Power consumption management

Abstract

Embodiments include a system, an apparatus, a device, and a method. A system includes a power module operable to determine respective indicia of power consumed in executing at least one instruction by a first subcircuit and by a second subcircuit of a synchronous circuit. The system also includes a scheduler module operable to direct an execution task to a subcircuit selected from the first subcircuit and the second subcircuit. The subcircuit selection is responsive to the determined respective indicia of power consumption by the first subcircuit and by the second subcircuit.

1 . A method comprising:
 determining an indicia of energy expended by a first subcircuit and by a second subcircuit of a synchronous circuit during respective executions of at least one instruction; and   directing an execution task to a subcircuit selected from the first subcircuit and the second subcircuit and based upon the determined indicia of energy expended by the first subcircuit and by the second subcircuit.   
     
     
         2 - 9 . (canceled) 
     
     
         10 . A system comprising:
 a power module operable to determine respective indicia of power consumed in executing a test operation by a first subcircuit and by a second subcircuit of a circuit; and   a scheduler module operable to direct an operation to a subcircuit selected from the first subcircuit and the second subcircuit, the subcircuit selection based upon the determined respective indicia of power consumption by the first subcircuit and by the second subcircuit.   
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 10 , wherein the power module operable to determine respective indicia of power consumed in executing a test operation by a first subcircuit and by a second subcircuit of a circuit includes:
 a power module operable to determine respective indicia of power consumed in executing a task by a first subcircuit and by a second subcircuit of a circuit.   
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 10 , wherein the power module operable to determine respective indicia of power consumed in executing a test operation by a first subcircuit and by a second subcircuit of a circuit includes:
 a power module operable to determine respective indicia of power consumed in executing at least one instruction of a program by a first subcircuit and by a second subcircuit of a circuit.   
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 10 , wherein the power module operable to determine respective indicia of power consumed in executing a test operation by a first subcircuit and by a second subcircuit of a circuit includes:
 a power module operable to determine respective indicia of power consumed in executing at least one instruction of an application by a first subcircuit and by a second subcircuit of a circuit.   
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 10 , wherein the power module operable to determine respective indicia of power consumed in executing a test operation by a first subcircuit and by a second subcircuit of a circuit includes:
 a power module operable to determine respective indicia of power consumed in executing at least one instruction of an instruction group by a first subcircuit and by a second subcircuit of a circuit.   
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 10 , wherein the power module operable to determine respective indicia of power consumed in executing a test operation by a first subcircuit and by a second subcircuit of a circuit includes:
 a hardware-implemented power module operable to determine respective indicia of power consumed in executing a test operation by a first subcircuit and by a second subcircuit of a circuit.   
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 10 , wherein the power module operable to determine respective indicia of power consumed in executing a test operation by a first subcircuit and by a second subcircuit of a circuit includes:
 a power module implemented in at least one of hardware, software, firmware, and/or a microengine and operable to determine respective indicia of power consumed in executing a test operation by a first subcircuit and by a second subcircuit of a circuit.   
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 10 , wherein the power module operable to determine respective indicia of power consumed in executing a test operation by a first subcircuit and by a second subcircuit of a circuit includes:
 a power module operable to respectively determine a power consumption to execute a test operation by a first subcircuit and by a second subcircuit of a circuit.   
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 10 , wherein the power module operable to determine respective indicia of power consumed in executing a test operation by a first subcircuit and by a second subcircuit of a circuit includes:
 a power module operable to respectively determine an indicia of temperature resulting from an executing of a test operation by a first subcircuit and by a second subcircuit of a circuit.   
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 10 , wherein the power module operable to determine respective indicia of power consumed in executing a test operation by a first subcircuit and by a second subcircuit of a circuit includes:
 a power module operable to respectively determine an indicia of a current flow resulting from an executing of a test operation by a first subcircuit and by a second subcircuit of a circuit.   
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 10 , wherein the power module operable to determine respective indicia of power consumed in executing test operation by a first subcircuit and by a second subcircuit of a circuit includes:
 a power module operable to respectively determine a respective indicia of power consumed in executing at least one instruction by a first subcircuit and by a second subcircuit of a synchronous circuit.   
     
     
         21 . The system of  claim 10 , wherein the scheduler module operable to direct an operation to a subcircuit selected from the first subcircuit and the second subcircuit, the subcircuit selection based upon the determined respective indicia of power consumption by the first subcircuit and by the second subcircuit includes:
 a scheduler module implemented in at least one of hardware, software, firmware, and/or a microengine and operable to direct an operation to a subcircuit selected from the first subcircuit and the second subcircuit, the subcircuit selection based upon the determined respective indicia of power consumption by the first subcircuit and by the second subcircuit.   
     
     
         22 . The system of  claim 10 , wherein the scheduler module operable to direct an operation to a subcircuit selected from the first subcircuit and the second subcircuit, the subcircuit selection based upon the determined respective indicia of power consumption by the first subcircuit and by the second subcircuit includes:
 a scheduler module operable to direct an operation to a subcircuit selected based upon a determined lower indicia of power consumption for the selected subcircuit than the non-selected subcircuit.   
     
     
         23 . The system of  claim 10 , wherein the scheduler module operable to direct an operation to a subcircuit selected from the first subcircuit and the second subcircuit, the subcircuit selection based upon the determined respective indicia of power consumption by the first subcircuit and by the second subcircuit includes:
 a scheduler module operable to direct an operation to a subcircuit selected in response to a criterion that includes a determined lower indicia of power consumption for the selected subcircuit than for the non-selected subcircuit.   
     
