Processor Power Delivery Resonance Control With Lower Voltage Margin
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing performance management techniques in processing devices cause resonance in power delivery networks, leading to excessive voltage drops and potential functional failures, necessitating high operational voltage margins that increase costs in data centers with numerous devices.
Innovation Solution
A method to determine resonance parameters and minimum operational voltages for power delivery networks by iteratively testing performance operations, identifying resonance-inducing patterns, and adjusting voltage levels to prevent resonance, thereby reducing the need for excessive voltage margins.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of energy
If performance operations are applied repeatedly to manage power and current, then power consumption is reduced, but resonance is stimulated in the power delivery network causing excessive voltage drop
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies periodic performance operations (clock swallowing, zero ops) to manage power consumption, but carefully controls the periodicity to avoid stimulating resonance in the power delivery network. By adjusting the frequency and timing of these periodic operations, the system reduces power consumption while maintaining voltage stability.
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements feedback mechanisms to monitor voltage drops and power delivery network conditions in real-time. Based on this feedback, the performance operations are dynamically adjusted to prevent resonance conditions, ensuring that power consumption is reduced without compromising voltage stability.
2Reliability
If voltage margin is increased to prevent power-related failures, then reliability is improved, but operational costs increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent dynamically adjusts voltage levels and performance operation parameters based on real-time conditions. By optimizing these parameters, the system achieves the minimum necessary voltage margin to prevent failures, avoiding the excessive voltage margins that would drive up operational costs in data centers with hundreds of thousands of devices.
Solution Approach 2:
The system transitions from static voltage margin provisioning to dynamic voltage management. Voltage levels and performance operations are continuously adjusted based on actual power delivery network conditions, allowing the system to maintain reliability with minimal voltage margin and significantly reducing operational costs.
3Productivity
If performance operations are applied at high frequency to reduce power consumption, then energy efficiency is improved, but resonance-induced failures increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies periodic performance operations to improve energy efficiency, but carefully selects the periodicity to avoid resonant frequencies of the power delivery network. By tuning the frequency of clock swallowing and zero op operations, the system achieves high energy efficiency without inducing resonance that would cause voltage drops and failures.
Solution Approach 2:
The system identifies and avoids resonant frequencies that would cause harm, while utilizing non-resonant periodic operations to achieve energy efficiency. The knowledge of resonance characteristics is converted into a benefit by designing performance operations that exploit safe frequency ranges, turning what could be a harmful resonance issue into an opportunity for optimized energy-efficient operation.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Reduces power-related failures and operational costs by minimizing the required voltage margin, allowing efficient power delivery without stimulating resonance in power delivery networks.
Implementation Method 1
the periodicity or frequency of the application of the operation may naturally stimulate resonance in a power delivery network from which the processing device draws power
Data Source
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AI summary
Systems and methods for resonance aware performance management of processing devices. In one aspect, a method includes iteratively testing a performance operation for the processing device, wherein each iteration is performed at an iteration voltage level for a power delivery network. The performance operation is applied at different application periods and at the iteration voltage level for the iteration. If not failure condition is met, the iteration voltage is reduced and another iteration is done. Upon a failure occurring at a particular application period, an operational voltage level for the power delivery network that is based on the iteration voltage level for the iteration in which a failure condition was induced is selected, and application of the performance operation at the particular application period is precluded.