# US 2017/0255247 A1 · Hierarchical autonomous capacitance management > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2017/0255247 A1 - Document ID: US20170255247A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 15/060,326 - Filed: 2016-03-03 - Published: 2017-09-07 - Earliest claimed: 2016-03-03 - Assignees: Intel Corporation - Applicants: Intel Corporation - Inventors: Federico Ardanaz; Jonathan Eastep; Richard Greco - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20170255247A1 ## CPC - G06F 1/3237: by disabling clock generation or distribution - G06F 1/266: {Arrangements to supply power to external peripherals either directly from the computer or under computer control, e.g. supply of power through the communication port, computer controlled power-strips} - G06F 1/3206: Monitoring of events, devices or parameters that trigger a change in power modality - G06F 1/3287: by switching off individual functional units in the computer system - G06F 1/26: Power supply means, e.g. regulation thereof (for memories G11C) - G06F 1/28: Supervision thereof, e.g. detecting power-supply failure by out of limits supervision - Y02D 10/00: Energy efficient computing, e.g. low power processors, power management or thermal management - G06F: ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING (computer systems based on specific computational models G06N) - Y02D: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES IN INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGIES [ICT], I.E. INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGIES AIMING AT THE REDUCTION OF THEIR OWN ENERGY USE ## Abstract Apparatus and methods may provide for a central power control unit to grant a power allowance to each of a plurality of computer components and to allocate a shared power pool locally accessible to each of the plurality of computer components when one or more of the plurality of components needs to exceed its granted power allowance. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A computer system comprising: a plurality of computer components; a central power control unit to grant a power allowance to each of the plurality of computer components and to allocate a shared power pool locally accessible to each of the plurality of computer components when one or more of the plurality of components needs to exceed its granted power allowance; and one or more local power control units in communication with each of the plurality of components to manage the shared power pool. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The computer system of claim 1 wherein the one or more local power control units is configured to distribute power credits to the plurality of components from the shared power pool. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The computer system of claim 1 further comprising: logic within each of the plurality of components to request a higher power allowance from the central power control unit for the component. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The computer system of claim 3 wherein the request for a higher power allowance is in the form of a request for an increase in the dynamic capacitance level of the component. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The computer system of claim 1 further comprising a communication path among the one or more local power control units and the central power control unit to carry messages between the local power control units and the central power control unit and among the local power control units. ### Claim 6 A power control apparatus comprising: a first power control portion to grant a power allowance to each of a plurality of computer components; and a second power control portion to allocate a shared power pool locally accessible to each of the plurality of computer components when one or more of the plurality of components needs to exceed its granted power allowance. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The power control apparatus of claim 6 wherein the shared power pool comprises power credits issued by the second power control portion to local power control units. ### Claim 8 (depends on 6) The power control apparatus of claim 6 wherein the first power control portion is configured to change the dynamic capacitance of one or more of the plurality of components in response to a request from one or more of the plurality of components. ### Claim 9 (depends on 7) The power control apparatus of claim 7 wherein the power control apparatus includes logic to inject additional power credits or remove power credits to balance component power requirements. ### Claim 10 A method to access power in a computer system comprising: granting a power allowance to each of a plurality of computer components; allocating a shared power pool; distributing power credits from the shared power pool to one or more local power control units associated with one or more of the plurality of components when one or more of the components needs to exceed its granted power allowance. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10 wherein the one or more local power control units distributes received power credits to the one or more of the plurality of components. ### Claim 12 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10 further comprising: requesting a higher power allowance from the central power control unit for the component. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The method of claim 12 wherein the requesting is in the form of requesting an increase in the dynamic capacitance level of the component. ### Claim 14 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10 further comprising communicating power credit messages between the one or more local power control units and the central power control unit. ### Claim 15 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10 further comprising communicating power credit messages among the local power control units. ### Claim 16 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10 further comprising injecting additional power credits or removing power credits to balance component power requirements. ### Claim 17 At least one computer readable storage medium comprising a set of instructions, wherein the instructions, when executed, cause a central power control unit to: grant a power allowance to each of a plurality of computer components; allocate a shared power pool; and distribute power credits from the shared power pool to one or more local power control units associated with one or more of the plurality of components when one or more of the components needs to exceed its granted power allowance. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The at least one computer readable storage medium of claim 17 wherein the power credits are distributed to one or more local power control units to be used by one or more computer components. ### Claim 19 (depends on 17) The at least one computer readable storage medium of claim 17 wherein the instructions, when executed, cause the central power control unit to inject additional power credits or remove power credits to balance component power requirements. ### Claim 20 (depends on 17) The at least one computer readable storage medium of claim 17 wherein the instructions, when executed, cause the central power control unit to communicate power credit messages to one or more local power control units. ### Claim 21 (depends on 17) The at least one computer readable storage medium of claim 17 wherein the instructions, when executed, cause the central power control unit to grant a higher power allowance to a computer component. ### Claim 22 (depends on 17) The at least one computer readable storage medium of claim 17 wherein the instructions, when executed, cause the central power control unit to grant a higher dynamic capacitance level to a computer component.