Memory Channel Segmentation for Power Optimization
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Solution Overview
Problem
The increasing number of memory channels in computing devices, while enhancing bandwidth and capacity, leads to excessive power consumption and reduced battery life, especially since most applications require only modest bandwidth and capacity, making the installed memory over-provisioned for daily use.
Innovation Solution
Implementing a memory policy manager that divides memory channels into functional and performance channels, where functional channels are active during boot and performance channels are in a low power state, with the policy manager tracking usage to bring performance channels into active state only when needed, optimizing memory allocation based on real-time requirements.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Speed
If multiple memory channels are installed to increase bandwidth and capacity, then memory performance is improved, but power consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments memory channels into different types: performance channels (high bandwidth, always active) and capacity channels (lower bandwidth, activated only when needed). This segmentation allows the system to provide high memory bandwidth when required while reducing power consumption during normal operation by keeping capacity channels inactive.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements dynamic memory channel activation where capacity channels transition between active and inactive states based on system memory demands. The memory controller dynamically activates capacity channels only when memory pressure exceeds a threshold, optimizing the balance between performance and power consumption.
2Quantity of substance
If multiple memory channels are installed to increase capacity, then data availability is improved, but battery life decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides memory channels into performance channels (maintaining small, always-available capacity) and capacity channels (providing additional storage capacity when activated). This segmentation ensures sufficient memory capacity for typical applications while reducing power consumption to extend battery life by keeping capacity channels inactive during normal use.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the operational state parameter of capacity channels from always-active to conditionally-active based on memory pressure thresholds. When memory usage remains below the threshold, capacity channels are deactivated, reducing power consumption and extending battery life while maintaining adequate capacity for everyday tasks.
3Productivity
If all memory channels are kept active to ensure performance, then application responsiveness is improved, but power consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments memory channels into performance channels (always active for immediate access) and capacity channels (activated only when needed). This ensures application responsiveness is maintained through performance channels while reducing overall power consumption by keeping capacity channels inactive during normal operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements feedback-based control where the memory controller continuously monitors memory pressure and system state to determine when to activate capacity channels. This feedback mechanism ensures performance is maintained only when necessary, optimizing the balance between application responsiveness and power consumption.
Data Source
AI summary
Systems, apparatuses, and methods may provide for optimizing the available memory in a power conscious compute platform. For example, a semiconductor apparatus includes logic to communicate with a system memory to divide a plurality of memory channels into functional channels and performance channels. The functional channels are in an active power state during a boot process and the performance channels are in an idle power state during the boot process. The semiconductor apparatus includes logic to track memory usage and bring the performance channels out of the idle power state and into the active power state in response to the tracked memory usage.