Local Power Control Arbiter for Dynamic Frequency Scaling

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current power management systems in processing platforms lack the ability to dynamically adjust processor frequencies and voltages on short timescales, leading to inefficiencies in power consumption and performance, especially when dealing with varying workloads and thermal constraints.

Innovation Solution

Implementing a cooperative power control system that includes both global and local power control units, where the global unit sets performance limits and the local units autonomously adjust frequencies and voltages based on real-time processing conditions, allowing for finer-grained control and improved responsiveness to workload changes.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Device complexity

If a single global power control unit is used to manage performance levels for multiple processing entities, then system complexity is reduced, but the responsiveness to workload changes and power management precision deteriorates due to sequential servicing of requests

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvepower control system complexityVSAvoidresponsiveness to workload changes

Core Design Contradiction:

Device complexityVSSpeed

Solution Approach 1:

The power control system is segmented into a global power control unit that sets performance limits and local power control arbiters at each processing entity that autonomously adjust frequencies and voltages. This segmentation allows parallel operation and faster response to workload changes while maintaining overall system coordination.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Local power control arbiters are given autonomy to make power management decisions specific to their processing entities based on local workload conditions. This local quality approach enables each processing entity to respond independently and rapidly to its own workload changes without waiting for global controller decisions.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

2Productivity

If processor frequency and voltage are increased to meet high workload demands, then processing performance is improved, but power consumption increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveprocessing throughputVSAvoidprocessor power consumption

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The system dynamically adjusts processor frequency and voltage based on real-time workload demands using a hierarchy of power control. The global unit sets performance limits while local arbiters make dynamic adjustments to frequency and voltage, enabling the system to optimize the balance between processing throughput and power consumption according to actual workload conditions.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The power control system uses feedback from workload monitoring to adjust performance levels. The global power control unit receives feedback about system-wide power conditions and sets appropriate performance limits, while local arbiters use feedback from their processing entities' workload to autonomously adjust frequencies and voltages within those limits.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

3Use of energy by moving object

If processor frequency and voltage are reduced to decrease power consumption during low workload, then energy efficiency is improved, but processing performance deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveprocessor power consumptionVSAvoidprocessing throughput

Core Design Contradiction:

Use of energy by moving objectVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The system dynamically adjusts processor frequency and voltage based on real-time workload demands. When workload is low, the local power control arbiter reduces frequency and voltage to improve energy efficiency, while when workload increases, it rapidly increases these parameters to maintain processing throughput, all within the performance limits set by the global power control unit.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The local power control arbiter continuously monitors workload conditions and uses this feedback to adjust frequency and voltage settings. This feedback mechanism ensures that power consumption is reduced during low workload while processing performance is maintained or quickly restored when workload increases.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

Data Source

PatentUS11543878B2Power control arbitration

Publication Date: 2023.01.03 INTEL CORP

AI summary

A local power control arbiter is provided to interface with a global power control unit of a processing platform having a plurality of processing entities. The local power control arbiter controls a local processing unit of the processing platform. The local power arbiter has an interface to receive from the global power control unit, a local performance limit allocated to the local processing unit depending on a global power control evaluation and processing circuitry to determine any change to one or more processing conditions prevailing in the local processing unit on a timescale shorter than a duration for which the local performance limit is applied to the local processing unit by the global power control unit and to select a performance level for the local processing unit depending on both the local performance limit and the determined change, if any, to the prevailing processing conditions on the local processing unit.