Method and System for Throttling a Processor Based on a Processor Utilization Requirement (02-Feb-2010)

Method and System for Throttling a Processor Based on a Processor Utilization Requirement

Disclosed is a method for adjusting throttling level of a processor, for reducing power consumption of the processor, based on a processor utilization requirement. The method includes monitoring actual utilization of the processor and comparing the actual utilization to a target utilization of the processor. If the difference between the actual utilization and the target utilization is within a safe range, the throttling level of the processor remains unchanged. However, if the difference between the actual utilization and the target utilization is beyond the safe range, the throttling level of the processor is re-calculated and subsequently adjusted. Thus, the actual utilization of the processor is maintained around the target utilization while throttling the processor to reduce its power consumption.

The figure depicts the ranges of processor utilization where the throttling of the processor is adjusted in accordance with the method disclosed. As shown in the figure, a processor utilization target (U_TAR) is set for the processor corresponding to a utilization requirement. Additionally, a safe zone (Δ_SAFE) is defined around U_TAR, within which adjustment of the throttling level of the processor is not performed. However, if the actual utilization of the processor crosses above o...