Non-Periodic Limits Control for Processor Thread Power Stability

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing power and thermal limits management solutions in high-performance machine learning accelerators and GPUs induce frequent periodic oscillations, leading to undesired resonance and voltage droops, which increase power consumption, thermal issues, and potential system failures.

Innovation Solution

Implement a non-periodic limits mitigation system using a dither control circuit to perturb the application of limits mitigation operations, converting periodic oscillations to non-periodic perturbations through modulation and randomization.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If periodic limits mitigation operations are applied to prevent power and thermal violations, then power and thermal constraints are satisfied, but frequent periodic oscillations are generated causing resonance and voltage droops

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvepower and thermal constraint satisfactionVSAvoidperiodic oscillations and resonance

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSObject-generated harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies periodic action by using a dither modulator to convert regular periodic limits mitigation operations into non-periodic or randomized operations. The dither signal adds randomization to the timing and application of mitigation operations, transforming the harmful periodic oscillations into non-periodic perturbations that do not resonate with system natural frequencies, while still maintaining effective power and thermal constraint satisfaction.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #19Periodic action

2Reliability

If frequent limits mitigation operations are applied to maintain power and thermal limits, then power and thermal constraints are maintained, but power consumption increases due to voltage droops

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvepower and thermal limit maintenanceVSAvoidpower consumption

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The dither modulator introduces non-periodic timing variations to limits mitigation operations, preventing the formation of regular oscillation patterns that cause voltage droops. By randomizing the timing of mitigation operations, the system avoids resonant conditions that would otherwise amplify voltage variations and increase power consumption, while still effectively maintaining power and thermal limits.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #19Periodic action

3Reliability

If traditional limits management solutions are used to prevent operation violations, then constraint violations are prevented, but system failures may occur due to resonance-induced voltage droops

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveconstraint violation preventionVSAvoidvoltage droops and system failures

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent employs dither modulation to transform the periodic nature of traditional limits management into non-periodic operations. The dither signal randomizes the timing and application of mitigation operations, ensuring that they do not resonate with the natural frequencies of the power delivery network. This prevents the amplification of voltage droops and eliminates the risk of resonance-induced system failures, while maintaining effective constraint violation prevention.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #19Periodic action

Data Source

PatentUS20260037269A1Non-periodic power, current, and thermal limits management

Publication Date: 2026.02.05 QUALCOMM INC

AI summary

A method for non-periodic limits mitigation is described. The method includes monitoring operation of each processor thread during thread pipeline execution. The method also includes detecting a limits management condition based on each of the processor threads during the thread pipeline execution. The method further includes controlling application of a limits mitigation operation to perform non-periodic application of the limits mitigation operation to the thread pipeline execution.