Method and system for suspending video processor and saving processor state in SDRAM utilizing a core processor
View Patent ↗A method and system are provided in which a multimedia processor comprises a first portion associated with a first of a plurality of power domains and a second portion associated with a second of the plurality of power domains. The first portion and the second portion of the multimedia processor are integrated on a single substrate. Data may be transferred from the first portion to the second portion and, upon completing the transfer, the first portion may be powered down and state information associated with it stored. The state information may be stored in an external SDRAM. The data in the second portion of the multimedia processor may be transferred to an external device through a peripheral module in the second portion. When a trigger event associated with the data transfer to the external device occurs, the first portion may be powered up and rebooted using the stored state information.
1. A method for controlling power, the method comprising:
in an integrated circuit comprising a multimedia processor, said multimedia processor comprising a plurality of power domains, wherein a first portion of the multimedia processor is associated with a first of said plurality of power domains and a second portion of said multimedia processor is associated with a second of said plurality of power domains, and wherein said first portion of said multimedia processor and said second portion of said multimedia processor are integrated on a single substrate of said integrated circuit:
transferring data from said first portion of said multimedia processor to said second portion of said multimedia processor;
powering down said first portion of said multimedia processor upon completion of said transfer of said data;
transferring said data from said second portion of said multimedia processor to a device that is external to said multimedia processor; and
when a trigger event associated with said transfer of said data to said external device occurs, powering up said first portion of said multimedia processor.
2. The method according to claim 1 , comprising generating one or more signals in said second portion of said multimedia processor to power up said first portion of said multimedia processor when said trigger event occurs.
3. The method according to claim 1 , wherein said trigger event is associated with an amount of said data that remains to be transferred to said external device.
4. The method according to claim 1 , comprising storing state information associated with said first portion of said multimedia processor when said first portion of said multimedia processor is powered down.
5. The method according to claim 1 , comprising transferring additional data from said first portion of said multimedia processor to said second portion of said multimedia processor after said first portion of said multimedia processor is powered up.
6. The method according to claim 3 , comprising generating one or more signals in said second portion of said multimedia processor to power up said first portion of said multimedia processor when said amount of data that remains to be transferred to said external device is below a threshold value.
7. The method according to claim 4 , wherein said storing comprises storing said state information associated with said first portion of said multimedia processor in a synchronous dynamic random access memory (SDRAM).
8. The method according to claim 4 , wherein said storing comprises storing said state information associated with said first portion of said multimedia processor in a memory that is external to said multimedia processor.
9. The method according to claim 4 , comprising receiving said stored state information associated with said first portion of said multimedia processor when said first portion of said multimedia processor is powered up.
10. The method according to claim 9 , comprising rebooting said first portion of said multimedia processor based on said received state information.
11. A system for controlling power, the system comprising:
an integrated circuit comprising a multimedia processor, saidmultimedia processor comprising a plurality of power domains, wherein a first portion of said multimedia processor is associated with a first of said plurality of power domains and a second portion of said multimedia processor is associated with a second of said plurality of power domains, wherein said first portion of said multimedia processor and said second portion of said multimedia processor are integrated on a single substrate of said integrated circuit, and wherein:
said first portion of said multimedia processor is operable to transfer data to said second portion of said multimedia processor;
said first portion of said multimedia processor is operable to be powered down upon completion of said transfer of said data;
said second portion of said multimedia processor is operable to transfer said data to a device that is external to said multimedia processor; and
said first portion of said multimedia processor is operable to be powered up when a trigger event associated with said transfer of said data to said external device occurs.
12. The system according to claim 11 , wherein said second portion of said multimedia processor is operable to generate one or more signals to power up said first portion of said multimedia processor when said trigger event occurs.
13. The system according to claim 11 , wherein said trigger event is associated with an amount of said data that remains to be transferred to said external device.
14. The system according to claim 11 , wherein said multimedia processor is operable to send state information associated with said first portion of said multimedia processor to be stored when said first portion of said multimedia processor is powered down.
15. The system according to claim 11 , wherein said first portion of said multimedia processor is operable to transfer additional data to said second portion of said multimedia processor after said first portion of said multimedia processor is powered up.
16. The system according to claim 13 , wherein:
said second portion of said multimedia processor comprises an interface module; and
said interface module is operable to generate one or more signals to power up said first portion of said multimedia processor when said amount of data that remains to be transferred to said external device is determined by said interface module to be below a threshold value.
17. The system according to claim 14 , wherein said state information is stored in a synchronous dynamic random access memory (SDRAM).
18. The system according to claim 14 , wherein said state information is stored in a memory that is external to said multimedia processor.
19. The system according to claim 14 , wherein said multimedia processor is operable to receive said stored state information associated with said first portion of said multimedia processor when said first portion of said multimedia processor is powered up.
20. The system according to claim 19 , wherein said multimedia processor is operable to reboot said first portion of said multimedia processor based on said received state information.