. This feedback loop allows the system to maintain flexibility in handling varying throughput demands while effectively managing power consumption by activating only the necessary lanes. The feedback ensures that system flexibility is preserved without sacrificing power management efficiency.
Data Source
AI summary
A buffer is associated with each of a plurality of data lanes of a multi-lane serial data bus. Data words are timed through the buffers of active ones of the data lanes. Words timed through buffers of active data lanes are merged onto a parallel bus such that data words from each of the active data lanes are merged onto the parallel bus in a pre-defined repeating sequence of data lanes. This approach allows other, non-active, data lanes to remain in a power conservation state.