Nvidia Corporation

Matthew Raymond Longnecker

Sagheer Ahmad

Brian Lawrence Smith

Brad W Simeral

Gary D Hicok

Christopher L Mills

Harikrishna Madadi Reddy

Atul Garg

Ignatius B Tjandrasuwita

Rahul Gautam Patel

Derek E Pappas

Shankar Moni

Pete Cumming

Scott Alan Williams

Eric L Masson

Thomas Dean Skelton

Sudeshna Guha

Hemalkumar Chandrkant Doshi

Robert Alan Bignell

Ilan Aelion

Terje Bergstrom

Venkata Krishna Reddy Dumpa

Rene Marchand

A method for graphics processor clock scaling comprises the following steps. A percentage of idle-time is calculated, based upon an elapsed idle-time and an elapsed active time. A graphics processor clock rate is reduced if the percentage of idle time is higher than a high limit threshold. The graphics processor clock rate is increased if the percentage of idle time is lower than a low limit threshold.

Graphics processor clock scaling based on idle time

A method of entering a power conservation state comprises selecting and entering one of a plurality of low power states for the computer system in response to a detected system idle event. The plurality of low power states comprise a first low power state and a second low power state for the computer system. A memory of the computer system is self refreshed during the first low power state. A baseband module of the computer system remains powered, and the memory is accessible to the baseband module during the second low power state. The one low power state is selected depending upon baseband module activity. The method also includes exiting from the one of a plurality of low power states when a wake event is detected.

Low-power states for a computer system with integrated baseband

A technique for managing processor cores within a multi-core central processing unit (CPU) provides efficient power and resource utilization over a wide workload range. The CPU comprises at least one core designed for low power operation and at least one core designed for high performance operation. For low workloads, the low power core executes the workload. For certain higher workloads, the high performance core executes the workload. For certain other workloads, the low power core and the high performance core both share execution of the workload. This technique advantageously enables efficient processing over a wider range of workloads than conventional systems.

Heterogeneous multiprocessor design for power-efficient and area-efficient computing

A regulator draws power from a battery or power delivery system and supplies regulated power to a load according to alternating modes of operation. In a voltage control mode, the regulator supplies power with a nominal voltage level and a fluctuating current level that is allowed to float according to the current demands of the load. When the load demands an amount of current that could potentially cause damage, the regulator transitions to a current control mode. In the current control mode, the regulator supplies power with a fluctuating voltage level and a maximum current level. The regulator transitions between voltage control mode and current control mode in order to supply a maximum power level to the load without exceeding the maximum current level. The regulator is also configured to limit the power drawn from the battery by decreasing the maximum output current, potentially avoiding voltage droop.

Technique for supplying power to a load via voltage control and current control modes of operation

Power management techniques for a Universal Serial Bus (USB) include determining an idle period on one or more USB ports by a main controller circuit of a USB host controller. The main controller circuit signals a suspend to a Power Management Controller (PMC) sub-circuit of the USB host controller, in response to the determined idle period. The PMC sub-circuit stores one or more operating parameters of the one or more USB ports in response to the suspend signal. The PMC sub-circuit also maintains the idle state on the one or more USB ports in response to the suspend signal. Thereafter, the main controller circuit is placed in a low energy state while the PMC sub-circuit maintains the idle state.

Power management techniques for USB interfaces

To preserve power and increase the overall efficiency of the CPU, the platform idle driver causes the power gate controller to cut power to the idle core. Such power gating is autonomous, i.e., the operating system and the other cores are not involved. In operation, the platform idle driver first prepares the core and the power gate controller for power gating the core. The platform idle driver then triggers the power gating. The power gate controller monitors interrupts released by the interrupt controller, and if any on the released interrupts are associated with the power gated core, the power gate controller resumes dispersing power to the core.

Power-gating in a multi-core system without operating system intervention

Described are methods and systems for processing data. A motion estimator uses a block of an input frame of video data and a block of a reference frame of video data to generate motion vectors according to a first encoding scheme. A motion compensator produces half pel motion vectors from the motion vectors according to a second encoding scheme that is different from the first encoding scheme.

Adapting one type of encoder to another type of encoder

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San Jose, CA, United States of America

Matthew Raymond Longnecker