Microcontroller Power Transient Control With Real-Time Power Estimation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current power management techniques for microcontrollers and System-on-Chips (SoCs) face challenges in accurately estimating and optimizing dynamic power consumption, especially with varying configurations and high variability in power usage by accelerators, leading to inefficiencies in energy management.
Innovation Solution
A hardware-based power estimator (HPE) using neural networks and multiply-and-add (MADD) circuits is implemented to estimate dynamic power consumption in real-time, allowing for dynamic voltage and frequency control, and optimizing power management by predicting power usage based on IP block activities and configurations.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If traditional power management techniques are used, then system complexity is reduced, but power estimation accuracy deteriorates due to high variability in accelerator power consumption
Solution Approach 1:
The power management system is segmented into multiple independent power domains, each with its own power estimation and control mechanisms. This allows accurate tracking of power consumption in high-variability components like accelerators without requiring complex system-wide management, resolving the contradiction between measurement precision and device complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
Power domain controllers act as intermediaries between the hardware components and the power management system. These controllers collect detailed power consumption data from individual domains (improving measurement precision) while abstracting the complexity away from the main power management logic (reducing device complexity).
2Loss of energy
If dynamic power management is implemented, then energy consumption is reduced, but response time to load transient events increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary actions by predicting future power consumption based on current activity patterns and pre-adjusting power supply parameters before load transient events occur. This allows the system to reduce energy consumption during steady-state operation while maintaining fast response capability when transients are detected, resolving the contradiction between energy efficiency and response time.
Solution Approach 2:
The power management system continuously monitors actual power consumption and compares it with predicted values, using this feedback to dynamically adjust power supply parameters. This closed-loop control enables the system to optimize energy consumption while maintaining rapid response to load changes by detecting deviations from expected behavior and correcting them promptly.
Data Source
AI summary
A microcontroller powered by a power management integrated circuit (PMIC) includes a plurality of cores. A first core of the microcontroller can be configured to implement a system power transient management component. One or more other or second cores of the microcontroller can be configured to implement one or more applications. The system power transient management component implemented by the first core can be configured to dynamically identify an expected load transient event to occur in the microcontroller, determine power control data to optimize a response to the identified expected load transient event, the power control data comprising a power control mode and associated parameters, and provide the power control data to the power management integrated circuit (PMIC).