Processor Power Virus Protection via Dynamic Voltage Frequency Scaling
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current processor power management techniques are reactive and incur significant latency in responding to high thermal or power states, leading to inefficient power consumption, especially in the uncore region, which consumes a substantial portion of the total processor power.
Innovation Solution
Implementing a power virus protection mechanism that dynamically adjusts voltage and frequency based on instruction type and width, using a sliding window to track specific microarchitecture events and apply power virus protection only when necessary, thereby optimizing performance and reducing power consumption.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of energy
If voltage and frequency operating points are varied based on actual power consumption value, then power consumption is reduced, but response latency increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by predicting future power consumption based on current activity factors before the actual power violation occurs. The power consumption predictor generates predicted power values in advance, allowing the system to proactively adjust voltage and frequency operating points before exceeding power thresholds, thereby reducing response latency while maintaining power management effectiveness.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements dynamics by using multiple voltage and frequency operating points that can be dynamically selected based on predicted power consumption. Instead of a single static operating point, the system maintains multiple pre-defined voltage-frequency pairs and transitions between them based on real-time predictions, enabling flexible and responsive power management without significant latency.
2Loss of energy
If processor is binned at lower voltage and frequency point to avoid high power state, then power consumption is controlled, but performance is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies dynamics by enabling dynamic selection among multiple voltage and frequency operating points based on predicted power consumption. The system can operate at higher performance points when power consumption is predicted to be within limits, and only transitions to lower power points when necessary, thereby optimizing the balance between performance and power consumption rather than statically binning at lower points.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements parameter changes by varying voltage and frequency operating points based on predicted power consumption values. The system monitors activity factors and adjusts voltage-frequency parameters dynamically, allowing the processor to operate at optimal performance levels when power conditions permit, thus avoiding permanent performance degradation from static binning.
3Reliability
If power virus protection is always enabled, then processor is protected from power violations, but performance is continuously impacted
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies dynamics by making power virus protection adaptive rather than static. The system uses predicted power consumption values to dynamically determine when protection is actually needed. When predictions indicate power consumption will remain within limits, the protection mechanism is relaxed or disabled, allowing full performance. When predictions indicate potential violations, protection is activated, thus providing reliable protection only when necessary and minimizing performance impact.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements self-service by enabling the processor to self-regulate power consumption through prediction-based control. The activity factor monitor and power consumption predictor work together to automatically adjust operating parameters and activate protection only when the processor's own predicted behavior indicates a risk of power violation, eliminating the need for continuous external intervention and reducing unnecessary performance impact.
Data Source
AI summary
An apparatus and method for intelligent power virus protection in a processor. For example, one embodiment of a processor comprises: first circuitry including an instruction fetch circuit to fetch instructions, each instruction comprising an instruction type and an associated width comprising a number of bits associated with source and/or destination operand values associated with the instruction; detection circuitry to detect one or more instructions of a particular type and/or width; evaluation circuitry to evaluate an impact of power virus protection (PVP) circuitry when executing the one or more instructions based on the detected instruction types and/or widths; and control circuitry, based on the evaluation, to configure the PVP circuitry in accordance with the evaluation performed by the evaluation circuitry.