Patent ID: 8132030

Claim:
A device ( 100 ) for managing power consumption of a plurality of data processing units, the device comprising: a first data processing unit ( 200 ) having a high first power mode of operation, a low second power mode of operation, and an intermediate power mode of operation between the high first and low second power modes of operation; a second data processing unit ( 240 ) having a high third power mode of operation, a low fourth power mode of operation, and an intermediate power mode of operation between the high third and low fourth power modes of operation; and a scheduler ( 280 ) for scheduling, within respective deadlines of operation, either concurrent or non-concurrent operation of the first and second data processing units; said scheduler: (i) scheduling non-concurrent operation of the first and second data processing units when both of said units are operating in their respective high power modes; (ii) scheduling concurrent operation of the first and second data processing units when one of said units is operating in its respective high power mode and the other is operating in its respective intermediate or low power modes; and (iii) scheduling concurrent operation of the first and second data processing units when each of said units is operating in either its respective intermediate or low power mode.