Modem Dual-Track DVFM Profiling for Wireless Power-Performance Balance

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Solution Overview

Problem

Forming satisfactory wireless communications circuitry in electronic devices is challenging due to the potential for excessive resource consumption and insufficient wireless performance if not properly managed.

Innovation Solution

The implementation of a modem with a resource and state manager (RSM) that dynamically adjusts voltage and frequency management (DVFM) profiles based on Layer 1, Layer 2, Layer 3, and inter-processor communication parameters, using multiple processing tracks to optimize power usage and performance.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If the modem uses a higher DVFM profile to ensure sufficient wireless performance, then wireless performance is improved, but power consumption increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvewireless performanceVSAvoidpower consumption

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The modem dynamically adjusts the DVFM profile based on real-time data path conditions, transitioning between different voltage and frequency states. The system monitors parameters such as UL pre-build size, DL MAC TB size, and hardware resource availability to select the appropriate DVFM profile, ensuring high performance when needed while conserving power during normal operation

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The system changes operating parameters (voltage and frequency) based on data path conditions. The RSM adjusts the DVFM profile by modifying voltage supply and clock frequency according to the selected profile, allowing the modem to adapt its performance characteristics to match current communication requirements and hardware resource availability

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

2Use of energy by moving object

If the modem uses a lower DVFM profile to conserve power, then power consumption is reduced, but wireless performance may become insufficient

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvepower consumptionVSAvoidwireless performance

Core Design Contradiction:

Use of energy by moving objectVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The system continuously monitors data path conditions including L1 parameters (DL MAC TB size), L2 parameters (UL pre-build size), L3 parameters, and IPC parameters to provide feedback to the RSM. This feedback mechanism allows the system to detect when performance events occur or when hardware resources are depleted, triggering an upgrade to a higher DVFM profile to maintain sufficient wireless performance

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

Solution Approach 2:

The protective processing track independently monitors for performance events and hardware resource depletion in advance. When potential performance issues are detected, the system proactively selects a higher DVFM profile before performance degradation occurs, ensuring that wireless performance requirements are met without unnecessary power consumption during normal operation

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

3Productivity

If the modem uses multiple processing tracks to optimize DVFM profile selection, then efficiency is improved, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

ImproveDVFM profile selection efficiencyVSAvoidmodem architecture complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The RSM is divided into multiple independent processing tracks: a routine processing track that generates preferred DVFM profiles based on L1 and L2 parameters, and a protective processing track that independently monitors for performance events and hardware resource depletion. Each track operates autonomously to evaluate different aspects of system state, with results aggregated to determine the final DVFM profile selection

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The system merges the outputs from multiple processing tracks through an aggregation mechanism. The routine processing track produces preferred DVFM profiles based on current data traffic conditions, while the protective processing track provides recommendations based on performance events and resource availability. These multiple recommendations are combined to select the final DVFM profile, achieving comprehensive optimization through integrated decision-making

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Data Source

PatentUS12495365B2Electronic devices with dual track dynamic voltage and frequency management

Publication Date: 2025.12.09 APPLE INC

AI summary

An electronic device may include wireless circuitry having a modem that conveys data over a data path and that is operable using a dynamic voltage and frequency management (DVFM) profile. A resource and state manager (RSM) may adjust the DVFM profile based on L1, L2, L3, and/or IPC parameters. A routine track may generate a first profile based on an L1 parameter such as DL MAC TB size and may generate a second profile based on an L2 parameter such as UL pre-build size. A protective track may independently generate a third profile based on a performance event along the data path. The RSM may aggregate the preferred profiles to update the current DVFM profile in a manner that optimizes efficiency while ensuring that a sufficiently high DVFM profile is used at any given time without consuming unnecessary power.