Method and apparatus for on-demand power management

Abstract

A method for on-demand power management is described. The method includes detecting a plurality of processing events on a system bus within a processing system, recognizing a processing event pattern, and correlating the processing event pattern with a processing demand.

1 . A method, comprising:
 detecting a plurality of processing events on a system bus within a processing system;   recognizing a processing event pattern; and   correlating the processing event pattern with a processing demand.   
   
   
       2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of processing events comprises a plurality of system commands. 
   
   
       3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the processing event pattern comprises an average number of processing events per unit time. 
   
   
       4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein correlating the processing event pattern with a processing demand comprises comparing the average number of processing events per unit time with an operating clock frequency. 
   
   
       5 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 switching from a first one or more clock frequencies to a second one or more clock frequencies without halting the processing system, wherein the second one or more clock frequencies are generated in response to the processing demand.   
   
   
       6 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 switching from a first plurality of voltages to a second plurality of voltages in the processing system without halting the processing system, wherein the second plurality of voltages are generated in response to the processing demand.   
   
   
       7 . An apparatus, comprising:
 a bus interface unit coupled to a system bus within a processing system, to detect a plurality of processing events on the system bus within the processing system; and   a programmable storage device coupled to the bus interface unit, wherein the bus interface unit recognizes a processing event pattern programmed in the programmable storage device and correlates the processing event pattern with a processing demand.   
   
   
       8 . The apparatus of  claim 7 , wherein the plurality of processing events comprises a plurality of system commands. 
   
   
       9 . The apparatus of  claim 7 , wherein the processing event pattern comprises an average number of processing events per unit time. 
   
   
       10 . The apparatus of  claim 7 , wherein the bus interface unit compares the average number of processing events per unit time with an operating clock frequency. 
   
   
       11 . The apparatus of  claim 7 , further comprising a system controller comprising the bus interface unit. 
   
   
       12 . The apparatus of  claim 7 , further comprising:
 a clock domain manager coupled to the system controller, the clock domain manager to switch from a first one or more clock frequencies to a second one or more clock frequencies without halting the processing system, wherein the second one or more clock frequencies are generated in response to the processing demand.   
   
   
       13 . The apparatus of  claim 11 , further comprising:
 a power distribution manager coupled to the system controller, the power distribution manager to switch from a first plurality of voltages to a second plurality of voltages in the processing system without halting the processing system, wherein the second plurality of voltages are generated in response to the processing demand.   
   
   
       14 . The apparatus of  claim 11 , further comprising:
 a compensation engine coupled to the system controller, the compensation engine to compensate voltage and frequency commands from the bus interface unit for temperature dependent processing and device variables.   
   
   
       15 . The apparatus of  claim 14 , wherein the compensation engine comprises a temperature sensor to measure and report a temperature having an effect on an operating point of the apparatus.