Processor Power Controller Dynamic Thermal Management
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Solution Overview
Problem
The increasing power requirements and energy consumption of computing systems, driven by advances in semiconductor processing and logic design, pose a significant challenge for energy efficiency and conservation, particularly in processors with multiple cores and integrated circuits, which contribute substantially to overall electricity usage.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of integrated voltage regulators (IVRs) and power control units (PCUs) within processors allows for fine-grained control of voltage and power management, enabling each core to operate independently and dynamically adjust power limits based on temperature and workload, thereby optimizing power consumption and performance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If the amount of logic and density of integrated circuits is increased to improve processing capability, then productivity is improved, but power consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The processor is divided into multiple independent power domains, each with its own voltage regulator and power management logic. This segmentation allows different regions of the processor to be powered independently based on their specific needs, enabling high-density logic in active regions while powering down or reducing power to inactive regions, thus resolving the contradiction between processing capability and power consumption.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements dynamic power management where voltage and power limits are adjusted in real-time based on thermal conditions and workload demands. The power controller dynamically modifies power delivery to different domains, allowing the processor to maintain high productivity when needed while reducing power consumption during thermal constraints or low-utilization periods.
2Productivity
If power limits are increased to improve performance, then productivity is improved, but temperature increases
Solution Approach 1:
Different power domains within the processor are assigned different power limits and voltage levels based on their specific thermal characteristics and performance requirements. This local quality approach allows hot regions to operate at lower power while cooler regions can sustain higher performance, resolving the contradiction between overall performance and temperature management.
Solution Approach 2:
The system continuously monitors thermal conditions and uses this feedback to dynamically adjust power delivery through the power controller. When temperature thresholds are approached, the feedback mechanism reduces power limits in affected domains, preventing thermal runaway while maintaining performance in cooler regions, thus resolving the performance-temperature contradiction.
3Device complexity
If voltage and power control are centralized to simplify management, then device complexity is reduced, but adaptability decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The power management system is segmented into multiple independent power domains, each with dedicated voltage regulators and control logic. This segmentation provides fine-grained adaptability to different thermal and performance conditions while maintaining manageable complexity through modular design, where each domain can be independently configured and controlled.
Solution Approach 2:
The power management architecture uses universal control mechanisms that can adapt to different power domains and conditions. The power controller implements multi-functional capabilities to handle various thermal scenarios, workload types, and performance requirements across different domains, providing adaptability without proportionally increasing overall system complexity.
Data Source
AI summary
In one embodiment, a processor includes at least one core to execute instructions, one or more thermal sensors associated with the at least one core, and a power controller coupled to the at least one core. The power controller has a control logic to receive temperature information regarding the processor and dynamically determine a maximum allowable average power limit based at least in part on the temperature information. The control logic may further maintain a static maximum base operating frequency of the processor regardless of a value of the temperature information. Other embodiments are described and claimed.