Microprocessor that performs adaptive power throttling

A method for performing adaptive power throttling in a microprocessor, the method comprising:

• calculating an average power consumed by the microprocessor over a most recent predetermined sample time;
• determining whether the average power is less than a predetermined maximum power value;
• conditionally operating the microprocessor at a predetermined frequency if the average power is less than the predetermined maximum power value, wherein the predetermined frequency is a frequency at which the microprocessor may consume more than the predetermined maximum power value;
• and
• updating a counter value periodically, regardless of whether the microprocessor is in a running state or a sleeping state;
• wherein said calculating the average power consumed by the microprocessor over the most recent predetermined sample time is performed using said counter value;
• wherein said updating the counter value periodically comprises updating the counter by an amount based on a current performance point at which the microprocessor is operating.

A computer program product for use with a computing device, the computer program product comprising:

• a computer usable storage medium, having computer readable program code embodied in said medium, for specifying a microprocessor, the computer readable program code comprising:
• first program code for specifying a calculation unit, configured to calculate an average power consumed by the microprocessor over a most recent predetermined sample time, and to determine whether the average power is less than a predetermined maximum power value;
• second program code for specifying a power management unit, coupled to said calculation unit, configured to control the microprocessor to conditionally operate at a predetermined frequency if the average power is less than the predetermined maximum power value, wherein the predetermined frequency is a frequency at which the microprocessor may consume more than the predetermined maximum power value;
• and
• third program code for specifying a counter, coupled to the calculation unit, configured to update its value periodically regardless of whether the microprocessor is in a running state or a sleeping state, wherein the calculation unit is configured to calculate the average power consumed by the microprocessor over the most recent predetermined sample time using the counter value, wherein the microprocessor is configured to update the counter by an amount based on a current performance point at which the microprocessor is operating.

A microprocessor that performs adaptive power throttling, comprising:

• a calculation unit, configured to calculate an average power consumed by the microprocessor over a most recent predetermined sample time, and to determine whether the average power is less than a predetermined maximum power value;
• and
• a power management unit, coupled to the calculation unit, configured to control the microprocessor to conditionally operate at a predetermined frequency if the average power is less than the predetermined maximum power value, wherein the predetermined frequency is a frequency at which the microprocessor may consume more than the predetermined maximum power value;
• wherein the calculation unit is configured to accumulate a plurality of average power values consumed by the microprocessor during a corresponding plurality of bin durations during the most recent predetermined sample time, wherein the plurality of bin durations comprise consecutive subsets of the most recent predetermined sample time, where in the calculation unit is further configured to calculate the average power consumed by the microprocessor over the most recent predetermined sample time based on the accumulated plurality of average power values;
• wherein the power management unit is configured to conditionally operate the microprocessor at the predetermined frequency only if the average power is less than the predetermined maximum power value by at least an amount of power that the microprocessor may consume during a next immediate bin duration.

A method for performing adaptive power throttling in a microprocessor, the method comprising:

• calculating an average power consumed by the microprocessor over a most recent predetermined sample time;
• determining whether the average power is less than a predetermined maximum power value;
• conditionally operating the microprocessor at a predetermined frequency if the average power is less than the predetermined maximum power value, wherein the predetermined frequency is a frequency at which the microprocessor may consume more than the predetermined maximum power value;
• and
• accumulating a plurality of average power values consumed by the microprocessor during a corresponding plurality of bin durations during the most recent predetermined sample time, wherein the plurality of bin durations comprise consecutive subsets of the most recent predetermined sample time;
• wherein said calculating the average power is performed based on the plurality of average power values consumed by the microprocessor during the corresponding plurality of bin durations during the most recent predetermined sample time;
• wherein said conditionally operating the microprocessor at the predetermined frequency comprises operating the microprocessor at the predetermined frequency only if the average power is less than the predetermined maximum power value by at least an amount of power that the microprocessor may consume during a next immediate bin duration.

A microprocessor that performs adaptive power throttling, comprising:

• a calculation unit, configured to calculate an average power consumed by the microprocessor over a most recent predetermined sample time, and to determine whether the average power is less than a predetermined maximum power value;
• and
• a power management unit, coupled to the calculation unit, configured to control the microprocessor to conditionally operate at a predetermined frequency if the average power is less than the predetermined maximum power value, wherein the predetermined frequency is a frequency at which the microprocessor may consume more than the predetermined maximum power value;
• wherein the power management unit is configured to conditionally operate the microprocessor at the predetermined frequency only if the average power is less than the predetermined maximum power value by a predetermined amount, wherein the predetermined amount is an amount of power that the microprocessor may consume during an immediately following predetermined subset time a time, wherein the predetermined subset time is less than one-half the predetermined sample time.

A method for performing adaptive power throttling in a microprocessor, the method comprising:

• calculating an average power consumed by the microprocessor over a most recent predetermined sample time;
• determining whether the average power is less than a predetermined maximum power value;
• and
• conditionally operating the microprocessor at a predetermined frequency if the average power is less than the predetermined maximum power value, wherein the predetermined frequency is a frequency at which the microprocessor may consume more than the predetermined maximum power value;
• wherein said conditionally operating the microprocessor at the predetermined frequency comprises operating the microprocessor at the predetermined frequency only if the average power is less than the predetermined maximum power value by a predetermined amount, wherein the predetermined amount is an amount of power that the microprocessor may consume during an immediately following predetermined subset time, wherein the predetermined subset time is less than one-half the predetermined sample time.