HOME       UP       PREV       FURTHER NOTES       NEXT (Power Consumption Example)  

Power Estimation Formula

Power is measured in Watts and P = V x I = E x f

Gate current I = Static Current (leakage) + Dynamic Current.

Early CMOS (VCC 5 volts): negligible static current,

but today at VCC of 1.3 volts it's 30 % of consumption.

Dynamic current = Short circuit current + Dynamic charge current.

Dynamic charge current computation:

  • All energy in a net/gates is wasted each time it goes from one to zero.
  • The energy in a capacitor is E = CV^2/2.
  • Dominant capacitance is proportional to net length.
  • Gate input and output capacitance also contribute to C.

Activity ratio, a: percentage of clock cycles that see a transition.

The net toggle rate = Operating frequency of the chip (f) \times ~ a.

For leakage and short circuit power see cell library.

»Powers 03


(C) 2008-10, DJ Greaves, University of Cambridge, Computer Laboratory.