System and method for managing power in a chip multiprocessor using a proportional feedback mechanism

摘要

A system includes a power management unit that may monitor the power consumed by a processor including a plurality of processor core. The power management unit may throttle or reduce the operating frequency of the processor cores by applying a number of throttle events in response to determining that the plurality of cores is operating above a predetermined power threshold during a given monitoring cycle. The number of throttle events may be based upon a relative priority of each of the plurality of processor cores to one another and an amount that the processor is operating above the predetermined power threshold. The number of throttle events may correspond to a portion of a total number of throttle events, and which may be dynamically determined during operation based upon a proportionality constant and the difference between the total power consumed by the processor and a predetermined power threshold.

主权项

1. A system comprising:
a processor having a plurality of processor cores, each configured to execute program instructions; and a power management unit coupled to the plurality of processor cores and configured to throttle each of a subset of the plurality of processor cores by a number of throttle events in response to determining that the processor is operating above a predetermined power threshold during a given monitoring cycle; wherein the number of throttle events is based upon a relative priority of each of the plurality of processor cores to one another and an amount that the processor is operating above the predetermined power threshold; wherein the power management unit is further configured to determine the number of throttle events dependent upon a product of a number of throttle events per watt and the difference between the total power consumed by the processor and the predetermined power threshold.