System and method for context-aware thermal management and workload scheduling in a portable computing device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10591965-B2
Application number	US-201715411868-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 20, 2017
Priority date	Jan 20, 2017
Publication date	Mar 17, 2020
Grant date	Mar 17, 2020

Abstract

Various embodiments of methods and systems context-aware thermal management in a portable computing device (“PCD”) are disclosed. Notably, the environmental context to which a PCD is subjected may have significant impact on the PCD's thermal energy dissipation efficiency. Embodiments of the solution seek to leverage knowledge of a PCD's environmental context to modify or adjust thermal policy parameters applied within a PCD in response to a thermal event within the PCD.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method for context-aware thermal management in a portable computing device (“PCD”), the method comprising:
defining a context variable set, wherein the context variable set is associated with an external environment to which the PCD is exposed;
establishing baseline values for the context variable set, wherein the baseline values are associated with a baseline context;
monitoring a set of context sensors to recognize the baseline values for the context variable set;
in response to recognizing the baseline values, executing a known workload having a known power envelope;
generating a baseline thermal map from temperature readings monitored using one or more temperature sensors during execution of the known workload;
storing the baseline thermal map in association with the baseline values for the context variable set;
monitoring the set of context sensors to recognize discovered values for the context variable set, wherein the discovered values are different from the baseline values;
in response to recognizing the discovered values, executing the known workload;
generating a discovered thermal map from temperature readings monitored using the one or more temperature sensors during execution of the known workload;
comparing the discovered thermal map with the baseline thermal map to determine a designation of the discovered values for the context variable set as either a “beneficial” context if the discovered thermal map represents more efficient thermal energy dissipation than the baseline thermal map or an “adverse” context if the discovered thermal map represents less efficient thermal energy dissipation than the baseline thermal map, wherein the more efficient thermal energy dissipation comprises a higher thermal energy dissipation rate compared to a thermal energy dissipation rate associated with the baseline thermal map, and the less efficient thermal energy dissipation comprises a lower energy dissipation rate compared to the thermal energy dissipation rate associated with the baseline thermal map;
storing in a database the discovered values for the context variable set in association with the determined designation;
monitoring the set of context sensors to recognize a next occurrence of the discovered values, wherein the next occurrence of the discovered values is the same as discovered values stored in the database;
in response to recognizing the next occurrence of the discovered values is the same as discovered values stored in the database, querying the database to retrieve from the database the designation associated with the discovered values stored in the database; and
based on the designation, modifying a thermal management policy by adjusting a workload allocation among one or more processing components within the PCD; when the context designation is “adverse”, then modifying the thermal management policy further by reducing a maximum frequency of the one or more processing components; and when the context designation is “beneficial”, then modifying the thermal management policy further by increasing a maximum frequency of the one or more processing components.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the context variable set comprises one or more of a physical orientation of the PCD, an ambient temperature, a humidity level, and contact with a surface external to the PCD.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the thermal management policy is applied to one or more of a CPU, a GPU, a DSP and a modem.

4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
monitoring the set of context sensors to recognize second discovered values for the context variable set, wherein the second discovered values are different from the discovered values and the baseline values;
in response to recognizing the second discovered values, executing the known workload;
generating a second discovered thermal map from temperature readings monitored using the one or more temperature sensors during execution of the known workload;
comparing the second discovered thermal map with the baseline thermal map to determine a designation of the second discovered values for the context variable set as either a “beneficial” context if the second discovered thermal map represents more efficient thermal energy dissipation than the baseline thermal map or an “adverse” context if the second discovered thermal map represents less efficient thermal energy dissipation than the baseline thermal map;
storing in the database the second discovered values for the context variable set in association with the determined designation;
monitoring the set of context sensors to recognize a next occurrence of the second discovered values, wherein the next occurrence of the second discovered values is the same as second discovered values stored in the database;
in response to recognizing the next occurrence of the second discovered values is the same as second discovered values stored in the database, querying the database to retrieve from the database the designation associated with the second discovered values stored in the database; and
based on the designation associated with the second discovered values, modifying the thermal management policy.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein each context sensor comprises at least one of: a humidity sensor, an ambient temperature sensor, an orientation sensor, and a surface contact sensor.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein modifying the thermal management policy further comprises adjusting a power supply to one or more processing components.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the database is stored in a memory device of a system-on-chip (SOC) within the portable computing device.

8. A computer system for context-aware thermal management in a portable computing device (“PCD”), the computer system comprising:
a processing system comprising one or more processors and one or more associated memories, the processing system configured to execute instructions defining a monitor module, a context-aware module, a scheduler and a dynamic voltage and frequency scaling module, collectively configured to:
define a context variable set, wherein the context variable set is associated with an external environment to which the PCD is exposed;
establish baseline values for the context variable set, wherein the baseline values are associated with a baseline context;
monitor a set of context sensors to recognize the baseline values for the context variable set;
in response to recognizing the baseline values, execute a known workload having a known power envelope;
generate a baseline thermal map from temperature readings monitored using one or more temperature sensors during execution of the known workload;
store the baseline thermal map in association with the baseline values for the context variable set;
monitor the set of context sensors to recognize discovered values for the context variable set, wherein the discovered values are different from the baseline values;
in response to recognizing the discovered values, execute the known workload;
generate a discovered thermal map from temperature readings monitored using the one or more temperature sensors during execution of the known workload;
compare the discovered thermal map with the baseline thermal map to determine a designation of the discovered values for the context variable set as either a “beneficial” context if the discovered thermal map represents more efficient thermal energy dissipation than the baseline thermal map or an “adverse” context if the discovered thermal map represents less efficient thermal energy dissipation than the baseline thermal map, wherein the more efficient thermal energy dissipation comprises a higher thermal energy dissipation rate compared to a thermal e

Assignees

• Qualcomm Inc

Inventors

• Jain Palkesh
• Alton Ronald
• Anderson Jon
• Saeidi Mehdi

Classifications

• G06F1/203

  for portable computers, e.g. for laptops · CPC title

• G06F1/206 Primary

  comprising thermal management · CPC title

• G06F9/4893

  taking into account power or heat criteria (power management in computers in general G06F1/3203; thermal management in computers in general G06F1/206) · CPC title

• G06F1/3206

  Monitoring of events, devices or parameters that trigger a change in power modality · CPC title

• Y02D10/16

  Cross-Sectional Technologies · mapped topic