Power profiling in an integrated circuit having a current sensing circuit

A method of monitoring power consumption in an integrated circuit (IC), the method comprising:

• measuring current consumed by one or more subcircuits, each of the one or more subcircuits executing an application software program;
• converting the measured current to power values;
• generating timestamp values, wherein the timestamp values are correlated with the power values;
• using the timestamp values and the power values to generate a power profile for the one or more subcircuits.

An integrated circuit (IC) comprising:

• conductors connected to a supply voltage;
• subcircuits configured to execute application programs;
• switches, each of the switches coupled between one of the conductors and a corresponding one of the subcircuits, and configured to transmit a first load current to the corresponding one of the subcircuits when activated;
• sensing circuits, each of the sensing circuits having a first connection to a corresponding one of the conductors before a first terminal of a corresponding one of the switches and a second connection to the corresponding one of the conductors after a second terminal of the corresponding one of the switches, the sensing circuits are configured to generate a sensed current that is proportional to the load current;
• and
• a controller configured to provide signals used to determine power profiles of the subcircuits based on the sensed currents.