Staged power distribution control

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10459516-B2
Application number	US-201715670421-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 7, 2017
Priority date	Dec 28, 2012
Publication date	Oct 29, 2019
Grant date	Oct 29, 2019

Abstract

Various embodiments are directed to restrictions in portable computing device electric power to accommodate reductions in the voltage level of a power source. An apparatus comprises a controller caused to receive configuration data from a main processor circuit specifying a voltage level threshold and selected action to take to reduce electric power to a first component in response to the voltage level falling below the first voltage level threshold, recurringly monitor the voltage level; based on the voltage level falling below the first voltage level threshold, take the first selected action and transmit a signal to the main processor circuit indicating that the voltage level has fallen below the first voltage level threshold and that the first selected action has been taken; transmit the voltage level to the main processor circuit; receive a signal from the main processor circuit to undo the first selected action; and so undo.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An apparatus, comprising:
logic, at least a portion of the logic implemented in hardware, the logic to:
determine a voltage level of a power source has fallen below a threshold value, wherein fall of the voltage level below the threshold value is caused by an increase in current provided by the power source;
take a selected action based on the voltage level falling below the threshold value, the selected action to cause a reduction in electric power consumption by a component; and
indicate to a main processor circuit that the selected action was taken.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , the logic to operate a power switching component to restrict electric power provided to the component to take the selected action based on the voltage level falling below the threshold value.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 , the logic to signal the component to reduce consumption of electric power to take the selected action based on the voltage level falling below the threshold value.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 , the logic to receive configuration data from the main processor circuit, the configuration data to indicate the threshold value and the selected action.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 , the logic to:
determine the voltage level has fallen below a second threshold value;
take a second selected action based on the voltage level falling below the second threshold value, the second selected action to cause a cessation in electric power consumption by the component; and
indicate to the main processor circuit that the second selected action was taken.

6. The apparatus of claim 5 , the logic to operate a power switching component to cease provision of electric power to the component to take the second selected action based on the voltage level falling below the second threshold value.

7. The apparatus of claim 5 , the logic to signal the component to cease consumption of electric power to take the second selected action based on the voltage level falling below the second threshold value.

8. The apparatus of claim 1 , the logic to:
determine the voltage level has risen above the threshold value; and
take a second selected action based on the voltage level rising above the threshold value, the second selected action to cause an increase in electric power consumption by the component; and
indicate to the main processor circuit the second action was taken.

9. The apparatus of claim 8 , the logic to wait a debounce period after determination that the voltage level has risen above the threshold value and before the second action is taken.

10. A computer-implemented method, comprising:
determining a voltage level of a power source has fallen below a threshold value, wherein fall of the voltage level below the threshold value is caused by an increase in current provided by the power source;
taking a selected action based on the voltage level falling below the threshold value, the selected action to cause a reduction in electric power consumption by a component; and
indicating to a main processor circuit that the selected action was taken.

11. The computer-implemented method of claim 10 , comprising operating a power switching component to restrict electric power provided to the component to take the selected action based on the voltage level falling below the threshold value.

12. The computer-implemented method of claim 10 , comprising signaling the component to reduce consumption of electric power to take the selected action based on the voltage level falling below the threshold value.

13. The computer-implemented method of claim 10 , comprising receiving configuration data from the main processor circuit, the configuration data to indicate the threshold value and the selected action.

14. The computer-implemented method of claim 10 , comprising:
determining the voltage level has fallen below a second threshold value;
taking a second selected action based on the voltage level falling below the second threshold value, the second selected action to cause a cessation in electric power consumption by the component; and
indicating to the main processor circuit that the second selected action was taken.

15. The computer-implemented method of claim 14 , comprising operating a power switching component to cease provision of electric power to the component to take the second selected action based on the voltage level falling below the second threshold value.

16. The computer-implemented method of claim 14 , comprising signaling the component to cease consumption of electric power to take the second selected action based on the voltage level falling below the second threshold value.

17. The computer-implemented method of claim 10 , comprising:
determining the voltage level has risen above the threshold value; and
taking a second selected action based on the voltage level rising above the threshold value, the second selected action to cause an increase in electric power consumption by the component; and
indicating to the main processor circuit the second action was taken.

18. The computer-implemented method of claim 17 , comprising waiting a debounce period after determination that the voltage level has risen above the threshold value and before the second action is taken.

19. At least one non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising a set of instructions that, in response to being executed by a processor circuit, cause the processor circuit to:
determine a voltage level of a power source has fallen below a threshold value, wherein fall of the voltage level below the threshold value is caused by an increase in current provided by the power source;
take a selected action based on the voltage level falling below the threshold value, the selected action to cause a reduction in electric power consumption by a component; and
indicate to a main processor circuit that the selected action was taken.

20. The at least one non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 19 , comprising instructions that, in response to being executed by the processor circuit, cause the processor circuit to operate a power switching component to restrict electric power provided to the component to take the selected action based on the voltage level falling below the threshold value.

21. The at least one non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 19 , comprising instructions that, in response to being executed by the processor circuit, cause the processor circuit to signal the component to reduce consumption of electric power to take the selected action based on the voltage level falling below the threshold value.

22. The at least one non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 19 , comprising instructions that, in response to being executed by the processor circuit, cause the processor circuit to receive configuration data from the main processor circuit, the configuration data to indicate the threshold value and the selected action.

23. The at least one non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 19 , comprising instructions that, in response to being executed by the processor circuit, cause the processor circuit to:
determine the voltage level has fallen below a second threshold value;
take a second selected action based on the voltage level falling below the second threshold value, the second selected action to cause a cessation in electric power consumption by the component; and
indicate to the main processor circuit that the second selected ac

Assignees

• Intel Corp

Inventors

• Vilhauer Reed D
• Glennan William T

Classifications

• G06F1/3243

  Power saving in microcontroller unit · CPC title

• G06F1/3293

  by switching to a less power-consuming processor, e.g. sub-CPU · CPC title

• G06F1/3296

  by lowering the supply or operating voltage · CPC title

• G06F1/3234

  Power saving characterised by the action undertaken · CPC title

• G06F1/3287 Primary

  by switching off individual functional units in the computer system · CPC title