Creating optimal low-power designs involves making tradeoffs such as timing-versus-power and area-versus-power at different stages of the design flow. Successful power-sensitive designs require engineers to have the ability to accurately and efficiently perform these tradeoffs. In order to achieve this, engineers require access to appropriate low-power analysis and optimization engines, which need to be integrated with - and applied throughout - the entire RTL-to-GDSII flow.
This paper first describes the most significant power dissipation and distribution considerations. The requirements for a true low-power design environment that addresses these power considerations throughout the entire RTL-to-GDSII design flow are then introduced.
