Low power design
For us, low power really does mean low power consumption. Not just microamps, but right down to nanoamps when the application demands it. That requires hardware and embedded software to be designed as one complete solution, so the product only uses energy when it actually has something to do.
Low power design
The whole product architecture built around energy
Low power design is not just about choosing a processor with low power consumption. If a product has to run for years on a small battery, or perhaps live off the energy it can harvest from its surroundings, the entire architecture of the product has to be built around energy.
Down to nanoamps
When the application demands it
Hardware + software
Designed as one complete solution
Power budget
Calculated, and measured along the way
Energy harvesting
Energy from solar cells and the surroundings
For us, low power really means low power
Over the years we have developed many battery-powered products at Move, and for us low power really does mean low power. In the most demanding designs we do not just work with average consumption in microamps. We look right down to nanoamps in the parts of the product that can and should be shut down when they are not in use.
Hardware and software as one solution
That requires very close collaboration between hardware and embedded software. The hardware can be designed with components that have extremely low sleep currents, but if the firmware wakes the processor unnecessarily or leaves a peripheral active, the advantage quickly disappears. Conversely, even the most optimised firmware cannot compensate for a hardware design in which sensors, regulators or pull-up circuits draw current constantly.
It starts with the application
That is why low power design starts with a detailed understanding of the application. What does the product have to do? How often does it have to measure? How often does it have to communicate? How quickly does it have to respond to an event? Can a sensor be switched off most of the time? Does the radio have to be permanently available, or can it be activated only when needed?
The central question is always: what needs to be on, and when?
Power domains and deep sleep
An intelligent low power design can consist of several power domains, in which different parts of the electronics are supplied separately and can be switched off completely. The processor can spend most of its time in deep sleep, while an ultra-low-power function monitors the surroundings and only wakes the rest of the system when something relevant actually happens.
The radio is often the biggest consumer
The same applies to connectivity. A radio transmitter is often one of the biggest power consumers in a battery-powered product. That is why it can be far more efficient to collect data locally, process it and send only small packets of relevant information. How often Bluetooth, LoRaWAN, LTE-M, NB-IoT or another radio has to be activated can have an enormous impact on the final battery life.
A power budget for every state
We therefore work with a proper power budget, in which consumption is analysed for each of the product's states. How much current is used during measurement, computation, communication and sleep? How long does the product spend in each state? That makes it possible to calculate a realistic battery life and to identify where the biggest improvements can be found.
New product possibilities
Low power also opens up entirely new product possibilities. A product without a cable can be placed where installation would otherwise be expensive or impossible. A wireless sensor can be mounted on existing equipment without changing the installation. And if power consumption becomes low enough, in some applications the energy can be harvested directly from the surroundings.
Energy harvesting and solar cells
Among other things, we have worked on products that use solar cells as their own energy source. With very low power consumption, even limited energy sources can become interesting. In some cases that can be small solar cells harvesting energy from indoor light, or other forms of energy harvesting. Here the design task changes from asking how big the battery needs to be to balancing the energy the product uses against the energy it can draw from its surroundings.
Measured throughout development
That places extra demands on the hardware, the software, the energy storage and the product's usage pattern. That is why we test and measure power consumption throughout development and compare the actual measurements with the calculated power budget.
Years on a battery
The goal is not just a product with low power consumption on the datasheet. The goal is a product that, in the real application, can run for years on a battery, or perhaps become almost self-sufficient in energy.
Frequently asked questions
What does low power design mean?
Low power design means that the whole product is optimised for low energy consumption. That covers hardware, embedded software, sensors, connectivity, power supply and the way the product operates.
How low can you go on power consumption?
It depends on the product, but in demanding designs we work with sleep currents right down to nanoamps, where the components and the architecture make it possible.
How do you achieve several years of battery life?
By minimising the time the product's power-hungry functions are active. Processors, sensors, radios and other parts can often be asleep or switched off entirely for most of the time.
Can a product run on energy harvesting?
Yes. If the energy requirement is low enough, solar cells or other energy sources in the surroundings can be used to supplement, or in some cases completely replace, a conventional power supply.
Why do hardware and software have to be developed together?
Because energy consumption depends on both. The hardware has to be able to shut functions down efficiently, while the software has to control precisely when they are woken up and used.
Do you measure the actual power consumption during development?
Yes. Calculations and datasheet values are a good starting point, but the actual product has to be measured. We use the measurements to validate the power budget and to optimise both hardware and software.
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