Power Supply Control Circuit for Packet Processing Sections
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current power consumption reduction techniques for information communication equipment, such as packet-based communication equipment, face challenges in lowering standby power consumption without increasing the load on control systems, especially as the number of processing sections increases, and are limited by the difficulty in tolerating idle states.
Innovation Solution
A power supply control method and circuit that uses a power supply controller to monitor input data and processing delays, concurrently or sequentially turning off power supply voltages to processing sections when no data is being processed, and turning them back on when needed, thereby reducing power consumption without impairing performance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If power supply is continuously provided to packet processing sections to maintain communication capability, then reliability is improved, but power consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The power supply control circuit dynamically adjusts the power supply state of packet processing sections based on real-time traffic conditions. When no packets are detected for a predetermined period, the circuit transitions the power supply from ON to OFF state, and restores it when packets are detected, enabling adaptive power management that balances reliability and energy efficiency
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses its own packet detection capability to trigger power supply control decisions. The power supply control circuit monitors packet arrival itself and automatically controls power supply without requiring external control signals, allowing the system to self-regulate its power consumption based on actual communication needs
2Productivity
If the number of packet processing sections is increased to handle more traffic, then productivity is improved, but power consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The packet processing function is divided into multiple independent processing sections, each capable of handling packets separately. The power supply control circuit can independently control the power supply state of each section, allowing the system to activate only the necessary number of processing sections based on traffic load, thereby improving productivity while managing power consumption efficiently
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of keeping all packet processing sections active all the time, the system activates only the necessary portion of processing sections based on actual traffic requirements. When traffic is low or absent, fewer sections remain active or are completely powered down, reducing overall power consumption while maintaining sufficient processing capacity when needed
3Use of energy by moving object
If asynchronous circuitry is used to reduce power consumption, then power consumption is reduced, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
A power supply control circuit is introduced as an intermediary component between the power supply source and the packet processing sections. This control circuit monitors packet arrival and manages power supply timing, enabling standard synchronous circuitry to operate in a more power-efficient manner without requiring complex asynchronous circuit design modifications to the main processing logic
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2A~2B
Figure 3
AI summary
A circuit includes: an input buffer for storing input data; a plurality of processing sections connected in series including a head processing section and a tail-end processing section to sequentially process the input data; and a power supply controller for controlling power supply to each of the plurality of processing sections depending on a lapse of time during which no input data is stored in the input buffer.