Abstract: A computer implemented method, data processing system, and computer usable code are provided for optimizing thermal performance of a computer system. Identification of a set of system resources associated with the computer system is performed and a thermal index is requested for each of the set of system resources to form a set of thermal indexes. An action from a set of actions is identified to reduce resource utilization. The action is implemented to reduce a thermal state of the computer system.

Abstract: The present invention provides for a system comprising a DMA queue configured to receive a DMA command comprising a tag, wherein the tag belongs to one of a plurality of tag groups. A counter couples to the DMA queue and is configured to increment a tag group count of the tag group to which the tag belongs upon receipt of the DMA command by the DMA queue and to decrement the tag group count upon execution of the DMA command. A tag group count status register couples to the counter and is configured to store the tag group count for each of the plurality of tag groups. And the tag group count status register is further configured to receive a request for a tag group status and to respond to the request for the tag group status.

Abstract: A method and apparatus are provided for efficiently managing limited resources is a given computer system. The system utilizes a token manager that assigns tokens to groups of associated requestors. The tokens are then utilized by the requesters to occupy the given resource. The allocation of these tokens, thus, prevents such problems as denial of service due to a lack of available resources.

Abstract: A computer implemented method, data processing system, and processor are provided for thermal interrupt generation. An interrupt temperature is set to a first temperature and an interrupt direction is to a greater than or equal to determination. A determination is made as to whether a sensed temperature from a digital thermal sensor meets or exceeds the interrupt temperature in response to the interrupt direction. A first interrupt is generated in response to the sensed temperature meeting or exceeding the interrupt temperature.

Abstract: A computer implemented method, data processing system, and processor are provided for thermal throttling control for testing of real-time software. At least one thermal control setting is received. A thermal management system is set to a test mode using the at least one thermal control settings, where the test mode indicates a thermal throttling control using the thermal control setting. The real-time software is executed under the test mode and a test is performed as to whether a real-time deadline associated with the real-time software is met under the test mode. At least one thermal control setting is recorded as a passing thermal control setting in response to the real-time software meeting the real-time deadline.

Abstract: A computer implemented method and system for the generation of software thermal profiles for applications executed on a set of processors in a simulated environment. Execution of a software program being run on a software simulator is detected and hardware operations for the software program being executed by the set of processors are analyzed to create analyzed information. Then, a thermal index is generated based on the analyzed information.

Abstract: A computer architecture and programming model for high speed processing over broadband networks are provided. The architecture employs a consistent modular structure, a common computing module and uniform software cells. The common computing module includes a control processor, a plurality of processing units, a plurality of local memories from which the processing units process programs, a direct memory access controller and a shared main memory. A synchronized system and method for the coordinated reading and writing of data to and from the shared main memory by the processing units also are provided. A hardware sandbox structure is provided for security against the corruption of data among the programs being processed by the processing units. The uniform software cells contain both data and applications and are structured for processing by any of the processors of the network. Each software cell is uniquely identified on the network.

Abstract: A system and method for using a data-only transfer protocol to store atomic cache line data in a local storage area is presented. A processing engine includes an atomic cache and a local storage. When the processing engine encounters a request to transfer cache line data from the atomic cache to the local storage (e.g., GETTLAR command), the processing engine utilizes a data-only transfer protocol to pass cache line data through the external bus node and back to the processing engine. The data-only transfer protocol comprises a data phase and does not include a prior command phase or snoop phase due to the fact that the processing engine communicates to the bus node instead of an entire computer system when the processing engine sends a data request to transfer data to itself.

Abstract: A computer implemented method, data processing system, and processor are provided for managing a thermal management system. A determination is made as to whether a plurality of digital thermal sensors is faulty or functional. A power savings mode of at least one unit within the integrated circuit associated with the functional digital thermal sensor is monitored in response to at least one of the plurality of digital thermal sensors being functional. A functional digital thermal sensor is disabled in response to the at least one unit being in a power savings mode.

Abstract: A computer implemented method, data processing system, and computer usable code are provided for analytical generation of software thermal profiles. In order to generate a thermal profile, a set of instruction streams are analyzed for a program being executed by a set of processors to create analyzed information. A thermal index is generated based on the analyzed information.

