# US 8,788,859 B2 · Thermal sensitivity based clock frequency adjustment for dynamic power control of a processor

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- Number: US 8,788,859 B2
- Document ID: US8788859B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 12/899,430
- Filed: 2010-10-06
- Published: 2011-01-27
- Granted: 2014-07-22
- Earliest claimed: 2000-12-28
- Assignees: Intel Corporation
- Applicants: Zhong-Ning (George) Cai
- Inventors: Zhong-Ning (George) Cai
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US8788859B2

## CPC

- G06F 1/324: by lowering clock frequency
- G06F 1/206: {comprising thermal management}
- G06F 1/26: Power supply means, e.g. regulation thereof (for memories G11C)
- G06F 1/32: Means for saving power
- G06F 1/3203: Power management, i.e. event-based initiation of a power-saving mode
- G06F 1/3206: Monitoring of events, devices or parameters that trigger a change in power modality
- 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)
- 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 method and system provides dynamic power control based on thermal sensitivity of a processor system. The method and system includes a circuit that reduces the clock frequency for the processor system in response to thermal characteristics satisfying a pre-determined threshold that allows maximal thermal temperature limit utilization without substantially degrading processor performance.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A processor comprising:
a sensor to measure at least one thermal characteristic of the processor; and
a circuit, responsive to the at least one thermal characteristic satisfying a threshold, to reduce a clock frequency of the processor by a variable rate, the variable rate based on hardware performance profiling of at least one hardware component coupled to the processor, the hardware performance profiling indicative of a processor speed requirement for the at least one hardware component and to have a first value to indicate that the clock frequency reduction can be aggressive and a second value to indicate that the clock frequency reduction is to be of fine granularity.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The processor of claim 1, wherein the circuit is to receive a performance demanding level as the hardware performance profiling to determine a sensitivity level of the clock frequency reduction.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The processor of claim 2, wherein the performance demanding level is independent of the at least one thermal characteristic.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The processor of claim 1, wherein the at least one thermal characteristic includes temperature and rate of temperature change.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The processor of claim 1, wherein the circuit includes a counter and a logic circuit.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The processor of claim 1, wherein the circuit is to reduce the clock frequency by less than fifty percent.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The processor of claim 1, wherein the circuit is to reduce the clock frequency by removing a number of transitions from a signal producing the clock frequency.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The processor of claim 1, wherein the sensor is to provide at least a first signal and a second signal to the circuit.

### Claim 9 (depends on 8)

The processor of claim 8, wherein the first signal is of a first state to indicate that the at least one thermal characteristic has satisfied the threshold.

### Claim 10 (depends on 9)

The processor of claim 9, wherein the second signal comprises a function of a rate of temperature change and a temperature of the processor.

### Claim 11 (depends on 10)

The processor of claim 10, wherein the second signal comprises a first bit to indicate whether a temperature threshold is satisfied and a second bit to indicate whether the rate of temperature change is satisfied.

### Claim 12

A method comprising:
measuring at least one thermal characteristic of a processor operating according to a clock frequency; and
reducing the clock frequency by a variable rate in response to the at least one thermal characteristic satisfying a threshold, the variable rate based on hardware performance profiling a of at least one hardware component coupled to the processor, the hardware performance profiling indicative of a processor speed requirement for the at least one hardware component and to have a first value to indicate that the clock frequency reduction can be aggressive and a second value to indicate that the clock frequency reduction is to be of fine granularity.

### Claim 13 (depends on 12)

The method of claim 12, wherein the measuring includes measuring temperature and rate of temperature change.

### Claim 14 (depends on 12)

The method of claim 12, wherein the reducing includes reducing the clock frequency by less than fifty percent.

### Claim 15 (depends on 12)

The method of claim 12, wherein the reducing includes reducing the clock frequency by removing a number of transitions from a signal producing the clock frequency.

### Claim 16 (depends on 12)

The method of claim 12, further comprising receiving in a logic of the processor a performance demanding level indicative of the hardware performance profiling, the performance demanding level independent of the at least one thermal characteristic.

### Claim 17 (depends on 12)

The method of claim 12, further comprising receiving in a logic of the processor a first signal and a second signal, wherein the first signal is of a first state to indicate that the at least one thermal characteristic has satisfied the threshold, and wherein the second signal comprises a function of a rate of temperature change and a temperature of the processor.

### Claim 18

A non-transitory machine-readable medium having stored thereon instructions, which if performed by a machine cause the machine to perform a method comprising:
measuring at least one thermal characteristic of a processor operating according to a clock frequency; and
reducing the clock frequency by a variable rate in response to the at least one thermal characteristic satisfying a threshold, the variable rate based on hardware performance profiling a of at least one hardware component coupled to the processor, the hardware performance profiling indicative of a processor speed requirement for the at least one hardware component during execution of an application and to have a first value to indicate that the clock frequency reduction can be aggressive and a second value to indicate that the clock frequency reduction is to be of fine granularity.

### Claim 19 (depends on 18)

The non-transitory machine-readable medium of claim 18, wherein the reducing includes reducing the clock frequency by less than fifty percent.

### Claim 20 (depends on 18)

The non-transitory machine-readable medium of claim 18, wherein the reducing includes reducing the clock frequency by removing a number of transitions from a signal producing the clock frequency.

### Claim 21 (depends on 10)

The processor of claim 10, wherein the circuit comprises control logic to enter into a wait state when the at least one thermal characteristic hardware has satisfied the threshold and the function is less than a second threshold, and to enter into an active state when the function is greater than the second threshold.