Forcing a processor into a low power state

US9760158B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• Intel Corporation · US

Inventors

• Eliezer Weissmann · Haifa, IL
• Yoni Aizik · Haifa, IL
• Doron Rajwan · Nesher, IL
• Nir Rosenzweig · Givat Shmuel, IL
• Efraim Rotem · Haifa, IL
• Barnes Cooper · Hillsboro, US
• Paul S. Diefenbaugh · Portland, US
• Guy M. Therien · Beaverton, US
• Michael Mishaeli · Jerusalem, IL
• Nadav Shulman · Tel Mond, IL
• Ido Melamed · Kfar Sava, IL
• Niv Tokman · Haifa, IL
• Alexander Gendler · Kiryat Motzkin, IL
• Arik Gihon · Nesher, IL
• Yevgeni Sabin · Haifa, IL
• Hisham Abu Salah · Kiryat Shmona, IL
• Esfir Natanzon · Haifa, IL

Key dates

• Filing date: Jun 6, 2014
• Grant date: Sep 12, 2017
• Expiry date: Jul 12, 2035

Classification

• Technology area (CPC Y): Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
• CPC primary: Y02D30/50
• WIPO field: Computer technology
• WIPO sector: Electrical engineering

Abstract

In an embodiment, a processor includes multiple cores and a power controller. The power controller may include a hardware duty cycle (HDC) logic to cause at least one logical processor of one of the cores to enter into a forced idle state even though the logical processor has a workload to execute. In addition, the HDC logic may cause the logical processor to exit the forced idle state prior to an end of an idle period if at least one other logical processor is prevented from entry into the forced idle state. Other embodiments are described and claimed.