Memory Segmentation for Standby Power Reduction

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Solution Overview

Problem

Mobile computing devices face significant power consumption issues due to memory self-refresh, especially in standby mode, where a substantial portion of power is wasted in refreshing the entire RAM even when only a portion is in use, leading to reduced battery life.

Innovation Solution

Implementing Improved Partial Array Self Refresh (iPASR) by logically partitioning memory into two sections, where one section remains online for critical data and the other can be offline or moved to non-self-refresh mode, allowing selective refresh of only necessary memory segments, thereby reducing power consumption.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If the entire RAM is refreshed continuously during standby mode, then data retention is ensured, but power consumption increases significantly

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedata retentionVSAvoidpower consumption

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent divides the memory system into two distinct sections: a first section that remains online and refreshed continuously to ensure data retention, and a second section that can be taken offline or placed in self-refresh mode to reduce power consumption. This segmentation allows selective refresh of only the necessary memory portions while maintaining data integrity where needed.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

2Productivity

If higher RAM capacity is installed to improve system performance, then processing capability increases, but power consumption during standby increases due to more capacitors to refresh

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesystem performanceVSAvoidstandby power consumption

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The memory is partitioned into first and second sections, allowing the system to have high total RAM capacity while only refreshing the necessary first section during standby. The second section can be taken offline or placed in low-power self-refresh mode, enabling high performance during operation while minimizing standby power consumption.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Different power management strategies are applied to different memory sections based on their specific needs. The first section maintains full power and continuous refresh for critical data, while the second section uses reduced power modes or offline state for non-critical data, optimizing the overall power-performance balance.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

Data Source

PatentUS11520498B2Memory management to improve power performance

Publication Date: 2022.12.06 INTEL CORP

AI summary

Logical memory is divided into two regions. Data in the first region is always retained. The first region of memory is designated online (or powered on) and is not offlined during standby or low power mode. The second region is the rest of the memory which can be potentially placed in non-self-refresh mode during standby by offlining the memory region. Content in the second region can be moved to the first region or can be flushed to another memory managed by the operating system. When the first region does not have enough space to accommodate data from the second region, the operating system can increase the logical size of the first region. Retaining the content of the first region by putting that region in self-refresh and saving power in the second region by not putting it in self-refresh is performed by an improved Partial Array Self Refresh scheme.