1. Intel Atom Architecture – Next
Intel Atom Architecture – Next
Generation Computing
Generation Computing
IMPACT Lab
2. Overview
Overview
Intel's smallest and lowest power processor
1.6 GHz (TDP 2.5 W)
◦ TDP – Thermal Design Power
maximum amount of power the cooling system in a
computer is required to dissipate.
The Intel® Atom™ processor enables the
industry to create pocket-sized and low
power Mobile Internet Devices (MIDs), and
Internet-focused notebooks (netbooks) and
desktops (nettops).
5. Atom Intended Usage
Atom Intended Usage
Portable internet capable devices
Not computationally as capable as a
desktop
Used in mobile phones and Netbooks
also in desktops
6. Types of Intel Atom
Types of Intel Atom
Three series of Atom processors
released
N series and Z series are both single core
◦ Used in mobile phones and netbooks
D series are dual core processors and are
used in desktops and even servers
The TDP can vary from as low as 0.65 W
to 13 W
7. Atom Architecture
Atom Architecture
Superscalar – 2 issue
◦ Multiple instruction processed at the same time by the processor
◦ Different from instruction pipelining
◦ Uses multiple redundant hardware components in the processor at the same time
Instruction Pipelining Superscalar – 2 issue
8. In-order and Out of order execution
In-order and Out of order execution
In-order
Instruction fetch.
If input operands are available (in
registers for instance), the
instruction is dispatched to the
appropriate functional unit.
If one or more operand is
unavailable during the current clock
cycle (generally because they are
being fetched from memory), the
processor stalls until they are
available.
The instruction is executed by the
appropriate functional unit.
The functional unit writes the
results back to the register file.
Out-Of-Order
Instruction fetch.
Instruction dispatch to an instruction
queue (also called instruction buffer)
The instruction waits in the queue until
its input operands are available.
The instruction is then allowed to leave
the queue before earlier, older
instructions.
The instruction is issued to the
appropriate functional unit and
executed by that unit.
The results are queued.
Only after all older instructions have
their results written back to the
register file, then this result is written
back to the register file.
9. Advantages and Disadvantages of in-
Advantages and Disadvantages of in-
order processing
order processing
Advantages
Eliminates Instruction Reordering Logic
◦ Reduces Power Consumption
◦ Reduces Die Space
Disadvantages
Lower Performance
◦ Data dependencies are more critical
◦ Memory Accesses and slow floating point operations stall the pipeline for longer
time
◦ Inefficiency in CPU hardware usage
Safe Instruction Recognition
Start the execution of a low latency integer operation when a
floating point operation is waiting for resources
10. Instruction Set and Functional Units
Instruction Set and Functional Units
ISA
Intel x86 compatible
instruction Set
◦ Just like any desktop
computer
Instruction length are
variable (CISC)
Support for SIMD
instructions
Functional Units
Minimum number of
functional units to
reduce power
2 Integer ALUs
2 Floating Point ALUs
12. Power Management Options –
Power Management Options –
Frequency Scaling
Frequency Scaling
Frequency Scaling
◦ 8 different operating frequency.
◦ Can reduce the frequency to up to 13 % of
maximum (1.6 GHz).