     
         24 . The system of  claim 10 , wherein the scheduler module operable to direct an operation to a subcircuit selected from the first subcircuit and the second subcircuit, the subcircuit selection based upon the determined respective indicia of power consumption by the first subcircuit and by the second subcircuit includes:
 a scheduler module operable to direct an execution task to a subcircuit selected from the first subcircuit and the second subcircuit based upon the determined respective indicia of power consumption by the first subcircuit and by the second subcircuit.   
     
     
         25 . The system of  claim 10 , wherein the scheduler module operable to direct an operation to a subcircuit selected from the first subcircuit and the second subcircuit, the subcircuit selection based upon the determined respective indicia of power consumption by the first subcircuit and by the second subcircuit includes:
 a scheduler module operable to direct an execution of at least one instruction to a subcircuit selected from the first subcircuit and the second subcircuit, the subcircuit selection based upon the determined respective indicia of power consumption by the first subcircuit and by the second subcircuit.   
     
     
         26 . The system of  claim 10 , wherein the scheduler module operable to direct an operation to a subcircuit selected from the first subcircuit and the second subcircuit, the subcircuit selection based upon the determined respective indicia of power consumption by the first subcircuit and by the second subcircuit includes:
 a scheduler module operable to direct an execution of at least one instruction of a program to a subcircuit selected from the first subcircuit and the second subcircuit, the subcircuit selection based upon the determined respective indicia of power consumption by the first subcircuit and by the second subcircuit.   
     
     
         27 . The system of  claim 10 , wherein the scheduler module operable to direct an operation to a subcircuit selected from the first subcircuit and the second subcircuit, the subcircuit selection based upon the determined respective indicia of power consumption by the first subcircuit and by the second subcircuit includes:
 a scheduler module operable to direct an execution of at least one instruction of an application to a subcircuit selected from the first subcircuit and the second subcircuit, the subcircuit selection based upon the determined respective indicia of power consumption by the first subcircuit and by the second subcircuit.   
     
     
         28 . The system of  claim 10 , wherein the scheduler module operable to direct an operation to a subcircuit selected from the first subcircuit and the second subcircuit, the subcircuit selection based upon the determined respective indicia of power consumption by the first subcircuit and by the second subcircuit includes:
 a scheduler module operable to direct an execution of at least one instruction of an instruction group to a subcircuit selected from the first subcircuit and the second subcircuit, the subcircuit selection based upon the determined respective indicia of power consumption by the first subcircuit and by the second subcircuit.   
     
     
         29 . The system of  claim 10 , wherein the scheduler module operable to direct an operation to a subcircuit selected from the first subcircuit and the second subcircuit, the subcircuit selection based upon the determined respective indicia of power consumption by the first subcircuit and by the second subcircuit includes:
 a scheduler module operable to direct at least one of a specific action to be performed, an action to be performed on an entity, performance of a useful act, and/or performance of an act with respect to an entity the result of which is specified by a rule, to a subcircuit selected from the first subcircuit and the second subcircuit, the subcircuit selection based upon the determined respective indicia of power consumption by the first subcircuit and by the second subcircuit.   
     
     
         30 . The system of  claim 10 , wherein the scheduler module operable to direct an operation to a subcircuit selected from the first subcircuit and the second subcircuit, the subcircuit selection based upon the determined respective indicia of power consumption by the first subcircuit and by the second subcircuit includes:
 a scheduler module operable to direct an operation to a subcircuit selected from the first subcircuit and the second subcircuit based upon an availability of the selected subcircuit and the determined indicia of power consumption by the selected subcircuit.   
     
     
         31 . The system of  claim 10 , wherein the scheduler module operable to direct an operation to a subcircuit selected from the first subcircuit and the second subcircuit, the subcircuit selection based upon the determined respective indicia of power consumption by the first subcircuit and by the second subcircuit includes:
 a scheduler module operable to preferentially direct an operation to a subcircuit selected from the first subcircuit and the second subcircuit based upon an availability of the selected subcircuit and the determined indicia of power consumption by the selected subcircuit.   
     
     
         32 . The system of  claim 10 , wherein the power module and the scheduler module are formed on a single chip. 
     
     
         33 . The system of  claim 10 , further comprising: the circuit. 
     
     
         34 . The system of  claim 33 , wherein the circuit, the power module, and the scheduler module are formed on a single chip. 
     
     
         35 . A system comprising:
 a circuit including a first subcircuit and a second subcircuit;   a monitor circuit for determining respective indicia of power consumption to execute a test operation by the first subcircuit and by the second subcircuit; and   a manager circuit for scheduling an execution task to a subcircuit selected from the first subcircuit and the second subcircuit based upon the determined respective indicia of power consumption by the first subcircuit and by the second subcircuit.   
     
     
         36 . The system of  claim 35 , wherein the circuit including a first subcircuit and a second subcircuit further includes:
 a synchronous circuit including a first subsystem and a second subsystem.   
     
     
         37 . The system of  claim 35 , wherein the circuit including a first subcircuit and a second subcircuit further includes:
 a synchronous processor including a first processor core and a second processor core.   
     
     
         38 . The system of  claim 35 , wherein the circuit including a first subcircuit and a second subcircuit further includes:
 a synchronous uniprocessor including a first subsystem and a second subsystem.   
     
     
         39 . The system of  claim 35 , wherein the circuit including a first subcircuit and a second subcircuit further includes:
 a circuit formed on one chip and including a first subcircuit and a second subcircuit.   
     
     
         40 . The system of  claim 35 , wherein the circuit including a first subcircuit and a second subcircuit includes:
 a circuit including a first subcircuit formed on a first chip and a second subcircuit formed on a second chip.   
     
     
         41 . The system of  claim 35 , further comprising: a computing device having the circuit that includes a first subcircuit and a second subcircuit. 
     
     
         42 . The system of  claim 35 , further comprising: a power supply configured to electrically couple with a portable power source and operable to provide power to the circuit.