Abstract: The described embodiments include a computing device with a plurality of clients and a shared resource for processing job items. During operation, a given client of the plurality of clients stores first job items in a queue for the given client. When the queue for the given client meets one or more conditions, the given client notifies one or more other clients that the given client is to process job items using the shared resource. The given client then processes the first job items from the queue using the shared resource. Based on being notified, at least one other client that has second job items to be processed using the shared resource, processes the second job items using the shared resource. The given client can transition the shared resource between power states to enable the processing of job items.

Abstract: A power management module of a processor places a compute unit in a low power mode (e.g., an idle mode) in response to identifying that the compute unit is expected to experience little to no processing activity for a threshold amount of time. In response to receiving an indication from a message controller that a message is targeted to the compute unit, the power management module selects a different compute unit that is presently in an active power mode and provides the message to the selected compute unit for processing. The compute unit can be selected based on any of a variety of criteria, such as the compute unit being in a stall condition, an indication from a performance monitor that the compute unit is executing a relatively inefficient program thread, and the like.

Abstract: A power management controller tracks the idle state of a compute unit and compares the tracked idle state with a first threshold. If the tracked idle state is above the first threshold a power state of the compute unit is limited to a low power state so that the power state does not rise due to activity that occurs in low utilization scenarios. The tracked idle state is compared to a second threshold and if the tracked idle state is below the second threshold, indicating that the compute unit is not in a low utilization scenario, a limit on the power state is removed and the power state of the compute unit is allowed to rise.

Abstract: Systems, apparatuses, and methods for managing power usage of integrated circuits. One or more processor cores may be powered down when the system is idle. Even if there is no user activity, the processor core(s) may be woken up periodically for background downloads to retrieve the latest status for social media and other applications. Additionally, a power management unit may track the average number of active cores and the average core utilization. If the average number of active cores is less than a first threshold and the average core utilization is less than a second threshold, the power management unit may generate a request to offline one or more cores. Still further, when the processor's skin temperature is above a threshold and all of the cores are operating at the lowest acceptable operating point, one or more cores may be powered down.

Abstract: A system has a plurality of electronic components including a memory, a PHY coupled to the memory, and one or more other electronic components. Power consumed by the PHY is estimated during operation of the system. Estimating the power consumed by the PHY includes modeling the power consumed by the PHY as a linear function with respect to memory bandwidth. Available power for the PHY is determined based at least in part on the estimated power consumed by the PHY. At least a portion of the available power for the PHY is allocated to at least one of the one or more other components.

Abstract: A power management controller tracks the idle state of a compute unit and compares the tracked idle state with a first threshold. If the tracked idle state is above the first threshold a power state of the compute unit is limited to a low power state so that the power state does not rise due to activity that occurs in low utilization scenarios. The tracked idle state is compared to a second threshold and if the tracked idle state is below the second threshold, indicating that the compute unit is not in a low utilization scenario, a limit on the power state is removed and the power state of the compute unit is allowed to rise.

Abstract: A processor includes a processor core and a power management controller operable to receive a timer event, store the timer event, generate a hardware system sleep command to enter a hardware system sleep state, and restore the timer event upon exiting from the hardware system sleep state.

Abstract: Various computing devices and methods of managing the power consumption thereby are disclosed. In one aspect, a method of managing power consumption of a computing device that has a battery is provided. The method includes cycling the computing device between a connected standby active state and a connected standby idle state. The duration of the connected standby idle state is set based at least in part on a charge level of the battery.

Abstract: A system includes a processor including at least a first core and a local interrupt controller associated with the first core. The first core is operable to store its architectural state prior to entering a first core sleep state, and the processor is operable to receive and implement a request for entering a system sleep state in which the first core is in the first core sleep state and the local interrupt controller is powered down and exit the system sleep state by restoring the local interrupt controller and restoring the saved architectural state of the first core.

Abstract: A method and apparatus includes a multi-processor apparatus including a plurality of integrated circuit processors having a shared thermal platform. Each processor has at least one subsystem operable at a plurality of different power settings, at least one internal thermal parameter detector providing power data related to the processor, and a power management unit. The method and apparatus illustratively shares power data from the at least one internal thermal parameter detector of each processor between the power management units of the plurality of processors; compares the shared power data from the plurality of processors to a thermal design power limit for the shared thermal platform; and controls a power setting of the at least one subsystem of the plurality of processors within the shared thermal platform based on the comparison of the shared power data to the thermal design power limit for the shared thermal platform.

