A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having a computer program stored thereon which, when executed by a processor, implements a method for balancing loads, wherein, the method comprises:
- for each data processing unit in a set of data processing units in a data processing system,
- acquiring current input data of the data processing unit for a current clock cycle and next input data of the data processing unit for a next clock cycle;
- and
- determining a first metric value indicating changes in input data of the data processing unit in the next clock cycle based on a comparison between the current input data and the next input data;
- and
- controlling an operating state of the set of data processing units in the next clock cycle based on the first metric value determined for the set of data processing units;
- wherein controlling the operating state of the set of data processing units comprises at least one of:
- (i) determining a first total metric value indicating loads in the next clock cycle based on the first metric value of each data processing unit in the set of data processing units;
- in response to the first total metric value exceeding a first threshold, disabling at least a portion of the set of data processing units in the next clock cycle;
- and in response to the first total metric value smaller than the first threshold, enabling at least a portion of the set of data processing units in the next clock cycle;
- or
- (ii) in response to the first metric value of a first data processing unit in the set of data processing units exceeding a second threshold, disabling the first data processing unit in the next clock cycle;
- and in response to the first metric value of the first data processing unit in the set of data processing units smaller than the second threshold, enabling the first data processing unit in the next clock cycle;
- or
- (iii) determining a first total metric value for indicating loads in the next clock cycle based on the first metric value determined for the set of data processing units, determining a second total metric value for indicating loads in the current clock cycle based on previous input data in a previous clock cycle and the current input data in the current clock cycle of the set of data processing units, in response to an absolute value of a difference between the first total metric value and the second total metric value exceeding a third threshold, disabling at least a portion of the set of data processing units in the next clock cycle, and in response to the absolute value of the difference between the first total metric value and the second total metric value smaller than the third threshold, enabling at least a portion of the set of data processing units in the next clock cycle.