Multicomponent Platform Power Management via Idle Period Alignment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current SoC architectures face inefficiencies in managing activity across multiple components, leading to excessive power consumption even when not all components require CPU or GPU processing power, especially under semi-active workloads.
Innovation Solution
Implementing duty cycling to align idle periods across components, allowing for forced idle states and nested duty cycling to manage power levels, thereby reducing overall platform power consumption without impacting performance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If peripheral regions become active and generate events, then device functionality is maintained, but processor components are forced to remain in high power states consuming excess power
Solution Approach 1:
The system segments the platform into multiple independent components (CPU cores, GPU, peripheral devices) that can be managed separately. Each component can transition to different power states independently, allowing the CPU and GPU to enter low-power states while peripheral devices remain active to handle events and generate interrupts as needed.
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements dynamic power management where processor components can dynamically transition between active and low-power states based on real-time activity requirements. The idle period alignment mechanism dynamically adjusts when components enter and exit low-power states to coordinate with peripheral device activity patterns.
2Speed
If processor components remain in high power states to handle potential events, then response time is maintained, but overall power consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary alignment of idle periods for CPU cores and GPU before entering low-power states. This preliminary coordination ensures that when peripheral devices need to generate events or interrupts, the processor components are already positioned to respond efficiently, maintaining response time while enabling power savings during idle periods.
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements periodic duty cycling where processor components alternate between active and low-power states in synchronized periods. This periodic operation allows the platform to achieve average power reduction while maintaining the capability to quickly wake up and respond to events when needed, as the components periodically return to active states.
3Loss of energy
If duty cycling is implemented to reduce power consumption, then energy efficiency improves, but coordination complexity among components increases
Solution Approach 1:
The idle period alignment mechanism serves multiple functions simultaneously: it coordinates power state transitions, synchronizes duty cycling across components, manages wake-up timing, and enables power savings. This multi-functional approach reduces the need for separate coordination mechanisms, thereby limiting the increase in system complexity while achieving energy efficiency goals.
Data Source
AI summary
In one embodiment an apparatus includes a multiplicity of processor components; one or more device components communicatively coupled to one or more processor components of the multiplicity of processor components; and a controller comprising logic at least a portion of which is in hardware, the logic to schedule one or more forced idle periods interspersed with one or more active periods, a forced idle period spanning a duration during which the multiplicity of processor components and the one or more device components are simultaneously placed in respective idle states that define a forced idle power state during isolated sub-periods of the forced idle period. Other embodiments are disclosed and claimed.