Skipping non-time-critical task according to control table when operating frequency falls
View Patent ↗This task management method includes dividing a unit time of processing into a reserved band for guaranteeing real-timeness and a non-reserved band not for guaranteeing real-timeness, and skipping a task to be executed in the non-reserved band as appropriate when processor throughput falls. That is, when the operating frequency of the processor is lowered in order to suppress heat generation, the real-timeness of tasks to be executed in the reserved band is guaranteed at the expense of processing the task to be executed in the non-reserved band in a best-efforts fashion.
1. A method of executing tasks comprising:
dividing a unit of processing time for executing tasks of a process by a processor into a reserved band for guaranteeing time-critical tasks and a non-reserved band for non-time-critical tasks; and
skipping a task to be executed in the non-reserved band when operating frequency of a processor falls, wherein
a non-time-critical task is determined to be skipped by consulting a control target table, wherein the control target table stores information on operating frequency of the processor and an associated rate of execution of a task to be executed in the non-reserved band at the operating frequency.
2. The method of executing tasks according to claim 1 , wherein the operating frequency of the processor is lowered when the processor or a peripheral circuit thereof exceeds a predetermined threshold in temperature.
3. The method of executing tasks according to claim 1 , wherein the operating frequency of the processor is lowered depending on power consumption of the processor.
4. A task management method comprising:
classifying tasks to be executed by a processor into a first type and a second type depending on properties thereof; and
executing tasks of the first type while skipping a task of the second type to be executed between the tasks of the first type when operating frequency of the processor falls, wherein
the second type of task is determined to be skipped by consulting a control target table, wherein the control target table stores information on operating frequency of the processor and an associated rate of execution of the second type of task to be executed at the operating frequency.
5. The task management method according to claim 4 , wherein:
the processor recognizes, by a predetermined method, that a task of the first type is one that is time-critical; and
the processor recognizes, by a predetermined method, that a task of the second type is one that is non-time-critical.
6. A task management device comprising:
a local memory;
a switch instruction unit, which issues an instruction to switch a plurality of tasks to be executed by a main processing unit; and
a detection unit, which detects operating frequency of the main processing unit, wherein the switch instruction unit divides a unit of processing time of processing into a reserved band for guaranteeing time-critical tasks and a non-reserved band for non-time-critical tasks, and skips a task to be executed in the non-reserved band when the operating frequency of the main processing unit falls, wherein
a non-time-critical task is determined to be skipped by consulting a control target table stored in memory, wherein the control target table stores information on operating frequency of the main processing unit and an associated rate of execution of a task to be executed in the non-reserved band at the operating frequency.
7. The task management device according to claim 6 , further comprising an interpretation unit, which interprets a time-critical requirement pertaining to programs executed by the respective tasks, and wherein
the switch instruction unit allocates each of the tasks to either the reserved band or the non-reserved band based on the interpretation.
8. The task management device according to claim 6 , further comprising a determination unit that determines properties of programs executed by the respective tasks, and wherein
the switch instruction unit allocates each of the tasks to either the reserved band or the non-reserved band based on the determination.
9. The task management device according to claims 6 , wherein the unit of processing time is one pertaining to display processing.
10. A task management device comprising:
a local memory;
a switch instruction unit, which issues an instruction to switch a plurality of tasks to be executed by a main processing unit; and
a detection unit, which detects operating frequency of the main processing unit, wherein
the switch instruction unit classifies the tasks to be executed by the main processing unit into a first type and a second type depending on properties thereof, and executes tasks of the first type while skipping a task of the second type to be executed between the tasks of the first type when operating frequency of the main processing unit falls, wherein
the second type of task is determined to be skipped by consulting a control target table stored in memory, wherein the control target table stores information on operating frequency of the main processing unit and an associated rate of execution of the second type of task to be executed at the operating frequency.
11. A semiconductor integrated circuit comprising:
a main processing unit, which executes predetermined tasks; and
a task management unit, which divides a unit of processing time of processing into a reserved band for guaranteeing time-critical tasks and a non-reserved band for non-time-critical tasks, and skips a task to be executed in the non-reserved band when operating frequency of the main processing unit falls,
a non-time-critical task is determined to be skipped by consulting a control target table, wherein the control target table stores information on operating frequency of the main processing unit and an associated rate of execution of a task to be executed in the non-reserved band at the operating frequency.
