Processor Performance Control via Intermediate Voltage and Clock States
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Solution Overview
Problem
Data processing systems face challenges in balancing energy consumption and performance, as existing technologies struggle to efficiently adjust between high computational performance and low energy consumption configurations, particularly in scenarios with varying computational demands and the need for hardware and software reusability across different environments.
Innovation Solution
A data processing system that includes a processor generating a performance control signal and further circuits responsive to this signal, allowing for intermediate performance levels during transitions, enabling efficient energy management by temporarily operating at intermediate levels during changes in performance requirements, particularly utilizing clock generators and voltage controllers to optimize energy usage and responsiveness.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If the processor operates at high clock frequency and high voltage to increase computational performance, then processing speed is improved, but energy consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically adjusts the processor's operating frequency and voltage based on real-time performance requirements. The performance control signal enables the processor to transition between multiple operational states (high performance, low power, and intermediate states), making the system adaptable to varying computational demands rather than operating at fixed performance levels
Solution Approach 2:
The invention changes the operational parameters (clock frequency and voltage) of the processor to resolve the contradiction. By adjusting these parameters according to the performance control signal, the system can achieve high computational performance when needed while consuming less energy during idle or low-demand periods
2Use of energy by moving object
If the processor switches between high performance and low power configurations, then energy management is improved, but system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The performance control mechanism is designed to be universally applicable across different processor configurations and workloads. The same control signal infrastructure and intermediate state mechanism can handle various performance transitions, reducing the need for separate control logic for different scenarios and thereby managing complexity
3Stability of the object's composition
If the system waits for performance level changes to complete before switching, then stability is improved, but responsiveness to new performance requirements deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The system begins transitioning to intermediate performance levels as soon as the performance control signal indicates a change is desired, rather than waiting for the full transition to complete. This preliminary action allows the system to start making progress toward the target performance level while maintaining stability through controlled intermediate states
Solution Approach 2:
Intermediate performance levels act as mediators between high performance and low power states. These intermediate states allow the system to transition smoothly and safely while maintaining stability, yet the ability to initiate transitions to these intermediate states improves responsiveness to performance requirements
Data Source
AI summary
A data processing system is provided having a processor 46 which generates control signals for controlling further circuits, such as a clock generator 4 and voltage controller 6, to operate so as to support a desired performance level of the processor. Whilst changing between performance levels, the further circuits are capable of supporting intermediate levels of operation and the processor exploits these by operating at those intermediate levels pending the final target level being reached.