Abstract: A method for maintaining cache coherency for a multi-node system using a specialized bridge which allows for fewer forward progress dependencies. A look-up of a local node directory is performed if a request received at a multi-node bridge of the local node is a system request. If a directory entry indicates that data specified in the request has a local owner or local destination, the request is forwarded to the local node. If the local node determines that the request is a local request, a look-up of the local node directory is performed. If the directory entry indicates that data specified in the request has a local owner and local destination, the coherency of the data on the local node is resolved and a transfer of the request data is performed if required. Otherwise, the request is forwarded to all remote nodes in the multi-node system.

Abstract: A method for maintaining cache coherency for a multi-node system using a specialized bridge which allows for fewer forward progress dependencies. A local node makes a determination whether a request is a local or system request. If the request is a local request, a look-up of a directory in the local node is performed. If an entry in the directory of the local node indicates that data in the request does not have a remote owner and that the request does not have a remote destination, the coherency of the data is resolved on the local node, and a transfer of the data specified in the request is performed if required and if the request is a local request. If the entry indicates that the data has a remote owner or that the request has a remote destination, the request is forwarded to all remote nodes in the multi-node system.

Abstract: A computer implemented method, data processing system, and processor are provided for tracing thermal data via performance monitoring. A performance monitor is set into a tracing mode. Temperatures are sensed by a digital thermal sensor over a time period. The sensed temperatures are stored in a data structure and a trace of the sensed temperatures is graphically displayed.

Abstract: A method for providing an alternate keypad arrangement in a virtual keypad is presented. In the alternate keypad arrangement, the virtual keys are laid out in a non-sequential arrangement. In one embodiment, the labels displayed on the virtual keys appear sequential, however the values registered when the user presses the virtual key does not match the label and, hence, the values are laid out in a non-sequential manner. Using alternate keypad arrangements arranged in patterns enables the user to use a common pattern, or patterns easily remembered by the user, for a wide variety of authentication data used to access a wide variety of systems. Rather than remembering the specific PIN codes and passwords, the user simply remembers a pattern and selects virtual keys that match the pattern.

Abstract: A computer implemented method, data processing system, and processor are provided for thermal interrupt generation. An interrupt temperature is set to a first temperature and an interrupt direction is to a greater than or equal to determination. A determination is made as to whether a sensed temperature from a digital thermal sensor meets or exceeds the interrupt temperature in response to the interrupt direction. A first interrupt is generated in response to the sensed temperature meeting or exceeding the interrupt temperature.

Abstract: A computer implemented method is provided for tracing thermal data via performance monitoring. A performance monitor is set into a tracing mode. Temperatures are sensed by a digital thermal sensor over a time period. The sensed temperatures are stored in a data structure and a trace of the sensed temperatures is graphically displayed as the sensed temperatures are being stored.

Abstract: A computer implemented method, data processing system, and processor are provided for managing a thermal management system. A determination is made as to whether a plurality of digital thermal sensors is faulty or functional. A power savings mode of at least one unit within the integrated circuit associated with the functional digital thermal sensor is monitored in response to at least one of the plurality of digital thermal sensors being functional. A functional digital thermal sensor is disabled in response to the at least one unit being in a power savings mode.

Abstract: A computer architecture and programming model for high speed processing over broadband networks are provided. The architecture employs a consistent modular structure, a common computing module and uniform software cells. The common computing module includes a control processor, a plurality of processing units, a plurality of local memories from which the processing units process programs, a direct memory access controller and a shared main memory. A synchronized system and method for the coordinated reading and writing of data to and from the shared main memory by the processing units also are provided. A hardware sandbox structure is provided for security against the corruption of data among the programs being processed by the processing units. The uniform software cells contain both data and applications and are structured for processing by any of the processors of the network. Each software cell is uniquely identified on the network.

Abstract: A computer implemented method, data processing system, and processor are provided for logging a maximal temperature in an integrated circuit. A digital thermal sensor senses a temperature in the integrated circuit. The sensed temperature of the digital thermal sensor is read and a determination is made as to whether the sensed temperature is higher than a current maximal temperature. The sensed temperature is logged in response to the sensed temperature being higher than the current maximal temperature. The sensed temperature becomes a new maximal temperature for the integrated circuit.

Abstract: A computer implemented method, data processing system, and processor are provided for logging a maximal temperature in an integrated circuit. A digital thermal sensor senses a temperature in the integrated circuit. The sensed temperature of the digital thermal sensor is read and a determination is made as to whether the sensed temperature is higher than a current maximal temperature. The sensed temperature is logged in response to the sensed temperature being higher than the current maximal temperature. The sensed temperature becomes a new maximal temperature for the integrated circuit.