Simulate Design Power Consumption

[Altera_Forum]

Hi, I have a digital circuit that I've implemented in three different ways. I would like to know the power consumption of each design in order to make an comparation of performance. 

How can that be done? Is it possible?   Thank You!

[Altera_Forum]

--- Quote Start ---  Hi, I have a digital circuit that I've implemented in three different ways. I would like to know the power consumption of each design in order to make an comparation of performance. How can that be done? Is it possible?    Thank You!  --- Quote End ---     What's your three ways? Could you explain some information?

[Altera_Forum]

Hi Rafael, 

 1) the easiest is to put an ampere meter in series with your (external) power supply to your board and measure the (average) current for your three ways you made your circuit.  You should of course subtract the (average) current for when there is no activity in your FPGA (no clocking, no output, no circuit) and the peripherals on the board.  Most of the power consumption is due to active swithing in your circuit.  2) you can implement your circuit that already has dedicted current measurements on board specifically for the FPGA (like the Cyclone III FPGA Development Kit). This allows you to monitor the current consumption.  The power consumption is P = V.I is proportional with the the current I for a fixed power supply voltage V.

[Altera_Forum]

--- Quote Start ---  What's your three ways? Could you explain some information?  --- Quote End ---    Actually I have one original design, and other two with different pipelining settings. I need to analyse the better option.  sanmao, I've a DE0, wich uses a Ciclone III FPGA. I never heard about a dedicated current measurements. I'll see if I can find something about that.  Thank you both!

[Altera_Forum]

Hi Rafael, 

 the cyclone iii development kit (http://www.altera.com/products/devkits/altera/kit-cyc3.html) has special A/D converters to measure the power. The DE0 does not have this. So what you can do is insert a current meter in between your plug and your board and measure the current. This current is proportional to your power consumption.  Kind regards,  sanmao