Network Adapter Power Management via Driver Sequencing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional methods fail to efficiently power down network adapter chips when no network presence is detected, leading to unnecessary power consumption and potential system errors due to the need for certain circuitry to remain active for signal detection and communication link maintenance.
Innovation Solution
Implementing an operating mode that disables device drivers for hardware devices in network adapter chips before powering down, enabling them only when network activity is detected, and using a power reduction sequence that keeps essential circuitry like signal detectors active to monitor network activity while powering down other components.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Use of energy by moving object
If the network adapter chip is completely powered down to save battery power, then power consumption is reduced, but the system may generate errors due to inactive communication links and unable to detect network presence
Solution Approach 1:
The network adapter chip is divided into multiple functional blocks with different power states. The PCIe SerDes communication link remains active while other components are powered down. This segmentation allows selective powering of only essential components (communication link) to prevent system errors while powering down non-essential components to save battery power.
Solution Approach 2:
Different parts of the network adapter chip operate in different power modes simultaneously. The communication link maintains full power to ensure reliability and prevent errors, while other portions of the chip enter low-power states. This local quality differentiation resolves the contradiction by applying different power levels to different functional areas based on their specific requirements.
2Device complexity
If device drivers are not disabled before powering down hardware devices, then the power-up sequence is simpler, but system errors occur due to improper driver-hardware synchronization
Solution Approach 1:
The device driver is disabled before the hardware device is powered down. This preliminary action ensures that the driver is in a known state before the hardware transition, preventing synchronization errors during power state changes. The sequence is: disable driver → power down hardware → power up hardware → enable driver, which maintains reliability while managing complexity through systematic sequencing.
Data Source
AI summary
Certain embodiments of an extreme power down mode for extreme power savings when no network presence is detected may comprise disabling at least one device driver for at least one hardware device in a network adapter chip. The device driver may be disabled prior to disabling the hardware device upon starting a power reduction mode for the network adapter chip. The device driver for the hardware device on the network adapter chip may be enabled after enabling the hardware device upon ending a power reduction mode for the network adapter chip. The hardware device may be disabled by reducing power to it. Similarly, power may be provided to the hardware device to enable it. The network adapter chip may be reset to enable the hardware device upon providing power to the hardware device so that the hardware device may be at a known state.