Dynamic power control in integrated circuits

摘要

The invention relates to a method and device for implementing dynamic power control in an electronic system implemented on an integrated circuit, which electronic system comprises at least one or several hardware units (201, 202, 203), a hardware based power control logic (204) substantially implemented with logic circuits, as well as a programmable power control mode register (208) containing information about powered-down modes defined for said one or more hardware units. According to the invention, to transfer a single hardware unit (201, 202, 203) from the powered-down mode to the operational mode, said hardware unit transmits to the power control logic (204) a first level sensitive status signal (201a, 202a, 203a) for transferring said hardware unit from the powered-down mode to the wake up mode, and further a second level sensitive status signal (201b, 202b, 203b) for transferring said hardware unit from the wake up mode to the actual operating mode. Said wake up mode is characterized in that the transfer of said hardware unit (201, 202, 203) from the wake up mode to the actual operational mode is now effected with a known, preferably short delay, and that the power consumption in the wake up mode is lower than in the actual operational mode. The invention makes it possible to achieve aggressive power savings.