Method and system for determining the dynamic consumption of a module within an electronic device such as a system on chip
A reference clock signal of at least one module clock signal associated with each module is delivered. A measurement period is generated and a module whose consumption is to be determined is selected. The frequency of the at least one module clock signal associated with the selected module reduced during the measurement period. A measurement of a first consumption of the device is made in the measurement period. A measurement of a second consumption of the device is made outside the measurement period. The consumption of the selected module is determined from the first and measured first and second consumptions.
1. A method for determining a consumption of a module within a device comprising multiple modules, comprising the following steps:
delivering, from a reference clock signal, at least one module clock signal associated with each module;
generating a measurement period;
selecting a module for determining its consumption;
reducing in frequency said at least one module clock signal associated with said selected module during said measurement period;
measuring a first consumption of the device in said measurement period;
measuring a second consumption of said device outside said measurement period; and
determining the consumption of said selected module from the measured first and second consumptions.
2. The method according to claim 1 , wherein generating the measurement period comprises generation, from an activation signal, a pulse signal defining said measurement period and generating a synchronization signal for synchronizing measurement of the first consumption in said measurement period.
3. The method according to claim 2 , wherein selecting said module includes delivering, from a control signal and said pulse signal, at least one selection signal associated with each module and intended to determine said reduction in frequency.
4. The method according to claim 1 , wherein reducing in frequency includes total frequency cut-off of said at least one module clock signal associated with said selected module during said measurement period.
5. The method according to claim 1 , wherein determining the consumption includes calculating a difference between said first consumption and the second consumption.
6. The method according to claim 5 , wherein determining the consumption further includes multiplying said difference by a coefficient taking into account the frequency reduction factor.
7. An electronic system, including:
a device comprising multiple modules;
a control circuit configured to generate a measurement period and select a module whose consumption is to be determined;
a sequencing circuit configured to deliver, from a reference clock signal, at least one module clock signal associated with each module and perform a reduction in frequency of said at least one module clock signal associated with said selected module during said measurement period;
a measurement circuit configured to perform a first measurement of a first consumption of said device in said measurement period and perform a second measurement of a second consumption of said device outside said measurement period; and
a calculation circuit configured to determining the consumption of said selected module from the first and second measurements.
8. The system according to claim 7 , wherein the control circuit includes:
a management circuit configured to deliver a control signal and an activation signal, and
a pulse generator that receives said activation signal and delivers a pulse signal defining said measurement period,
said device further including an interface configured to receive said pulse signal and deliver a synchronization signal enabling the measurement circuit to synchronize the first measurement of the first consumption in said measurement period.
9. The system according to claim 8 , wherein the control means further include a selection circuit configured to receive said control signal and said pulse signal and to output to said sequencing circuit at least one selection signal associated with each module.
10. The system according to claim 9 , wherein the sequencing circuit comprises as many processing components as module clock signals, each processing component being coupled to a corresponding module to receive the corresponding selection signal originating from said control circuit and to deliver the module clock signal associated with said module.
11. The system according to claim 10 , wherein the selection circuit is further configured to perform an automatic scan of the processing components so as to determine the dynamic consumption of each corresponding module.
12. The system according to claim 10 , wherein the sequencing circuit is configured to perform a total frequency cut-off of said at least one module clock signal associated with said selected module during said measurement period.
13. The system according to claim 7 , wherein the calculation circuit is configured to calculate a difference between the first consumption and the second consumption.
14. The system according to claim 13 , wherein the calculation circuit is further configured to multiply said difference by a coefficient taking into account the frequency reduction factor.