Power Supply Control for Array Processing Devices
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Solution Overview
Problem
Array-type processing devices face increased power consumption and prolonged configuration information rewrite times due to the need for continuous power supply to configuration information transfer buses, even when power shut-off domains are allocated, leading to performance drops during frequent configuration changes.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of a power control system with a first domain where power supply is controllable and a second domain with constant power supply, featuring a configuration information supply unit that holds and selects configuration information, and a power supply control unit that stabilizes power to processing units before switching, allowing for efficient configuration changes without continuous power to all domains.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Use of energy by moving object
If power supply is shut off to reduce power consumption, then power consumption is reduced, but configuration information cannot be written to processing units
Solution Approach 1:
The system divides the processing device into multiple power domains, with each domain independently controllable for power supply. The configuration information supply unit is placed in a domain that remains powered during configuration operations, while other domains can be powered down. This segmentation allows configuration writing to occur without requiring all domains to remain powered.
Solution Approach 2:
A configuration information supply unit acts as an intermediary between the configuration information transfer bus and the processing units. This unit buffers and manages configuration information, allowing it to be written to processing units even when they are in a low-power state, thus decoupling the power supply requirements of the bus from those of the processing units.
2Ease of operation
If power supply is maintained to configuration information transfer bus for configuration rewriting, then configuration information can be written, but power consumption increases and domains without PEs are unnecessarily powered
Solution Approach 1:
The system segments the power supply control by domain, allowing the configuration information supply unit's domain to remain powered for configuration operations while other domains (especially those without active PEs) can be powered down. This eliminates the need to maintain power to entire chips or large portions of them during configuration rewriting.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of powering down entire domains or the entire device, the system applies partial power management by maintaining power only to the minimal necessary domain (containing the configuration information supply unit) while powering down other domains. This partial action approach reduces power consumption without completely disabling configuration capabilities.
3Productivity
If number of PEs is increased to improve processing performance, then processing performance is improved, but power consumption increases and configuration information rewrite time is prolonged
Solution Approach 1:
By dividing the system into power domains with independent control, the configuration information supply unit operates in a dedicated domain that remains powered regardless of the number of PEs in other domains. This allows configuration rewriting to proceed independently and concurrently with PE operations, reducing the impact of PE count on rewrite time.
Solution Approach 2:
The configuration information supply unit prepares and buffers configuration information in advance in its memory, so that when configuration rewriting is needed, the information is already available and can be transferred quickly to the processing units without waiting for generation or retrieval, thus reducing rewrite time even as PE count increases.
4Adaptability or versatility
If configuration information is switched frequently to maintain adaptability, then function change flexibility is improved, but performance drops due to prolonged rewrite time after power supply resumption
Solution Approach 1:
The configuration information supply unit pre-loads and buffers configuration information in its memory before it is needed. This preliminary action allows configuration switching to occur rapidly without requiring power supply resumption and initialization sequences, thus maintaining function change flexibility while avoiding performance drops during frequent switches.
Solution Approach 2:
By maintaining the configuration information supply unit in a continuously powered state with configuration information already loaded in memory, the system ensures continuous availability of configuration data. This eliminates interruptions and performance drops that would occur during power supply resumption and configuration loading, enabling frequent configuration switches without sacrificing processing performance.
Data Source
AI summary
This invention provides an array-type processing device which can reduce power consumption and can also reduce a processing performance drop caused by switching of configuration information. An array-type processing device, which includes a first domain and a second domain, the device comprises a plurality of processing units which are allocated in the first domain, and each of which includes a plurality of processing elements and a router configured to control connections between the plurality of processing elements, a configuration information supply unit configured to supply configuration information to one or more processing units of the plurality of processing units, the configuration information supply unit being allocated in the second domain, and a power supply control unit configured to control the power supply to the plurality of processing units, the power supply control unit being allocated in the second domain.