Configurable thermal and power management for portable computers

Abstract

Improved approaches to providing thermal and power management for a computing device are disclosed. These approaches facilitate intelligent control of a processor's clock frequency and/or a fan's speed so as to provide thermal and/or power management for the computing device.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method for managing operation of a computing apparatus, the computing apparatus including at least a microprocessor and a fan, the fan being operable to cool at least the microprocessor, said method comprising:
 configuring the computing apparatus for one of a plurality of different power management configurations;   monitoring a temperature of the microprocessor;   controlling a speed of the fan based on the configured power management configuration for the computing apparatus and based on the monitored temperature of the microprocessor; and   controlling an operational performance of the microprocessor based on the configured power management configuration for the computing apparatus and based on the monitored temperature of the microprocessor,   wherein said controlling the speed of the fan comprises:
 activating the fan to a first speed based on the configured power management configuration when the monitored temperature indicates that primary thermal management is required; and 
 subsequently increasing the speed of the fan to a second speed based on the configured power management configuration when the monitored temperature indicates that primary thermal management is still required even after the fan has been activated at the first speed, the second speed being greater than the first speed. 
   
     
     
         2 . A method as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the method comprises:
 thereafter limiting operational performance of the microprocessor when the monitored temperature indicates that supplemental thermal management is required even after the fan has been activated to the first speed.   
     
     
         3 . A method as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the method comprises:
 thereafter reducing operational performance of the microprocessor when the monitored temperature indicates that supplemental thermal management is required even after the fan has been increased to the second speed.   
     
     
         4 . A method as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the microprocessor can enter a reduced power mode, and
 wherein said method further comprises deactivating the fan when the microprocessor enters the reduced power mode.   
     
     
         5 . A method as recited in  claim 1 ,
 wherein said method further comprises determining an activity indication of the microprocessor, and   wherein the operational performance of the microprocessor is also based on the activity indication of the microprocessor.   
     
     
         6 . A method for managing operation of a computing apparatus, the computing apparatus including at least a microprocessor and a fan, the fan being operable to cool at least the microprocessor, said method comprising:
 configuring the computing apparatus for one of a plurality of different power management configurations;   monitoring a temperature of the microprocessor;   controlling a speed of the fan based on the configured power management configuration for the computing apparatus and based on the monitored temperature of the microprocessor; and   controlling an operational performance of the microprocessor based on the configured power management configuration for the computing apparatus and based on the monitored temperature of the microprocessor,   wherein said controlling the speed of the fan comprises:
 activating the fan to a first speed, and subsequently increasing the speed of the fan to a second speed based on the configured power management configuration in view of the monitored temperature, so as to provide a first thermal management, and 
   wherein said controlling the operational performance of the microprocessor comprises:
 limiting operational performance of the microprocessor when at least one subsequent monitored temperature indicates that a second thermal management is required even after the fan has been activated at the first speed and increased to the second speed. 
   
     
     
         7 . A method as recited in  claim 6 , wherein the microprocessor can enter a reduced power mode, and
 wherein said method further comprises deactivating the fan when the microprocessor enters the reduced power mode.   
     
     
         8 . A method as recited in  claim 6 ,
 wherein said method further comprises determining an activity indication of the microprocessor, and   wherein the operational performance of the microprocessor is also based on the activity indication of the microprocessor.   
     
     
         9 . A method as recited in  claim 6 , wherein the speed of the fan is controlled at least by pulse width modulation. 
     
