# US 2022/0037899 A1 · Low latency fine grain system-on-chip throttling apparatus and method on usb type-c port > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2022/0037899 A1 - Document ID: US20220037899A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 16/943,941 - Filed: 2020-07-30 - Published: 2022-02-03 - Earliest claimed: 2020-07-30 - Assignees: Intel Corporation - Applicants: Intel Corporation - Inventors: Udaya Shankar Natarajan; Kannappan Rajaraman - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20220037899A1 ## CPC - G06F 13/4081: {Live connection to bus, e.g. hot-plugging (current or voltage limitation during live insertion H02H9/004)} - H02J 7/485: {with provisions for charging different types of batteries} - G06F 1/26: Power supply means, e.g. regulation thereof (for memories G11C) - 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 1/28: Supervision thereof, e.g. detecting power-supply failure by out of limits supervision - G06F 1/3206: Monitoring of events, devices or parameters that trigger a change in power modality - G06F 1/3212: Monitoring battery levels, e.g. power saving mode being initiated when battery voltage goes below a certain level - G06F 1/3215: Monitoring of peripheral devices - G06F 1/324: by lowering clock frequency - G06F 1/3243: {Power saving in microcontroller unit} - G06F 1/3296: by lowering the supply or operating voltage - G06F 13/385: {for adaptation of a particular data processing system to different peripheral devices} - G06F 13/4282: {on a serial bus, e.g. I2C bus, SPI bus (on daisy chain buses G06F13/4247)} - H02J 7/44: between battery management systems and power sources - H02J 7/865: {Battery or charger load switching, e.g. concurrent charging and load supply (H02J7/50 takes precedence)} - 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) - H02J: ELECTRIC POWER NETWORKS; CIRCUIT ARRANGEMENTS OR SYSTEMS FOR SUPPLYING OR DISTRIBUTING ELECTRIC POWER; SYSTEMS FOR STORING ELECTRIC ENERGY - 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 A software and hardware architecture framework utilize the specifications of Universal Serial Bus (USB) Type-C and Power Deliver (PD) to provide fine grain throttling of a processor (e.g., system-on-chip (SoC)). Based on an external charger connection or disconnection, a low latency fine grain power budget loss or gain indication to the processor is delivered. The mechanism of various embodiments is also applicable to connection or disconnection of VBUS powered peripheral devices to the system. The net power loss or gain available to the SoC and System is proportionally used to scale the processor throttling. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An apparatus comprising: comparator having a first input coupled to a pull-up or pull-down impedance, and a second input to receive an adjustable threshold; and a sequential circuitry coupled to the comparator, wherein an output of the comparator is to sample a data input of the sequential circuitry, wherein an output of the sequential circuitry is to provide an indicator to a processor to throttle a voltage and/or frequency of the processor. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the pull-up or pull-down impedance is associated with a USB Type-C port. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The apparatus of claim 2 comprises logic to execute software to detect USB Type-C power delivery pull-down impedance voltage or protocol packets and to generate throttle hints for the processor. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The apparatus of claim 3, comprises fuel gauge to monitor parameters of a battery, wherein the software is to utilize the fuel gauge to determine fine grain power loss or gain information on connection of a peripheral or charger to the USB Type-C port. ### Claim 5 (depends on 3) The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the software is to determine a net power loss or gain available to the processor to proportionally scale the throttle. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the adjustable threshold is based on USB Type-C charger. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the adjustable threshold is adjusted by a firmware. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the firmware is to clear the indicator after the processor boots. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the comparator is a voltage time sampling comparator. ### Claim 10 A system comprising: a memory; a processor coupled to the memory; a power management integrated circuit coupled to the processor, a wireless interface to allow the processor to communicate with another device, wherein the power management integrated circuit includes: a comparator having a first input coupled to a pull-up or a pull-down impedance of the Type-C CC signal lines, and a second input to receive an adjustable threshold; and a flip-flop coupled to the comparator, wherein an output of the comparator is to sample a data input of the flip-flop, wherein an output of the flip-flop is to provide an indicator to a processor to throttle a voltage and/or frequency of the processor. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The system of claim 10, wherein the pull-up or the pull-down impedance is associated with a USB Type-C port. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The system of claim 11, wherein the power management integrated circuit comprises logic to execute software to detect USB Type-C power delivery protocol packets and to generate throttle hints for the processor. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The system of claim 12, wherein the power management integrated circuit comprises fuel gauge to monitor parameters of a battery, wherein the software is to utilize the fuel gauge to determine fine grain power loss or gain information on connection of a peripheral or charger to the USB Type-C port. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The system of claim 13, wherein the software is to determine a net power loss or gain available to the processor to proportionally scale the throttle. ### Claim 15 (depends on 10) The system of claim 10, wherein the adjustable threshold is based on USB Type-C VBUS Provider or Source. ### Claim 16 (depends on 10) The system of claim 10, wherein the adjustable threshold is adjusted by a firmware. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The system of claim 16, wherein the firmware is to clear the indicator after the processor boots. ### Claim 18 A machine-readable storage media having machine-executable instructions that when executed cause one or more machines to perform a method comprising: detecting USB Type-C power delivery protocol packets and to generate throttle hints for a processor when a peripheral or charger to is coupled to a USB Type-C port; utilizing a fuel gauge to determine fine grain power loss or gain information on connection of the peripheral or charger to the USB Type-C port; and triggering a throttle indication for the processor based on the detecting and utilizing. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The machine-readable storage media of claim 18, having machine-executable instructions that when executed cause the one or more machine to perform a further method comprising: determining a net power loss or gain available to the processor to proportionally scale the throttle. ### Claim 20 (depends on 18) The machine-readable storage media of claim 18, wherein the USB Type-C port connects to one of charger power source, USB storage, dock, power sink device, or a device capable of role reversals between source and sink, and wherein the one or more machines comprise a power management integrated circuit, and wherein the processor comprises a system-on-chip.