Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status
The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA .
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
The following is a quotation of the appropriate paragraphs of 35 U.S.C. 102 that form the basis for the rejections under this section made in this Office action:
A person shall be entitled to a patent unless –
(a)(1) the claimed invention was patented, described in a printed publication, or in public use, on sale, or otherwise available to the public before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claim(s) 1-5, 8-13 and 15-20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Bircher(US 2012/0297232).
Regarding claim 1, Bircher discloses a system comprising: a system management circuit configured to: monitor, at runtime, execution of a first task using a first operating frequency, execution of the first task taking a first amount of time; monitor, at runtime, execution of a second task using a second operating frequency that is lower than the first operating frequency, execution of the second task taking a second amount of time(Paragraph 37, the performance of the workloads may be measured at a minimum of two clock frequencies. In one embodiment, two frequencies (Freq1 and Freq2) may be chosen that encompass the range of the practical operating frequencies. In one embodiment, the performance value for a given workload at the frequencies, Freq1 and Freq2, may be based on the amount of time it takes for processor 105 to finish a given workload task while running at each of those clock frequencies; Paragraph 14, the power management unit may also be configured to calculate a real-time frequency sensitivity value of each application executing on each of the two or more processing units, wherein the real-time frequency sensitivity value units is based on the one or more hardware performance counters, which represents the amount of time the workload takes to run.); and cause a third task to be executed using a third operating frequency, wherein the third operating frequency is selected based at least in part on a change in execution time that results from changing the operating frequency from the first operating frequency to a second frequency (Paragraph 14, he power management unit may also be configured to calculate a real-time frequency sensitivity value of each application executing on each of the two or more processing units, wherein the real-time frequency sensitivity value units is based on the one or more hardware performance counters. The frequency of the input clock coupled to each of the two or more processing units may be adjusted based on the corresponding real-time frequency sensitivity value).
Regarding claim 2, Bircher discloses system as recited in claim 1, wherein the first amount of time and the second amount of time correspond to clock cycles(Paragraph 37, the performance of the workloads may be measured at a minimum of two clock frequencies. In one embodiment, two frequencies (Freq1 and Freq2) may be chosen that encompass the range of the practical operating frequencies. In one embodiment, the performance value for a given workload at the frequencies, Freq1 and Freq2, may be based on the amount of time it takes for processor 105 to finish a given workload task while running at each of those clock frequencies).
Regarding claim 3, Bircher discloses system as claimed in claim 2, wherein the system management circuit is configured to select the third operating frequency for executing the third task such that it is closer to the second operating frequency than a current operating frequency, responsive to a change in execution time between the first amount of time and the second amount of time being less than a threshold(Paragraph 54, Power management unit 220 may cause a processing unit 211 to operating in P-state P4 responsive to a corresponding frequency sensitivity value that is less than a low threshold value).
Regarding claim 4, Bircher discloses system as claimed in claim 2, wherein the system management circuit is configured to select the third operating frequency for executing the third task such that it is closer to the first operating frequency than a current operating frequency, responsive to a change in execution time between the first amount of time and the second amount of time(Paragraph 53, Power management unit 220 in one embodiment may cause a processing unit 211 to operate at P-state P0 responsive to a corresponding frequency sensitivity value exceeding a certain high threshold).
Regarding claim 5, Bircher discloses system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the third operating frequency is selected for the third task based on the third task being similar to the first task and the second task, similarity being determined based at least in part on one or more of: tasks occurring in consecutive frames of a same scene: tasks within a frame that have similar processing characteristics: tasks consuming a similar amount of processing and data resources; tasks taking a similar amount of time to execute; tasks having similar execution characteristics due to a relatively small number of changes between frames: or tasks for which profiling data from earlier tasks can be reused to predict performance and optimize operating parameters without re-profiling(Paragraph 36, identifying a plurality of workloads (e.g., workloads 116 and 117) that are representative of all the workloads that are expected to be used on processor 105).
Regarding claim 8, Bircher discloses system as claimed in claim 7, wherein the system management circuit is configured to use runtime low-power controller firmware to monitor execution of the first task and the second task, and select the third operating frequency(Paragraph 30, Additionally, "configured to" can include generic structure (e.g., generic circuitry) that is manipulated by software and/or firmware (e.g., an FPGA or a general-purpose processor executing software) to operate in manner that is capable of performing the task(s) at issue).
Claims 9-13 and 15-20 recite similar limitations as claims 1-5 and 8 and thus taught by Bircher, as explained above.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 6-7 and 14 are objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim, but would be allowable if rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to claim(s) 1 have been considered but are not found persuasive. Applicant argues that Bircher does not disclose monitoring at runtime. Examiner respectfully disagrees. Paragraph 37 discloses the performance of the workloads may be measured at a minimum of two clock frequencies. In one embodiment, two frequencies (Freq1 and Freq2) may be chosen that encompass the range of the practical operating frequencies. In one embodiment, the performance value for a given workload at the frequencies, Freq1 and Freq2, may be based on the amount of time it takes for processor 105 to finish a given workload task while running at each of those clock frequencies. The monitoring is done while the workload is running and is considered to be monitored during runtime. Furthermore, Paragraph 14 discloses the power management unit may also be configured to calculate a real-time frequency sensitivity value of each application executing on each of the two or more processing units, wherein the real-time frequency sensitivity value units is based on the one or more hardware performance counters, which represents the amount of time the workload takes to run.
Applicant further argues that Bircher does not disclose selecting a frequency based on change in execution time that results from changing the operating frequency from the first operating frequency to a the second operating frequency. Examiner respectfully disagrees. Paragraph 14 discloses the power management unit may also be configured to calculate a real-time frequency sensitivity value of each application executing on each of the two or more processing units, wherein the real-time frequency sensitivity value units is based on the one or more hardware performance counters. The frequency of the input clock coupled to each of the two or more processing units may be adjusted based on the corresponding real-time frequency sensitivity value.
Applicant’s arguments regarding claim 6 is persuasive and the previous rejection is withdrawn. Since claim 7 depends on claim 6, its rejection is also withdrawn.
Conclusion
Applicant's amendment necessitated the new ground(s) of rejection presented in this Office action. Accordingly, THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. See MPEP § 706.07(a). Applicant is reminded of the extension of time policy as set forth in 37 CFR 1.136(a).
A shortened statutory period for reply to this final action is set to expire THREE MONTHS from the mailing date of this action. In the event a first reply is filed within TWO MONTHS of the mailing date of this final action and the advisory action is not mailed until after the end of the THREE-MONTH shortened statutory period, then the shortened statutory period will expire on the date the advisory action is mailed, and any nonprovisional extension fee (37 CFR 1.17(a)) pursuant to 37 CFR 1.136(a) will be calculated from the mailing date of the advisory action. In no event, however, will the statutory period for reply expire later than SIX MONTHS from the mailing date of this final action.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to NIMESH G PATEL whose telephone number is (571)272-3640. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday, 8:15-4:15.
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/NIMESH G PATEL/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2176
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