TCP Window Based DVFS for Low Power Network Controller SoC

The decision to enable a network controller to operate at a high performance mode, at the cost of high power, should not rely solely on the amount of data that needs to be transmitted, but also on the ability of the network to deliver it. This work presents a power reduction approach for network controllers using the TCP protocol's unique capability to sense congested networks. Simulations show that it consistently saves at least 10% more energy than work-load only based DVFS throughout various traffic loads and that it nearly doubles the energy saved at various network congestion levels.