Dynamic control of reduced voltage state of graphics controller component of memory controller
AssigneeIntel Corporation
InventorsEric C. Samson, Aditya Navale
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A method includes detecting a trigger condition, and in response to detecting the trigger condition, reducing a voltage applied to a graphics controller component of a memory controller. The reduction in voltage may cause the voltage to be reduced below a voltage level required to maintain context information in the graphics controller component.
Claims17
A method comprising:
- detecting a combination of trigger conditions;
- in response to detecting the trigger condition, storing in an external memory context information;
- after said storing, disabling clock signals for a graphics controller component of a memory controller;
- after said storing, reducing a voltage applied to said graphics controller component, said reducing causing the voltage to be reduced below a voltage level required to maintain said context information in said graphics controller component;
- after said reducing, detecting issuance of a command for said graphics controller component;
- and
- in response to detecting issuance of the command, increasing the voltage applied to the graphics controller component, said increasing causing the voltage to be increased to a voltage level required to support full operation of the graphics controller component.
An apparatus comprising a memory controller, the memory controller including a graphics controller component, and the memory controller also including a power management controller for controlling a supply of power for at least a portion of the memory controller, the power management controller operative to:
- detect a combination of trigger conditions;
- in response to detecting the trigger condition, store in an external memory context information;
- after said storing, disable clock signals for said graphics controller component;
- after said storing, reduce a voltage applied to a graphics controller component of a memory controller, said reducing causing the voltage to be reduced below a voltage level required to maintain said context information in said graphics controller component;
- after said reducing, detect issuance of a command for said graphics controller component;
- and
- in response to detecting issuance of the command, increase the voltage applied to the graphics controller component, said increasing causing the voltage to be increased to a voltage level required to support full operation of the graphics controller component.
A system comprising:
- a memory controller;
- and
- a graphics memory unit in communication with the memory controller;
- wherein the memory controller includes a graphics controller component, and the memory controller also includes a power management controller for controlling a supply of power for at least a portion of the memory controller, the power management controller operative to:
- detect a combination of trigger conditions;
- in response to detecting the trigger condition, store in an external memory context information;
- after said storing, disable clock signals for said graphics controller component;
- after said storing, reduce a voltage applied to a graphics controller component of a memory controller, said reducing causing the voltage to be reduced below a voltage level required to maintain said context information in said graphics controller component;
- after said reducing, detect issuance of a command for said graphics controller component;
- and
- in response to detecting issuance of the command, increase the voltage applied to the graphics controller component, said increasing causing the voltage to be increased to a voltage level required to support full operation of the graphics controller component.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.