# US 7,613,935 B2 · Power monitoring for processor module

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- Number: US 7,613,935 B2
- Document ID: US7613935B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 11/192,735
- Filed: 2005-07-29
- Published: 2007-02-01
- Granted: 2009-11-03
- Earliest claimed: 2005-07-29
- Assignees: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
- Inventors: Derek Steven Schumacher; Idis Ramona Martinez
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US7613935B2

## CPC

- G06F 1/3203: Power management, i.e. event-based initiation of a power-saving mode
- G06F: ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING (computer systems based on specific computational models G06N)

## Abstract

A processor module includes an execution unit and a power monitor for monitoring power consumption by processor components including said execution unit.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A method comprising:
a voltage regulator comprising a monitor for providing power to and monitoring power consumption by a processor;
storing timestamp data, power consumption data, and power settings associated with a processor mode in said monitor;
selecting the mode of said processor as a function of said power-consumption data; and
issuing a warning when said power-consumption data meets a warning criterion.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

A method as recited in claim 1 wherein said mode affects the duration of an instruction cycle.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

A method as recited in claim 1 wherein said mode affects a parallelism achieved by said processor module.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

A method as recited in claim 1 wherein said warning is in the form of a processor interrupt.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

A method as recited in claim 4 wherein said voltage regulator monitors said power consumption by said processor independently of other components of a host computer system.

### Claim 6

A computer system comprising:
memory for storing instructions and data;
a processor module including an execution unit for manipulating said data according to said instructions; and
a voltage regulator for delivering power to said processor, said voltage regulator including a power-consumption monitor for generating time-stamp data, and storing power-consumption data representing consumption of power by said processor, said time-stamp data, and processor configuration data associated with said power-consumption data.

### Claim 7 (depends on 6)

A computer system as recited in claim 6 wherein said processor module includes a clock multiplier with a programmable multiplier mode, said power-consumption monitor associating data representing a mode of said multiplier with said power-consumption data.

### Claim 8 (depends on 6)

A computer system as recited in claim 6 wherein said power monitor monitors said power consumption by said processor independently of other components of a host computer system.

### Claim 9

A computer system comprising:
a processor; and
a power-consumption monitor separate from said processor, said processor and said power monitor being coupled to each other so that:
said monitor can sense power consumption by said processor, and generate power-consumption data representing said power consumption and stores said power-consumption data, time-stamp data, and processor power settings associated with said power consumption data; and
said processor can read said power-consumption data from said monitor.

### Claim 10 (depends on 9)

A computer system as recited in claim 9 wherein said monitor time-stamps said power-consumption data, and said processor reads time-stamped power-consumption data from said monitor.

### Claim 11 (depends on 10)

A computer system as recited in claim 10 further comprising a daughterboard that mates with a host computer via a socket on a motherboard of said host computer, said processor and said monitor both mounted on said daughterboard.

### Claim 12 (depends on 11)

A computer system as recited in claim 11 wherein said daughterboard includes conductors through which said processor and said monitor communicate.

### Claim 13 (depends on 12)

A computer system as recited in claim 12 wherein said monitor issues a warning in the form of a processor interrupt when said power consumption data meets a warning criterion, said processor providing for writing said criterion to said monitor and reading said power-consumption data from said monitor.

### Claim 14 (depends on 13)

A computer system as recited in claim 13 further comprising a voltage regulator for regulating voltages provided to said processor, said voltage regulator including said monitor.