SoC power analysis framework and its application to power-thermal co-simulation

In this paper, we introduce a systematic power analysis framework for SoC designs using bottom-up power modeling integrated with top-down power estimation. Four power analysis tools have been realized: (1) PowerBrick, a power characterization tool to construct power libraries for standard cell library and memory compiler, (2) PowerMixer, an RTL/gate-level power estimator for large logic design, (3) PowerMixer
^IP
, an IP-based power model builder to build power models for general IPs as well as processor IPs, and (4) PowerDepot, an ESL power estimation tool to enable super-fast system-level SoC power estimation. Equipped with these highly automatic tools, one is able to drastically reduce the effort and time spent in building the power analysis environment for SoC designs. The simulation speedup can be up to 2,400X comparing with traditional simulation methodology, while retaining very high accuracy. We also introduce its application to a power-thermal co-simulation process, by which one can predict more accurately the steady-state temperature of an IC in full operation.