Processor core energy management

Abstract

Methods and apparatus relating to techniques for processor core energy management are described. In an embodiment, energy management logic causes a modification to energy consumption by an electrical load (such as a processor core) based at least in part on comparison of an electrical current value and an operating current threshold value. The electrical current value is detected at an electrical current sensor coupled to the electrical load. Other embodiments are also disclosed and claimed.

1 . An apparatus comprising:
 energy management logic, at least a portion of which is in hardware, to cause a modification to energy consumption by an electrical load based at least in part on comparison of an electrical current value and an operating current threshold value,   wherein the electrical current value is to be detected at an electrical current sensor coupled to the electrical load.   
     
     
         2 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the operating current threshold value is to be determined based on a ratio of a maximum operating current value for the electrical load. 
     
     
         3 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the electrical load is to comprise a processor core. 
     
     
         4 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the modification to the energy consumption is to comprise a change to an operating frequency of a processor core. 
     
     
         5 . The apparatus of  claim 4 , wherein the energy management logic is to cause the change to the operating frequency of the processor core for a duration of at or below about 100 usec. 
     
     
         6 . The apparatus of  claim 4 , wherein the energy management logic is to cause the change for a duration of less than about 1 usec. 
     
     
         7 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising one or more sensors to detect one or more of: a voltage droop value, a temperature value, operating frequency, an operating voltage value, or a power consumption value. 
     
     
         8 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising one or more sensors to detect a variation in one or more factors having an effect on power or thermal behavior of the electrical load. 
     
     
         9 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , comprising logic to transfer information from a first clock domain of the electrical load to a second clock domain of the electrical load. 
     
     
         10 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , comprising a phase locked loop logic, coupled to the energy management logic, to change a supplied operating current to the electrical load. 
     
     
         11 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising a fully integrated voltage regulator to regulate a supply of voltage to the electrical load. 
     
     
         12 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein one or more of: the energy management logic, a processor having one or more processor cores, the electrical current sensor, a fully integrated voltage regulator, and memory are on a single integrated circuit. 
     
     
         13 . A method comprising:
 causing a modification to energy consumption by an electrical load, at energy management logic, based at least in part on comparison of an electrical current value and an operating current threshold value,   wherein the electrical current value is detected at an electrical current sensor coupled to the electrical load.   
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , further comprising determining the operating current threshold value based on a ratio of a maximum operating current value for the electrical load. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the modification to the energy consumption comprises a change to an operating frequency of a processor core. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , further comprising the energy management logic causing the change to the operating frequency of the processor core for a duration of at or below about 100 usec. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 15 , further comprising the energy management logic causing the change for a duration of less than about 1 usec. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 13 , further comprising one or more sensors detecting a variation in one or more factors having an effect on power or thermal behavior of the electrical load. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 13 , further comprising transferring information from a first clock domain of the electrical load to a second clock domain of the electrical load. 
     
     
         20 . A computer-readable medium comprising one or more instructions that when executed on at least one processor configure the at least one processor to perform one or more operations to:
 cause a modification to energy consumption by an electrical load, at energy management logic, based at least in part on comparison of an electrical current value and an operating current threshold value,   wherein the electrical current value is detected at an electrical current sensor coupled to the electrical load.   
     
     
         21 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 20 , further comprising one or more instructions that when executed on the at least one processor configure the at least one processor to perform one or more operations to cause determination of the operating current threshold value based on a ratio of a maximum operating current value for the electrical load. 
     
     
         22 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 20 , wherein the modification to the energy consumption comprises a change to an operating frequency of a processor core. 
     
     
         23 . A computing system comprising:
 memory to store data;   a processor core, coupled to the memory, to perform one or more operations on the stored data; and   energy management logic, at least a portion of which is in hardware, to cause a modification to energy consumption by an electrical load based at least in part on comparison of an electrical current value and an operating current threshold value,   wherein the electrical current value is to be detected at an electrical current sensor coupled to the electrical load.   
     
     
         24 . The system of  claim 23 , wherein the operating current threshold value is to be determined based on a ratio of a maximum operating current value for the electrical load. 
     
     
         25 . The system of  claim 23 , wherein the electrical load is to comprise a processor core.