US 7,925,901 B2 · Method and system for estimating processor utilization from power measurements

Abstract

A method and system for estimating processor utilization from power measurements provides an estimate of processor utilization that can be computed outside of the processor and operating system. Measurements of the processor power consumption are gathered over short intervals in a histogram. The idle power consumption of the processor is determined, and a threshold value higher than the idle power consumption level is computed from the idle power consumption. The number of histogram counts for bins greater than the threshold is normalized to the total number of measurements, providing a fractional value that corresponds to the processor utilization over the measurement interval. The fractional value can then be used in a power management algorithm that adjusts the frequency and optionally the voltage of the processor or group of processors based on their utilization.

Claims33

Dependent claims

A computer performed method of estimating processor utilization for at least one processor, said method comprising:

collecting samples of actual power consumption of said processor over a plurality of measurement intervals;
first determining an idle power consumption level of said processor;
first computing a threshold value from said idle power consumption level that is greater than said idle power consumption level;
second computing an estimate of said processor utilization as a fraction of a number of said samples having a power consumption level greater than said threshold value to the total number of said samples;
and
storing said estimate in a memory.

3 more elements

A processing system, comprising:

at least one processor for which processor utilization is to be characterized;
a service processor coupled to a power supply measurement unit that supplies power to said at least one processor and further coupled to a service processor memory for storing service processor program instructions for execution by said service processor, wherein said service processor program instructions comprise program instructions for:
collecting samples of actual power consumption of said processor over a plurality of measurement intervals;
first determining an idle power consumption level of said processor;
first computing a threshold value from said idle power consumption level that is greater than said idle power consumption level;
second computing an estimate of said processor utilization as a fraction of a number of said samples having a power consumption level greater than said threshold value to the total number of said samples;
and
storing said estimate in a memory.

5 more elements

A computer program product comprising a computer readable storage medium storing program instructions for execution by a service processor for estimating utilization of another processor, said program instructions comprising program instructions for:

collecting samples of actual power consumption of said processor over a plurality of measurement intervals;
first determining an idle power consumption level of said processor;
first computing a threshold value from said idle power consumption level that is greater than said idle power consumption level;
second computing an estimate of said processor utilization as a fraction of a number of said samples having a power consumption level greater than said threshold value to the total number of said samples;
and
storing said estimate in a memory.

3 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Method and system for estimating processor utilization from power measurements

Life of this patent

Method and system for estimating processor utilization from power measurements

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims33