Abstract:
In one embodiment, the present invention includes a multicore processor with a power controller to control a frequency at which the processor operates. More specifically, the power controller can limit a maximum operating frequency of the processor to less than a configured maximum operating frequency to enable a reduction in a number of frequency transitions occurring responsive to power state events, thus avoiding the overhead of operations performed in handling such transitions. Other embodiments are described and claimed.
Abstract:
In one embodiment, a processor includes: a power switcher circuit to receive a first voltage and charge at least one charge storage device with the first voltage in a first phase and output charge in a second phase; a selection circuit coupled to the power switcher circuit to couple the output charge to a selected one of a plurality of load circuits responsive to a control signal; and a control circuit to generate the control signal based at least in part on a comparison of a feedback voltage of a rail coupled to the selected load circuit to a reference voltage. Other embodiments are described and claimed.
Abstract:
A processor saves micro-architectural contexts to increase the efficiency of code execution and power management. A save instruction is executed to store a micro-architectural state and an architectural state of a processor in a common buffer of a memory upon a context switch that suspends the execution of a process. The micro-architectural state contains performance data resulting from the execution of the process. A restore instruction is executed to retrieve the micro-architectural state and the architectural state from the common buffer upon a resumed execution of the process. Power management hardware then uses the micro-architectural state as an intermediate starting point for the resumed execution.
Abstract:
The present invention relates to a platform power management scheme. In some embodiments, a platform provides a relative performance scale using one or more parameters to be requested by an OSPM system.
Abstract:
Examples are disclosed for an integrated circuit (IC) device coupled to a battery-operated power supply unit, such as an IC in a mobile computing device or wireless phone, to accurately determine energy usage drawn from the power supply unit under rapidly dynamic circumstances. A current sense signal of a power line from the power supply unit is digitized. The digitized current sense is added to an accumulator at a rate that is approximately proportional to a voltage of the power line from the power supply unit. The accumulator is then outputted and scaled to units relevant to energy measurements. The energy measurement is used to estimate remaining battery life. Triggering the digitization of the current sense signal may be by use of a pulse generation circuit, or by use of an overflow indicator of an accumulator for a digitized voltage sense signal.
Abstract:
A method and apparatus for providing proactive current protection. In one embodiment, the method comprises: prior to transitioning to a new state for an integrated circuit (IC), calculating a sum of expected powers for a plurality of domains in the IC by calculating an expected current for each of the plurality of domains based on an individual domain frequency in the new state and multiplying the expected current with its associated voltage for each of the plurality of domains for the new state; comparing the sum to a power limit; and if the sum is greater than the power limit, then reducing the individual domain frequency associated with at least one domain in the plurality of domains to maintain the total instantaneous power of the IC below the power limit.
Abstract:
In an embodiment, a processor includes a core to execute instructions, where the core includes a clock generation logic to receive and distribute a first clock signal to a plurality of units of the core, a restriction logic to receive a restriction command and to reduce delivery of the first clock signal to at least one of the plurality of units. The restriction logic may cause the first clock signal to be distributed to the plurality of units at a lower frequency than a frequency of the first clock signal. Other embodiments are described and claimed.
Abstract:
Methods and apparatus relating to total platform power control are described. In one embodiment, power consumption by one or more processor cores of a processor and one or more components coupled to the processor are modified based on a total platform power consumption value. The platform, in turn, includes the processor and the one or more components. Other embodiments are also disclosed and claimed.
Abstract:
In one embodiment, the present invention is directed to a processor having a plurality of cores and a cache memory coupled to the cores and including a plurality of partitions. The processor can further include a logic to dynamically vary a size of the cache memory based on a memory boundedness of a workload executed on at least one of the cores. Other embodiments are described and claimed.
Abstract:
In one embodiment, the present invention includes a method for determining a power budget for a multi-domain processor for a current time interval, determining a portion of the power budget to be allocated to first and second domains of the processor, and controlling a frequency of the domains based on the allocated portions. Such determinations and allocations can be dynamically performed during runtime of the processor. Other embodiments are described and claimed.