Processor Energy Management via Dynamic Credit Sharing
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Solution Overview
Problem
In devices with multiple processor cores, energy consumption can exceed the power supply capacity, leading to erroneous operation, and existing throttling methods may cause delays in pipeline operations without fully utilizing the energy budget.
Innovation Solution
A processor energy management system that includes credit distribution circuits, which allocate and share energy credits among processor cores, allowing unused credits to be transferred, enabling more efficient energy use and reducing delays in pipeline operations.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Use of energy by moving object
If throttling is applied to limit energy consumption rate, then energy capacity is preserved, but pipeline operation speed decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically adjusts the energy budget allocation to processor cores based on real-time workload conditions and power supply capacity. The power management module monitors energy consumption rates and dynamically modifies credit allocations, allowing the system to adapt between power-saving mode and performance mode rather than using fixed throttling limits.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the parameter of energy credit allocation dynamically. Instead of fixed energy limits, the power management module adjusts the number of energy credits available to each processor core based on current system conditions, workload intensity, and power supply capacity, thereby optimizing both energy efficiency and performance.
2Loss of energy
If energy credits are not shared among processor cores, then individual core energy budgets are maintained, but total energy budget utilization is inefficient
Solution Approach 1:
The system merges the energy credit pools of multiple processor cores into a shared resource. The power management module consolidates unused energy credits from idle cores and reallocates them to active cores that need additional energy to complete pipeline operations, effectively combining previously separate energy budgets into a flexible shared pool.
Solution Approach 2:
Energy credits are designed as a universal resource that can be allocated to any processor core based on need rather than being dedicated to specific cores. The credit distribution module can dynamically assign credits to any core in the set, making the energy budget system multi-functional and adaptable to different workload distributions across cores.
3Reliability
If fixed energy budgets are allocated to each processor core, then power supply capacity is protected, but system performance is limited by conservative energy limits
Solution Approach 1:
The power management module implements a feedback mechanism that continuously monitors actual energy consumption rates and compares them against power supply capacity. Based on this feedback, the system dynamically adjusts energy credit allocations to processor cores, increasing credits when power headroom exists and decreasing credits when approaching power limits, thereby balancing reliability and performance.
Solution Approach 2:
The energy budget system transitions from static fixed allocations to dynamic adjustable allocations. The power management module continuously modifies energy credit distributions in response to changing workload conditions and power supply status, allowing the system to exploit available power capacity when conditions permit while maintaining protection when limits are approached.
Data Source
AI summary
In some embodiments, a system includes a plurality of processor cores connected to an energy source. The system further includes one or more budget creation circuits configured to determine respective portions of a total credit budget of the energy source. The system further includes a plurality of credit distribution circuits configured to distribute the respective portions of the total credit budget to respective subsets of the processor cores. The credit distribution circuits share energy credits in response to determining that at least some energy credits will be unused. As a result, energy credits are more likely to be used by the processor cores, as compared to a system where the energy credits are not shared.