◦ Reducing frequency reduces power
consumption
◦ May increase execution time and hence
energy consumption
◦ Will definitely control operating temperature
13. Power Management Options –
Power Management Options –
Sleep Scheduling
Sleep Scheduling
6 sleep states C1 through C6
Sleep states mainly drains or shuts down the cache
Also shuts down the core clock
However, there is time penalty to wake up from the sleep states
Computation can only take place in C1 state
14. Software Control on Power
Software Control on Power
Management
Management
Advanced Configuration and Power Interface (ACPI)
Linux based set of commands
Sleep scheduling –
◦ echo NUM > /proc/acpi/sleep, NUM = 1 … 6
For waking up alarm can be set in the real time clock
Frequency scaling –
echo NUM>/proc/acpi/processor/CPU0/performance,
NUM = 0…7
15. Innovative Idea at IMPACT Lab
Innovative Idea at IMPACT Lab
Usage of Atom processors in sensors on
body
16. Body Sensor Networks
Body Sensor Networks
Sensors sense physiological
signals
Communicate with each other
through wireless channel
Simple computation capabilities
Very low power
17. Problems
Problems
SpO2
EKG
EEG
BP
Base
Station
Motion
Sensor
Body Sensor Network (BSN)
Wearable Sensor Nodes
Communication Range
Base Station
Thermal Map of
Human Body
Heating effects
Concerns:
1.Thermal safety – Keeping human body temperature within safe limits
2.Sustainability – Long term operation ensuring minimum battery drainage
18. AC Mains
Power Meter
Intel Atom N270 on Mobile
Intel Chipset 945 GSE
Operating Mode
(Percent throttling)
Power (W)
0 0.191
13 0.1864
25 0.17
37, 50, 62, 75 0.167
87 0.164
Power Measurement Set up Table showing Atom power consumption at
different operating frequencies
Power Measurements
Power Measurements
The entire platform takes around 11 W of power as the chipset is elaborate
19. Temperature Profiling
Temperature Profiling
Operating Mode
(Percent
Throttling)
Atom Processor
Operating
Temperature
(ºC)
Maximum Skin
Temperature
(ºC) after 24 hrs
of operation
Thermal
Damage
Temperature
(ºC)
0, 13, 25 43 39.4365
39.2
37, 50 42 39.3325
62, 75 41 39.2295
87 39 39.0264
The temperature rise of human skin due to contact with Atom based BSN
node has to be evaluated
The temperature rise occurs due to several physical phenomenon and is
modeled using the Penne’s bioheat equation -
2 4 4
( ) ( )
p b c r
dT
C K T b T T SAR P A T T
dt
Heat
accumulated
Heat transfer
by conduction
Heat by
radiation
Heat transfer
by convection
Heat by
power
dissipation
Heat by
electromagnetic
radiation
Thermal damage parameter
calculated according to
Henrique and Moritz [5].
Maximum temperature must
not exceed this.
5. F. C. J. Henriques et al. Studies of thermal injury:
I. the conduction of heat to and through skin and
the temperatures attained therein. A theoretical
and an experimental investigation. In Am J Pathol.,
pages 530–549, July. 1947.
20. Research Questions
Research Questions
Use frequency control and processor
sleep scheduling to reduce the power
consumption of Atom to the level of a
sensor
Limit the heating effect of Atom to safe
levels
Ultimate Goal
◦ A safe and sustainable Body Sensor Network
with Intel Atom processors
![Temperature Profiling
Temperature Profiling
Operating Mode
(Percent
Throttling)
Atom Processor
Operating
Temperature
(ºC)
Maximum Skin
Temperature
(ºC) after 24 hrs
of operation
Thermal
Damage
Temperature
(ºC)
0, 13, 25 43 39.4365
39.2
37, 50 42 39.3325
62, 75 41 39.2295
87 39 39.0264
The temperature rise of human skin due to contact with Atom based BSN
node has to be evaluated
The temperature rise occurs due to several physical phenomenon and is
modeled using the Penne’s bioheat equation -
2 4 4
( ) ( )
p b c r
dT
C K T b T T SAR P A T T
dt
Heat
accumulated
Heat transfer
by conduction
Heat by
radiation
Heat transfer
by convection
Heat by
power
dissipation
Heat by
electromagnetic
radiation
Thermal damage parameter
calculated according to
Henrique and Moritz [5].
Maximum temperature must
not exceed this.
5. F. C. J. Henriques et al. Studies of thermal injury:
I. the conduction of heat to and through skin and
the temperatures attained therein. A theoretical
and an experimental investigation. In Am J Pathol.,
pages 530–549, July. 1947.](https://image.slidesharecdn.com/atom-imp-reddy-250708044142-f849e0f3/85/atom-imp-concept-of-hardware-tools-in-ECE-ppt-19-320.jpg)
