Power distribution management in a system on a chip

摘要

A method, circuit arrangement, and program product for dynamically reallocating power consumption at a component level of a processor. Power tokens representative of a power consumption metric are allocated to interconnected IP blocks of the processor, and as additional power is required by an IP block to perform assigned operations, the IP block may communicate a request for additional power tokens to one or more interconnected IP blocks. The interconnected IP blocks may grant power tokens for the request based on a priority, availability, and/or power consumption target. The requesting IP block may modify power consumption based on power tokens granted by interconnected IP blocks for the request. A power management block may adjust power token allocation of one or more IP blocks by communicating a command to one or more IP blocks and/or by adjusting a power token request.

主权项

1. A circuit arrangement comprising:
a plurality of interconnected integrated processor (IP) blocks and a power management block configured in a token ring, wherein each IP block includes a power token allocation register configured to store an indication of a power token quantity allocated to the IP block, and each IP block is configured to:
control power consumption of the IP block based on the power token quantity allocated to the IP block indicated in the power token allocation register,responsive to determining that additional power is required for the IP block, communicate a power token request including a request quantity based on additional power required for the IP block and a granted quantity on the token ring,receive a response to the power request from the token ring including the granted quantity of power tokens from the other IP blocks of the token ring,adjust the token quantity allocated to the IP block in the power token allocation register based on the granted quantity of the response to the power request,modify power consumption of the IP block based on the adjusted token quantity allocated to the IP block indicated in the token allocation register, andresponsive to receiving a power token request from another IP block on the token ring:
determine a quantity of allocated tokens to grant for the power token request,adjust the power token allocation register, the request quantity of the power token request, and the granted quantity of the power token request based on the determined quantity of allocated tokens to grant for the power token request, andcommunicate the power token request including the adjusted request quantity and granted quantity to a next IP block connected to the token ring, wherein the power management block is configured to remove allocated power tokens from the IP blocks of the token ring and allocate additional power tokens to IP blocks of the token ring to thereby manage power consumption of the IP blocks of the token ring.