Patent ID: 8140876
Filing Date: 2012-03-20
Classification: G06F,Y02D

Abstract:
1. A method of managing power consumption in a computer system, the method comprising: assigning each of a plurality of tasks executing in the computer system a criticality value, the criticality value controlling a degree with which a performance of the task can be degraded in order to reduce power consumption in the computer system, wherein each task has a priority value, and wherein a first task of the plurality of tasks has a priority value that is higher than a priority value of a second task, and the first task has a lower criticality value than a criticality value of the second task; scheduling the first task and the second task for execution by the computer system based on the respective priority values; and controlling power consumption in the computer system based on the criticality values associated with at least a subset of the tasks executing in the computer system, including reducing power consumption of at least a portion of the computer system during execution of the first task among the plurality of tasks by the at least a portion of the computer system based at least in part on the criticality value associated with the first task such that performance of the first task is degraded relative to performance of the second task to conserve power consumption.