Abstract: The present invention provides a method of dynamic thermal management applied to a portable device, wherein the method includes the steps of: obtaining a surface temperature of the portable device; obtaining a junction temperature of a chip of the portable device; and calculating an upper limit of the junction temperature according to the junction temperature and the surface temperature.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method of dynamic thermal management applied to a portable device, wherein the method includes the steps of: obtaining a surface temperature of the portable device; obtaining a junction temperature of a chip of the portable device; and calculating an upper limit of the junction temperature according to the junction temperature and the surface temperature.

Abstract: The surface temperature of a portable device is estimated. The portable device includes a sensor for detecting the internal temperature of the portable device. The portable device also includes circuitry for estimating the surface temperature, using the internal temperature and an ambient temperature of the portable device as input to a circuit model. The circuit model describes thermal behaviors of the portable device. The circuitry is operative to identify a scenario in which the portable device operates, and determine the ambient temperature using the scenario and at least the internal temperature.

Abstract: Power and performance of a multi-core system is managed dynamically by adjusting power table indices at runtime. Runtime statistics is measured, when an application is executed on a first core of a first type at a first operating point (OPP) in a first time period, and on a second core of a second core type at a second OPP in a second time period. A controller estimates, based on the runtime statistics, a first pair of indices associated with a first OPP for the first core and a second pair of indices associated with a second OPP for the second core. During runtime, the controller incorporates the first pair of indices and the second pair of indices into power table indices; and determines, from the power table indices, selected indices associated with a selected OPP of a core of a selected core type for executing the application.

Abstract: The surface temperature of a portable device is estimated. The portable device includes a sensor for detecting the internal temperature of the portable device. The portable device also includes circuitry for estimating the surface temperature, using the internal temperature and an ambient temperature of the portable device as input to a circuit model. The circuit model describes thermal behaviors of the portable device. The circuitry is operative to identify a scenario in which the portable device operates, and determine the ambient temperature using the scenario and at least the internal temperature.

Abstract: The surface temperature of a portable device is estimated. A sensor detects the internal temperature of the portable device. The internal temperature and an ambient temperature are used as input to a circuit model that describes thermal behaviors of the portable device. Dynamic thermal management may be performed based on the estimated surface temperature.

Abstract: Power and performance of a multi-core system is managed dynamically by adjusting power table indices at runtime. Runtime statistics is measured, when an application is executed on a first core of a first type at a first operating point (OPP) in a first time period, and on a second core of a second core type at a second OPP in a second time period. A controller estimates, based on the runtime statistics, a first pair of indices associated with a first OPP for the first core and a second pair of indices associated with a second OPP for the second core. During runtime, the controller incorporates the first pair of indices and the second pair of indices into power table indices; and determines, from the power table indices, selected indices associated with a selected OPP of a core of a selected core type for executing the application.

Abstract: The surface temperature of a portable device is estimated. A sensor detects the internal temperature of the portable device. The internal temperature and an ambient temperature are used as input to a circuit model that describes thermal behaviors of the portable device. Dynamic thermal management may be performed based on the estimated surface temperature.

Abstract: Energy efficiency is managed in a multi-cluster system. The system detects an event in which a current operating frequency of an active cluster enters or crosses any of one or more predetermined frequency spots of the active cluster, wherein the active cluster includes one or more first processor cores. When the event is detected, the system performs the following steps: (1) identifying a target cluster including one or more second processor cores, wherein the each first processor core in the first cluster and each second processor core in the second cluster have different energy efficiency characteristics; (2) activating at least one second processor core in the second cluster; (3) determining whether to migrate one or more interrupt requests from the first cluster to the second cluster; and (4) determining whether to deactivate at least one first processor core of the active cluster based on a performance and power requirement.

Abstract: A memory management method includes: checking shared virtual memory (SVM) support ability of at least one device participating in data access of a buffer; referring to a checking result to adaptively select an SVM mode; and allocating the buffer in a physical memory region of a memory device, and configuring the buffer to operate in the selected SVM mode.

Abstract: A controller and a memory-access method for use in the controller are provided. The controller includes a sensor-processing system, and the sensor-processing system includes a memory, and a buffer, wherein the controller is coupled to an external memory and a sensor. The method includes the steps of: gathering the sensor data from the sensor and writing the gathered sensor data into the memory; writing information associated with the sensor data into the buffer; determining whether a fill level of the buffer has reached a predetermined threshold; and retrieving the sensor data from the memory and writing the retrieved sensor data to the external memory according to the information associated with the stored sensor data in the buffer when it is determined that the fill level has reached the predetermined threshold.

