Granted Patent B2

US 8,938,630 · App. 13/561,632 · Granted Jan 20, 2015

Inventor: Joseph M. Jeddeloh (Shoreview, MN)

Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.

Abstract

Claims (48)

1. A method for controlling power in an apparatus, comprising:

determining a power profile for each of a number of commands in a command queue that are ready for execution, wherein the power profile for each of the number of commands is based on a number of a parameters associated with a channel and/or memory device on which the number of commands are to be executed; and

selecting a portion of the number of commands in the command queue for execution based on the power profiles of the number of commands to control power consumption in the apparatus such that a particular average power level for the apparatus is achieved.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein selecting the portion of the number commands in the command queue for execution controls power consumption of the apparatus such that a peak power level for a particular amount of time is achieved.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein determining a power profile for each of a number of commands comprises determining the power profile for a respective one of the number of commands using a type of the respective command.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein determining a power profile for each of a number of commands comprises determining the power profile for a respective one of the number of commands using a length of time the respective command has been in the command queue.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein determining a power profile for each of a number of commands comprises determining the power profile for a respective one of the number of commands using a parameter associated with a channel and/or memory device on which the respective command is to be executed.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein selecting the portion of the number commands in the command queue for execution comprises selecting the portion of the number of commands based on a temperature of the apparatus.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the method includes executing the portion of the number of commands that were selected.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein determining the power profile for each of the number of commands in the command queue that are ready for execution comprises determining the power profile at a controller.

9. A method for controlling power in an apparatus, comprising:

determining a power profile for each command of a number of commands in a command queue that are ready for execution; and

determining a sum of the power profiles for each of a number of combinations of commands to determine an amount of power the apparatus will consume during execution of each combination of commands; and

selecting one of the number of combinations of commands for execution responsive to the sum of all the power profiles being greater than a particular average power level.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein the method includes selecting all of the number of commands for execution when the sum of all the power profiles is no more than a particular average power level.

11. The method of claim 9 , wherein the method includes selecting one of the number of combinations of commands for execution to limit power consumption of the apparatus to below a particular average power level when the apparatus has performed at a peak power level for a particular period of time.

12. The method of claim 9 , wherein selecting one of the number of combinations of commands for execution includes giving priority to a respective one of the commands for execution based on a length of time the respective command has been in the command queue.

13. The method of claim 9 , wherein selecting one of the number of combinations of commands for execution includes giving priority to read commands for execution.

14. The method of claim 9 , wherein selecting one of the number of combinations of commands for execution includes giving priority to write commands for execution.

15. The method of claim 9 , wherein determining the power profile for each command of the number of commands in the command queue that are ready for execution comprises determining the power profile at a controller.

16. A method for controlling power in an apparatus, comprising:

receiving a number of commands ready for execution in a command queue;

determining a power profile for each of the number of commands; and

selecting a portion of the number of commands for execution based on the determined power profiles by analyzing the power profiles to determine a combination of commands that when executed consume power at a peak level for no more than a particular period of time.

17. The method of claim 16 , wherein selecting the portion of the number of commands for execution includes analyzing the power profiles to determine which commands to include in the portion of the number of commands for execution.

18. The method of claim 17 , wherein analyzing the power profiles includes prioritizing a respective one of the commands based on a length of time the respective command has been in the command queue.

19. The method of claim 17 , wherein analyzing the power profiles includes prioritizing the commands based on command type and device parameters.

20. The method of claim 17 , wherein analyzing the power profiles includes determining a combination of commands that when executed consume power at a level that is no more than a determined average power level.

21. The method of claim 16 , wherein determining a power profile for each of the number of commands comprises determining the power profile at a controller.

22. An apparatus, comprising:

a number of memory cells; and

a controller coupled to the number of memory cells and configured to:

determine a power profile for each of a number commands in a command queue, the power profiles indicating an amount of power associated with executing the respective number of commands in the command queue and a number of parameters associated with a channel and/or memory device on which the respective number of commands are to be executed; and

select a portion of the number of commands in the command queue for execution based on the power profiles such that a particular average power level for the apparatus is achieved.

23. The apparatus of claim 22 , wherein the controller is coupled to the number of memory cells via a number of channels.

24. The apparatus of claim 23 , wherein the controller is configured to execute the selected portion of the number of commands by enabling each of the number of channels that are associated with the portion of the selected portion of the number of commands.

25. The apparatus of claim 22 , wherein the power profile of a respective one of the number of commands is based on a length of time the respective command has been in the command queue and a type of the respective command.

26. The apparatus of claim 22 , wherein the power profile of a respective one of the number of commands is based on an amount of power the respective command will consume.

27. An apparatus, comprising:

a number of memory cells; and

a controller coupled to the number of memory cells and configured to:

determine a power profile for each command of a number of commands in a command queue that are ready for execution;

determine a sum of the power profiles for each of a number of combinations of commands to determine an amount of power the apparatus will consume during execution of each combination of commands;

compare the amount of power the apparatus will consume during execution of each combination of commands to a particular average power level; and

select one of the number of combinations of commands for execution based on the amount of power the apparatus will consume during execution of the selected combination of commands so that the amount of power is no more than the particular average power level.

28. The apparatus of claim 27 , wherein the controller is configured to update the power profiles as commands are executed.

29. The apparatus of claim 27 , wherein the controller is configured to update the power profiles as commands are received by the controller.

30. The apparatus of claim 27 , wherein the selected combination of commands consume an amount of power that is greater than the average power level for no more than a particular period of time.

Assignments (8)

Continuity (1)