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The Mobile Power Initiative is an industry wide program to assist mobile PC system manufacturers, component suppliers and software vendors in delivering future high-end mobile systems and software within mobile thermal limits without sacrificing battery life. This comprehensive initiative addresses the industry's projected design challenges in three major areas: System Hardware, System Software, and Application Software.
Back in September at the Mobile Power Symposium, Intel introduced the Mobile Power Guidelines '99 version 0.80 for industry review and a broad array of tools and specifications to support power efficient hardware and software development. On December 1, 1997, Intel announced the final version of the Mobile Power Guidelines for 1999 version 1.0 and the latest version of an application software tool called Intel® Power Monitor Version 3.0.
Intel Mobile Power Guidelines '99 Version 1.0
The goal of the Mobile Power Guidelines is to set power targets for mobile components for future mobile platforms and provide advice on how to meet those targets. The key elements include balanced power and performance targets, core and bus voltage roadmaps, and power management recommendations for new mobile technologies, such as IEEE 1394. The Intel Mobile Power Guidelines '99 are supported by leading PC system manufacturers, including IBM*, Toshiba*, Compaq*, Dell* and NEC*, as well as a broad array of component suppliers and software vendors.
The version 1.0 of the Mobile Power Guidelines '99 added two sections that were not in the version 0.80—display and battery life. The following list summarizes the new additions and changes to the final version of the Mobile Power Guidelines for 1999.
- Display Features and Power Targets
- Battery life
- Factors and assumptions
- Total system power estimates
- Battery life calculations
- Design considerations
- Other additions/changes to other sections based on industry feedback
- For example, removal of IEEE 1394 internal device port support in 1999
Intel Mobile Power Monitor Version 3.0
The Intel® Power Monitor (IPM), originally introduced in October ' 96, is a software tool that monitors system activity on Pentium® Processor and Pentium processor with MMX™ technology notebook computers running Windows* 95 and WindowsNT* 4.0, to provide information about software that may be wasting power. For example, IPM can capture certain command types, such as PeekMessage, that needlessly waste CPU cycles. IPM can then temporarily fix the power-wasting application code in real-time. With the information provided by IPM, Independent Software Vendor's (ISV's) can create power-friendly software.
On December 1st, Intel announced IPM Version 3.0 and is available today for download. The key new feature in Version 3.0 is the ability to determine hardware device level power. The current devices that can be measured are the central processor and any rotating media such as the hard disk drive, CD-ROM, or floppy drive. If possible in the future, support will be added for other devices on the platform. When estimating device level power, a Smart Battery enabled mobile system can allow IPM to more accurately measure power being used by the system.
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By implementing the recommendations outlined in the Intel Mobile Power Guidelines '99, the mobile industry should be able to meet the growing user demand for more compelling features and performance while providing reasonable battery life. In 1999, mobile computer users should get more robust systems with high-performance processors, exciting 3D graphics, soft MPEG 2 playback on DVD drives, and new features like the IEEE 1394 I/O bus all within today's mobile thermal limits. Systems designed to the Mobile Power Guidelines '99 should see an increase in battery life from systems designed in 1998.
We all know battery life is important to mobile PC users, and most don't want their software to waste one precious minute of it. In addition to hardware changes in '99, the Intel Application Software Initiative provides guidelines and tools like the Intel® Power Monitor Version 3.0 to help software developers create applications that not only perform well, but conserve battery life too. Leading application vendors such as Microsoft*, Lotus* and Corel* have used IPM and seen up to 60% battery life savings while using their popular suites of office applications.
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The desire for new compelling features continues to drive the growth in the mobile industry. The Intel Mobile Power Guidelines '99 provides a comprehensive plan for system manufacturers to add new and compelling features within mobile thermal limits. System and component manufacturers will be able to deliver more innovative, compelling, and reliable systems by utilizing lower power components and lighter-weight thermal solutions. Dell Computer's Doug MacGregor, Vice President, Portables Business Unit, supports the guidelines as he said, "...when these standards emerge, it will give companies all along the development chain the potential to benefit by offering lower cost components that can be more easily integrated into system designs. This should translate into lower cost, more reliable systems which will be a great benefit to Dell's notebook customers."
The benefit the Intel® Power Monitor Version 3.0 brings to ISV's is that they can now measure their applications impact on subsystem power. Previously, they could only view total system power. With this new feature, they can tell when their application uses these devices and tune their application for power efficiency. In addition, Independent Hardware Vendors (IHV's) can now use the program to test the impact of applications on their specific device in the system.
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As we mentioned earlier, the Intel Mobile Power Guidelines '99 version .80 was announced at the Intel Mobile Power Symposium in September of 1997. Since then Intel added two new sections on displays and battery life and a few other edits to make up version 1.0 announced on December 1st, 1997. Throughout the second half of 1998 and into 1999, we expect to see announcements of mobile components and systems that support the recommendations outlined in these guidelines. We will track and recognize these developments and announcements with periodic updates to the Intel Power Initiative developer web site, as well as this Platform Solutions news page. This should help keep the mobile industry informed of the progress of the Intel® Mobile Power Initiative as we move towards 1999.
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Please download a copy of the Intel Mobile Power Guidelines Version 1.0 from the Intel Mobile Power Initiative web site.
- Implement the recommendations in your systems and components planned for production in the 1999 time frame.
- Participate in Intel and mobile industry enabling programs for implementation recommendations of key technologies like IEEE 1394.
- Participate in future IMPG development activities
- IMPG '00 development starts in the second half of '98
Download the Intel Power Monitor Version 3.0 and utilize this tool along with Intel's Mobile Application Guidelines to develop "mobile friendly" applications.
Continue to provide your Intel Power Initiative input to Power@intel.com
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For more information on the Intel Mobile Power Guidelines '99 Version 1.0
For more information on Intel Power Monitor Version 3.0
For more information on the Smart Battery System
To get more details on Software and the Mobile Software Guidelines
For more details on the Intel Mobile Power Initiative
For more information on Mobile System Software and OS power management
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* Legal Information © 1998 Intel Corporation
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