Abstract: A multi-channel memory system has a memory device, a plurality of channels, and a control circuit. The memory device has a plurality of memory storage spaces. The channels are coupled to the memory storage spaces, respectively, wherein each of the channels is configured to act as a memory interface for accessing a corresponding memory storage space independently. The control circuit controls clock frequencies of clocks on the channels, respectively. At a same time point, the channels include at least a first channel operating at a first clock frequency set by the control circuit and a second channel operating at a second clock frequency set by the control circuit at a same time point, and the second clock frequency is different from the first clock frequency.

Abstract: An electronic device and associated method is provided. The electronic device includes: a plurality of subsystems including hardware resources; a battery coupled to the plurality of subsystems; and a processing unit, configured to allocate a virtual battery from the battery for each subsystem, wherein each virtual battery has a defined power budget from the battery.

Abstract: A low-power memory access method and associated apparatus are provided. The apparatus includes a memory controller and a processing unit. The memory controller is coupled to a first memory and a second memory, and includes: a memory management circuit, for allocating physical memory addresses of the first memory and the second memory and controlling access of the first memory and the second memory; and a direct-memory-access (DMA) controller. The processing unit is for accessing the first memory and the second memory via the memory controller. When the apparatus is in an active mode, the memory management circuit copies a portion of data stored in the second memory to the first memory for use by the processing unit, and records dirty data information when the portion of data in the first memory differs from that in the second memory.

Abstract: A memory management method includes: checking shared virtual memory (SVM) support ability of at least one device participating in data access of a buffer; referring to a checking result to adaptively select an SVM mode; and allocating the buffer in a physical memory region of a memory device, and configuring the buffer to operate in the selected SVM mode.

Abstract: Energy efficiency is managed in a multi-cluster system. The system detects an event in which a current operating frequency of an active cluster enters or crosses any of one or more predetermined frequency spots of the active cluster, wherein the active cluster includes one or more first processor cores. When the event is detected, the system performs the following steps: (1) identifying a target cluster including one or more second processor cores, wherein the each first processor core in the first cluster and each second processor core in the second cluster have different energy efficiency characteristics; (2) activating at least one second processor core in the second cluster; (3) determining whether to migrate one or more interrupt requests from the first cluster to the second cluster; and (4) determining whether to deactivate at least one first processor core of the active cluster based on a performance and power requirement.

Abstract: A multi-channel memory system has a memory device, a plurality of channels, and a control circuit. The memory device has a plurality of memory storage spaces. The channels are coupled to the memory storage spaces, respectively, wherein each of the channels is configured to act as a memory interface for accessing a corresponding memory storage space independently. The control circuit controls clock frequencies of clocks on the channels, respectively. At a same time point, the channels include at least a first channel operating at a first clock frequency set by the control circuit and a second channel operating at a second clock frequency set by the control circuit at a same time point, and the second clock frequency is different from the first clock frequency.

Abstract: A controller and a memory-access method for use in the controller are provided. The controller includes a sensor-processing system, and the sensor-processing system includes a memory, and a buffer, wherein the controller is coupled to an external memory and a sensor. The method includes the steps of: gathering the sensor data from the sensor and writing the gathered sensor data into the memory; writing information associated with the sensor data into the buffer; determining whether a fill level of the buffer has reached a predetermined threshold; and retrieving the sensor data from the memory and writing the retrieved sensor data to the external memory according to the information associated with the stored sensor data in the buffer when it is determined that the fill level has reached the predetermined threshold.

Abstract: A low-power operation method and associated electronic device are provided. The electronic device includes a display unit, a first control system, and a second control system. The display unit includes a first display area and a second display area. The first control system and the second control system control displaying of the first display area and the second display area, respectively. Activation of the first control system and the second control system is based on a hardware configuration of the electronic device. The first display area is larger than the second display area, and the second control system has lower active power than the first control system.

Abstract: An electronic device and associated method is provided. The electronic device includes: a plurality of subsystems including hardware resources; a battery coupled to the plurality of subsystems; and a processing unit, configured to allocate a virtual battery from the battery for each subsystem, wherein each virtual battery has a defined power budget from the battery.