Downstream device service latency reporting for power management

Abstract

For one disclosed embodiment, a transition from a first state to a second, different state for at least a portion of a downstream device may be identified. The first and second states may correspond to different levels relating to activity for at least a portion of the downstream device. Data corresponding to a service latency may be transmitted to an upstream device in response to the identified transition for one or more upstream devices to manage power based at least in part on the service latency. Other embodiments are also disclosed.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An apparatus comprising:
 first logic to identify a transition for at least a portion of a downstream device from a first state to a second, different state, wherein the first and second states correspond to different levels relating to activity for at least a portion of the downstream device; and   second logic to transmit to an upstream device data corresponding to a service latency in response to the identified transition for one or more upstream devices to manage power based at least in part on the service latency.   
     
     
         2 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the second logic is to wait a predetermined period of time after identification of the transition before transmitting the data. 
     
     
         3 . The apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein the second state is an idle state. 
     
     
         4 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the second state is an idle state and the service latency is based at least in part on an available capacity of a buffer for the downstream device to receive data. 
     
     
         5 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the second state is an active state and the service latency is based at least in part on a reserve capacity of a buffer for the downstream device to receive data. 
     
     
         6 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the second state is a lower power state relative to the first state. 
     
     
         7 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the first state corresponds to the performance of one or more tasks by the downstream device and the second state corresponds to completion of one or more tasks by the downstream device. 
     
     
         8 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the second logic is to transmit to an upstream device data corresponding to a service latency identified by the upstream device. 
     
     
         9 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein at least a portion of the downstream device is to transition from the first state to the second state at substantially fixed time intervals. 
     
     
         10 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the first logic is to identify that at least a portion of the downstream device is about to transition from the first state to the second state. 
     
     
         11 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the first logic is to identify that at least a portion of the downstream device has transitioned from the first state to the second state. 
     
     
         12 . A method comprising:
 identifying a transition for at least a portion of a downstream device from a first state to a second, different state, wherein the first and second states correspond to different levels relating to activity for at least a portion of the downstream device; and   transmitting to an upstream device data corresponding to a service latency in response to the identified transition for one or more upstream devices to manage power based at least in part on the service latency.   
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , comprising waiting a predetermined period of time after identification of the transition before transmitting the data. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the second state is an idle state and the service latency is based at least in part on an available capacity of a buffer for the downstream device to receive data. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the second state is a lower power state relative to the first state. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the first state corresponds to the performance of one or more tasks by the downstream device and the second state corresponds to completion of one or more tasks by the downstream device. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the transmitting includes transmitting to an upstream device data corresponding to a service latency identified by the upstream device. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 12 , comprising transitioning by at least a portion of the downstream device from the first state to the second state at substantially fixed time intervals. 
     
     
         19 . A downstream device comprising:
 first logic to identify a transition for at least a portion of the downstream device from a first state to a second, different state, wherein the first and second states correspond to different levels relating to activity for at least a portion of the downstream device;   second logic to transmit to an upstream device data corresponding to a service latency in response to the identified transition for one or more upstream devices to manage power based at least in part on the service latency; and   third logic to help control functionality of the downstream device.   
     
     
         20 . The downstream device of  claim 19 , wherein the second logic is to wait a predetermined period of time after identification of the transition before transmitting the data. 
     
     
         21 . The downstream device of  claim 19 , wherein the second state is an idle state and the service latency is based at least in part on an available capacity of a buffer for the downstream device to receive data. 
     
     
         22 . The downstream device of  claim 19 , wherein the second state is a lower power state relative to the first state. 
     
     
         23 . The downstream device of  claim 19 , wherein the first state corresponds to the performance of one or more tasks by the downstream device and the second state corresponds to completion of one or more tasks by the downstream device. 
     
     
         24 . The downstream device of  claim 19 , wherein the second logic is to transmit to an upstream device data corresponding to a service latency identified by the upstream device. 
     
     
         25 . The downstream device of  claim 19 , wherein at least a portion of the downstream device is to transition from the first state to the second state at substantially fixed time intervals.