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Low Power Design - Power Consumption

The document discusses low power modes of the MSP430 microcontroller. It describes the active mode and various low power modes like LPM0-4. LPM4 has the lowest power consumption where the CPU and all clocks are disabled, drawing only 0.1uA. The document explains which clocks are active/disabled in each mode and how to enter the modes using status register bits and C compiler instructions.

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SUNOJ RAICAR
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28 views3 pages

Low Power Design - Power Consumption

The document discusses low power modes of the MSP430 microcontroller. It describes the active mode and various low power modes like LPM0-4. LPM4 has the lowest power consumption where the CPU and all clocks are disabled, drawing only 0.1uA. The document explains which clocks are active/disabled in each mode and how to enter the modes using status register bits and C compiler instructions.

Uploaded by

SUNOJ RAICAR
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Unit 1

Module: Low power design: Power Consumption characteristics, Low Power modes

Introduction to Low power design


The various embedded applications and products have requirements of ultralow power
MCUs. These devices are usually powered by a battery source and are currently achieving
more than 10 years operation from a single button cell battery. So, there is a necessity for
minimum power consumption. The battery capacity is limited; so, to make device run for a
long time, it is required to have a low power microcontroller to design similar embedded
systems. One of the salient features of the MSP430 is its very low power consumption.
Examples:
The various embedded applications and products like access control & security systems,
electronic locks, electric meters, water meters, fitness and activity trackers, pulse oximeter,
etc
Power/Current Consumption
• Current increases with clock frequency, roughly linearly.
• Current increases with supply voltage.
• More active peripherals means more current consumption, but a Timer unit running
at 8 MHz draws considerably less current than the CPU running at 8 MHz
MSP430 works on two types of mode:
1) Active Mode
2) Low Power Modes (Standby Mode)
The MSP430 microcontroller is designed for ultralow-power applications. It offers the lowest
power consumption and the perfect mix of integrated peripherals for a variety of battery-
operated applications. MSP430 microcontroller has Low power modes (LPM) 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, and
3.5 and 4.5. AM is the normal running mode and all LPM for low power consideration modes.
The low power operating modes consider the needs of ultralow-power consumption, speed,
data throughput and minimization of individual peripheral current consumption.
LOW POWER MODES OF MSP430
• Active mode: CPU, all clocks, and enabled modules are active, I ≈ 300µA. The MSP430
starts up in this mode, which must be used when the CPU is required.
• LPM0: CPU and MCLK are disabled, SMCLK and ACLK remain active, I ≈ 85µA. This is
used when the CPU is not required but some modules require a fast clock from SMCLK
and the DCO.
• LPM1: Both CPU and MCLK are disabled. DCO(digitally controlled oscillator) is
disabled. SMCLK is not available if it is sourced from DCO. ACLK remains active.
• LPM2: CPU,MCLK,SMCLK and DCO are disabled, ACLK remains active
• LPM3: CPU, MCLK, SMCLK, and DCO are disabled; only ACLK remains active; I ≈ 1µA.
This is the standard low-power mode when the device must wake itself at regular
intervals and therefore needs a (slow) clock. It is also required if the MSP430 must
maintain a real-time clock.
• LPM4: CPU and all clocks are disabled, I ≈ 0.1µA. The device can be wakened only by
an external signal. This is also called RAM retention mode.

The table below shows which clocks are active and which are disabled in various low power
modes.

BITS of STATUS REGISTER and LOW POWER MODES


Four bits SCG1, SCG0, OSCOFF, CPUOFF are used to switch MSP430 from active mode to LPM.
Values of bits according to modes are shown in the following table.
Power consumption in various modes
Power consumption is various modes is shown in the following figure

C compiler instructions to enter into power down modes

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