Abstract: The present application describes embodiments of a method that includes modifying an operating point of at least one of a memory physical layer interface or a memory controller in response to changes in bandwidth utilization of the memory physical layer interface. The present application also describes embodiments of an apparatus that includes a memory controller, a memory physical layer interface, and a power management controller to modify an operating point of at least one of the memory physical layer interface or the memory controller in response to changes in bandwidth utilization of the memory physical layer interface.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for dynamically adjusting power limits for processing nodes and other components, such as peripheral interfaces, is disclosed. The apparatus includes multiple processing nodes and other components, and further includes a power management unit configured to set a first frequency limit for at least one of the processing nodes responsive to receiving an indication of a first detected temperature greater than a first temperature threshold. Initial power limits are set below guard-band power limits for components that do not have reliable reporting of power consumption or for cost or power saving reasons. The amount of throttling of processing nodes is used to adjust the power limits for the processing nodes and these components.

Abstract: A method is provided for allocating power to compute units based on energy efficiency. Some embodiments of the method include allocating portions of a power budget of a system-on-a-chip (SOC) to a plurality of compute units implemented on the SOC based on ratios of a performance level for each compute unit to a power consumed by the compute unit operating at the performance level. An SOC is provided that includes a plurality of compute units and a power management controller to allocate portions of a power budget of the SOC to the plurality of compute units based on ratios of a performance level for each compute unit to a power consumed by the compute unit operating at the performance level.

Abstract: Boot configuration information is stored to a volatile memory of a processing system during a low-power state. When resuming from the low-power state, a processor device accesses configuration information for a memory controller from a non-volatile memory and restores the memory controller using the configuration information so as to permit access to the volatile memory. The processor device then configures the initial contexts one or more processor cores using the core state information maintained by the volatile memory during the low-power state and accessed via the configured memory controller, and the one or more processor cores completes the boot process by executing resume boot code maintained by the volatile memory during the low-power state and accessed via the configured memory controller, rather than accessing boot code from a non-volatile memory.

Abstract: A system has a plurality of electronic components including a memory, a PHY coupled to the memory, and one or more other electronic components. Power consumed by the PHY is estimated during operation of the system. Estimating the power consumed by the PHY includes modeling the power consumed by the PHY as a linear function with respect to memory bandwidth. Available power for the PHY is determined based at least in part on the estimated power consumed by the PHY. At least a portion of the available power for the PHY is allocated to at least one of the one or more other components.

Abstract: The operating point of a processing unit is controlled based on the power consumption (i.e., the rate of energy consumption) associated with a workload, wherein low power consumption may indicate short-duration workloads with idle phases and high power consumption may indicate long, sustained workloads. Energy credits are accumulated while a drain rate of a battery is lower than a threshold drain rate and the energy credits are consumed while the drain rate is higher than the threshold drain rate. The operating point of the processing unit may be increased from a first operating point to a second operating point in response to the energy credits exceeding a first threshold. The operating point of the processing unit may be decreased from the second operating point to the first operating point in response to the energy credits falling below a second threshold.

Abstract: A processing system detects user activities on one or more processing units. In response, an operating point (operating frequency or an operating voltage) of the processing unit handing the user activity is increased at the processing unit. Battery power may be conserved in some processing systems by limiting the increase in the operating point to a time interval and reducing the operating frequency or the operating voltage to a previous value after the time interval has elapsed.

Abstract: A processor includes a plurality of exclusive resources, a shared resource, and a controller configured to manage power state transitions of each of the plurality of exclusive resources and the shared resource. The controller receives a request from a resource to transition from a first power state to a lower power state and, in response to receiving the request, the controller controls power state transitions of the resource according to a first power control threshold when the resource is one of the plurality of exclusive resources and according to a second power control threshold that is greater than the first power control threshold when the resource is the shared resource.

Abstract: A power controller can set the power state of a processor bridge based on which processor modules are in a communicative state. In addition, for a power state where selected processor modules are expected to be non-communicative, the power controller can set the supplied voltage to have a reduced voltage guard band as compared to other power states. These power management techniques can reduce the power consumed by the processor.

Abstract: An operating point of one or more components in a processing device may be set using a leakage current estimated based on at least one of a rate of temperature overages or a rate of power overages. In some embodiments, a power management controller may be used to set an operating point of one or more components in the processing device based on at least one of a rate of temperature overages or a rate of power overages for the component(s).