NSF PFI: AIR-TT: Real-time Power Measurement Software Technology for Microprocessor

University Of Southern California, Los Angeles CA

Investigators

Abstract

This PFI: AIR Technology Translation project focuses on translating an on-chip digital power monitoring research discovery to fill the need for superior on-chip power measurement technology. The Real-time Power Measurement Software Technology (RTPMSoft) project will result in a prototype of a highly accurate subcomponent level power estimation software for an embedded processor in a System-on-Chip. This power estimation software system has the following unique features: (1) high accuracy comparable to the direct power (hardware) measurement method(s), (2) sampling rate in the order of digital clock rate, and (3) run-time power estimation of subcomponents with automated self-calibration. These features provide significant advantages in system cost, measurement accuracy, and monitoring performance when compared to the leading technology in this market space such as on-chip analog-digital converters (ADCs), inferential digital sensors, and event based power modeling. The RTPMSoft is important because the techniques developed for the prototype have broader applicability to other areas of computing such as low power computing, high performance server systems, and consumer appliances such as mobile phones. Indeed, all the technology trends suggest a future where a fine-grained energy accounting system will be an integral part of most computing devices. While the experts in industry have recognized the necessity of using fine grained power measurement in integrated circuit (IC) designs to make advances in low-power and high performance systems, the state-of-the-art measurement technologies are insufficient to support the needs of modern chip designs. As this project translates from research discovery toward commercial application, the translated product(s) will fill the technology gap in the power measurement technology to enable advances in on-chip power management in modern ICs without the need for specialized hardware. The project is driven by an innovative power measurement technology to produce purely software based prototype running on a full-fledged embedded processor platform capable of running Linux operating system. More specifically, the project will (a) devise practical software analysis methods exposing the fine-grained system run-time processes; (b) develop runtime probing methods within the operating system that allows instrumentation of software ?sensors?; (c) port research discovery algorithms to a purely software based prototype and evaluate it. This prototype will provide conclusions that generalize beyond the research results. The potential economic impact is expected to increase rapidly in the next five to ten years to affect a significant portion of $300B IC market. More specifically, the work will contribute to the U.S. competitiveness in the future of power aware IC industry.