Processor Frequency Scaling via Touch Gesture Hints
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current approaches to managing power consumption in mobile devices often result in suboptimal performance and unnecessary battery drain due to the lag between system load measurements and clock frequency adjustments, leading to inefficient power usage and user experience issues.
Innovation Solution
A method for intelligently controlling clock frequency in mobile devices by detecting touch gestures to dynamically adjust the load computation timer rate and promptly scale the processor frequency based on user interactions, reducing the frequency during prolonged tasks like scrolling to conserve power.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If the clock frequency is increased to provide high computational resources, then the processing performance is improved, but the power consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements dynamic clock frequency scaling that adjusts the processor frequency in real-time based on actual system load conditions. The governor continuously monitors CPU utilization and dynamically transitions between different frequency levels (e.g., from 1 GHz to 2 GHz) to match the computational demands, ensuring high performance when needed while conserving power during low-load periods.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the operational parameter of clock frequency based on detected touch gesture patterns. When scrolling gestures are detected (indicating sustained processing needs), the frequency is maintained at higher levels. When touch interactions cease or become minimal, the frequency is reduced to lower levels, optimizing the balance between performance and power consumption.
2Use of energy by moving object
If the clock frequency is adjusted based on system load measurements, then the power management is improved, but the response lag between load measurement and frequency adjustment degrades user experience
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements predictive frequency adjustment by detecting touch gesture patterns that indicate upcoming processing demands. When a touch gesture is detected, the system proactively increases the clock frequency before the actual processing load occurs, eliminating the traditional measurement-to-adjustment lag. This preliminary action ensures immediate responsiveness while maintaining power efficiency through pattern-based prediction rather than continuous monitoring.
3Use of energy by moving object
If the clock frequency is continuously adjusted to match system load, then the power efficiency is improved, but the complexity of the control mechanism increases
Solution Approach 1:
The governor mechanism operates autonomously by continuously monitoring system load conditions and automatically adjusting clock frequency without requiring external intervention or complex control algorithms. The system self-regulates by comparing current load against threshold values and independently making frequency transition decisions, simplifying the overall control architecture while maintaining efficient power management.
Data Source
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AI summary
Approaches provided herein are directed to intelligently boosting, in a power efficient manner, CPU frequency in response to a touch gesture event. In some approaches, for example, a governor of a processor receives an instruction hint (e.g., an interaction hint or a vertical synchronization (VSYNC) hint) from a power hardware abstraction layer (HAL), the instruction hint provided in response to at least one of: a scrolling touch gesture to a user interface, and an application launch touch gesture. In another embodiment, an instruction hint is received at the governor in response to a discrete touch gesture to the user interface. In each case, a clock frequency corresponding to the processor is modified to optimize performance and user experience, while maximizing energy conservation.