IDAP: A Tool for High Level Power Estimation of Custom Array Structures

—While array structures are a significant source of power dissipation, there is a lack of accurate high-level power estimators that account for varying array circuit implementation styles. We present a methodology and a tool, the implementation-dependent array power (IDAP) estimator, that model power dissipation in SRAM-based arrays accurately based on a high-level description of the array. The models are parameterized by the array operations and various technology dependent parameters. The methodology is generic and the IDAP tool has been validated on industrial designs across a wide variety of array implementations in the e5001 processor core. For these industrial designs, IDAP generates high-level estimates for dynamic power dissipation that are accurate with an error margin of less than 22.2% of detailed (layout extracted) SPICE simulations. We apply the tool in three different scenarios: 1) identifying the subblocks that contribute to power significantly; 2) evaluating the eff...

• Type: Conference
• Year: 2003
• Where: ICCAD
• Authors: Mahesh Mamidipaka, Kamal S. Khouri, Nikil D. Dutt, Magdy S. Abadir
• Keywords: Array Power, Dynamic Power Dissipation, Hardware, ICCAD 2003, Implementation-dependent Array Power