SoC Power Management via Producer-Consumer Coordination
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Solution Overview
Problem
In hybrid, multitasking microprocessor systems, conventional power management methods fail to optimize processing capabilities across different special-purpose processing elements, leading to suboptimal performance and power usage due to uncoordinated resource sharing and inter-dependent relationships between processing elements.
Innovation Solution
A system and method that utilize an interconnect to monitor and control multiple processing units as a producer-consumer system, assigning performance and power modes based on resource consumption and dependencies, leveraging producer-consumer relationships to achieve optimal power and performance within thermal and power budgets.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If conventional power management methods are used to control each processing element independently, then individual processing capabilities are optimized, but overall system performance and power usage become suboptimal due to uncoordinated resource sharing
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges individual PE power management decisions into a coordinated system-wide approach. The power management algorithm considers the entire graph of processing elements and their resource dependencies, combining independent PE optimizations with system-level coordination to achieve overall optimality.
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements feedback mechanisms where resource consumption and inter-dependent relationships between PEs are continuously monitored. This feedback information is used to adjust power and performance modes dynamically, ensuring coordinated optimization that responds to actual system conditions rather than relying on static independent controls.
2Quantity of substance
If processing elements share common resources with inter-dependent relationships, then resource utilization efficiency improves, but conventional power management decisions fail to account for these dependencies resulting in suboptimal performance
Solution Approach 1:
The power management algorithm serves multiple functions simultaneously: it manages power for individual PEs, coordinates resource sharing across the system, and optimizes performance based on inter-dependent relationships. This multi-functional approach allows the system to handle both resource efficiency and performance optimization through a unified algorithm.
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically adjusts power and performance modes based on real-time resource consumption patterns and inter-dependent relationships. Rather than using static power management decisions, the algorithm adapts to changing system conditions, allowing optimal coordination of shared resources under varying workload conditions.
3Ease of manufacture
If power and performance modes are assigned without considering producer-consumer relationships, then implementation is simpler, but thermal and power constraints cannot be met optimally
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary analysis of producer-consumer relationships and resource dependencies before assigning power and performance modes. By pre-characterizing the inter-dependent relationships between PEs, the algorithm can proactively configure appropriate power modes that satisfy thermal and power constraints without requiring complex real-time adjustments.
Data Source
AI summary
A method for controlling a multitasking microprocessor system includes monitoring the multitasking microprocessor system connected to an interconnect, the monitoring comprising monitoring performance of a plurality of processing units forming a producer-consumer system on the interconnect, and issuing commands to the plurality of processing units to provide operations and power distributions to the plurality of processing units such that the performance and power modes are assigned to the plurality of processing units based on the monitoring.