     
         10 . A method for managing operation of a portable computer, the portable computer including at least a processor and a fan, the fan being operable to cool at least the processor, said method comprising:
 configuring the portable computer for one of a plurality of different power management configurations;   monitoring a temperature of the processor;   controlling a speed of the fan based on the configured power management configuration for the portable computer and based on the monitored temperature of the processor; and   controlling an operational performance of the processor based on the configured power management configuration for the portable computer and based on the monitored temperature of the processor,   wherein said method comprises:
 monitoring activity of the processor; 
   wherein said controlling the speed of the fan comprises:
 activating the fan when the monitored temperature and the monitored activity of the processor indicate that primary thermal management is required, and 
   wherein said controlling of the operational performance of the processor comprises:
 reducing operational clock frequency of the processor when the monitored temperature and the monitored activity of the processor indicate that supplemental thermal management is required even after the fan has been activated for primary thermal management. 
   
     
     
         11 . A method as recited in  claim 10 , wherein after the fan is initially activated, the speed of the fan is increased in a gradual manner as additional primary thermal management is needed. 
     
     
         12 . A method as recited in  claim 10 , wherein said controlling the speed of the fan comprises:
 increasing the speed of the fan in a gradual manner to provide different levels of the primary thermal management.   
     
     
         13 . A method as recited in  claim 10 , wherein said reducing the operational clock frequency of the processor reduces the operational clock frequency by an amount dependent on the monitored temperature and the monitored activity of the processor. 
     
     
         14 . A method as recited in  claim 10 , wherein said reducing the operational clock frequency of the processor is performed in a gradual manner to provide different levels of the supplemental thermal management. 
     
     
         15 . A method as recited in  claim 10 , wherein the fan is a variable-speed fan, and
 wherein said activating the fan causes the fan to operate at a speed that is dependent on the monitored temperature and the monitored activity of the processor.   
     
     
         16 . A method as recited in  claim 15 , wherein when the fan is initially activated, the speed of the fan is relatively slow and the speed of the fan thereafter increases in a gradual manner when the temperature of the processor increases. 
     
     
         17 . A method as recited in  claim 10 , wherein the fan is a variable-speed fan, and
 wherein the primary thermal management operates the fan at successively greater speeds to provide a plurality of different levels of the primary thermal management.   
     
     
         18 . A method as recited in  claim 17 , wherein the level of the primary thermal management being performed is dependent on the monitored temperature and the monitored activity of the processor. 
     
     
         19 . A method as recited in  claim 10 , wherein the supplemental thermal management reduces the operational clock frequency of the processor by successively greater amounts to provide a plurality of different levels of the supplemental thermal management. 
     
     
         20 . A method as recited in  claim 19 , wherein the level of the supplemental thermal management being performed is dependent on the monitored temperature and the monitored activity of the processor. 
     
     
         21 . A method for managing operation of a portable computer, the portable computer including at least a processor and a fan, the fan being operable to cool at least the processor, said method comprising:
 configuring the portable computer for one of a plurality of different power management configurations;   monitoring a temperature of the processor;   setting a speed of the fan based on the configured power management configuration for the portable computer and based on the monitored temperature of the processor;   setting an operational performance of the processor based on the configured power management configuration for the portable computer and based on the monitored temperature of the processor; and   comparing the monitored temperature of the processor with at least a first predetermined temperature and a second predetermined temperature, the second predetermined temperature being higher than the first predetermined temperature,   wherein said setting the speed of the fan comprises:
 activating the fan when the monitored temperature of the processor exceeds the first predetermined temperature, and 
   wherein said setting the operational performance of the processor comprises:
 reducing operational clock frequency of the processor when the monitored temperature of the processor exceeds the second predetermined temperature. 
   
     
     
         22 . A method as recited in  claim 21 , wherein the fan provides primary thermal management and reduction in the operational clock frequency of the processor provides secondary thermal management. 
     
     
         23 . A method as recited in  claim 21 , wherein said method further comprises:
 increasing the operational clock frequency of the processor when the monitored temperature of the processor drops substantially below the second predetermined temperature, provided that the operational clock frequency was previously reduced by said reducing.   
     
     
         24 . A method as recited in  claim 23 , wherein said method further comprises:
 deactivating the fan when the monitored temperature of the processor drops below the first predetermined temperature, provided that the fan was previously activated by said activating.