12. The semiconductor integrated circuit according to claim 11 , further comprising a clock generation unit, which supplies a clock having a predetermined operating frequency to the main processing unit.
13. The semiconductor integrated circuit according to claim 12 , wherein the clock generation unit lowers the operating frequency when the main processing unit or a periphery thereof exceeds a predetermined threshold in temperature.
14. The semiconductor integrated circuit according to claim 13 , wherein the clock generation unit lowers the operating frequency depending on power consumption.
15. The semiconductor integrated circuit according to claim 12 , wherein the task management unit skips the task to be executed in the non-reserved band when the main processing unit or a periphery thereof exceeds a predetermined threshold in temperature.
16. The semiconductor integrated circuit according to claim 12 , wherein the task management unit skips the task to be executed in the non-reserved band depending on power consumption.
17. A semiconductor integrated circuit comprising:
a main processing unit, which executes tasks at a predetermined operating frequency;
a clock generation unit, which supplies a clock having the operating frequency to the main processing unit;
a circuit, which receives a task management function for task management to divide a unit of processing time into a reserved band for guaranteeing time-critical tasks and a non-reserved band for non-time-critical tasks for skipping a task to be executed in the non-reserved band when the operating frequency of the main processing unit falls; and
a control target table, wherein a non-time-critical task is determined to be skipped by consulting the control target table, wherein the control target table stores information on operating frequency of the main processing unit and an associated rate of execution of a task to be executed in the non-reserved band at the operating frequency.
18. An electronic apparatus comprising:
a processor, which executes tasks at a predetermined operating frequency; and
a storing unit, which stores a program to be executed by said processor, wherein the processor executes the program to perform a function for task management to divide a unit of processing time into a reserved band for guaranteeing time-critical tasks and a non-reserved band for non-time-critical tasks for skipping a task to be executed in the non-reserved band when the operating frequency of the processor falls; and
a control target table, wherein a non-time-critical task is determined to be skipped by consulting the control target table, wherein the control target table stores information on operating frequency of the processor and an associated rate of execution of a task to be executed in the non-reserved band at the operating frequency.
19. The electronic apparatus according to claim 18 , further comprising a frequency control unit which lowers the operating frequency when the processor or a peripheral circuit thereof exceeds a predetermined threshold in temperature.
20. The electronic apparatus according to claim 18 , further comprising a frequency control unit which lowers the operating frequency depending on power consumption.
21. A computer-readable storage medium that stores a program executed by a processor, the program including a function of:
dividing a unit of processing time into a reserved band for guaranteeing time-critical tasks and a non-reserved band for non-time-critical tasks for skipping a task to be executed in the non-reserved band when operating frequency of the processor falls,
wherein a non-time-critical task is determined to be skipped by consulting a control target table, wherein the control target table stores information on operating frequency of the processor and an associated rate of execution of a task to be executed in the non-reserved band at the operating frequency.
22. A computer-readable storage medium that stores a program executed by a processor, the program including the functions of:
classifying tasks to be executed by the processor into a first type and a second type depending on properties thereof; and
executing tasks of the first type while skipping a task of the second type to be executed between the tasks of the first type when operating frequency of the processor falls, wherein
the second type of task is determined to be skipped by consulting a control target table, wherein the control target table stores information on operating frequency of the processor and an associated rate of execution of the second type of task to be executed at the operating frequency.
23. A task management system comprising:
a processor, which executes tasks at a predetermined operating frequency;
a clock generation unit, which supplies a clock having the operating frequency to said processor; and
a switch instruction unit, which issues an instruction to switch a plurality of tasks to be executed by said processor, wherein
the switch instruction unit divides a unit of processing time for executing tasks of a process by the processor into a reserved band for guaranteeing time-critical tasks and a non-reserved band for non-time-critical tasks and skips a task to be executed in the non-reserved band when the operating frequency of the processor falls, and wherein
a non-time-critical task is determined to be skipped by consulting a control target table, wherein the control target table stores information on operating frequency of the processor and an associated rate of execution of a task to be executed in the non-reserved band at the operating frequency.
24. The task management system according to claim 23 , wherein the clock generation unit lowers the operating frequency when the processor or a peripheral circuit thereof exceeds a predetermined threshold in temperature.
25. The task management system according to claim 23 , wherein the clock generation unit lowers the operating frequency depending on power consumption.