Dynamic power control in integrated circuits

A power control system for dynamic power control in an electronic system implemented on an integrated circuit, which electronic system comprises at lease one hardware unit, a hardware based power control logic implemented using logic circuits, and a programmable power control mode register containing information about powered-down modes defined for said hardware unit, in which power control system

• a single hardware unit is arranged to transmit, by means of a hardware-unit-specific level-sensitive status signal, information about its activity to the power control logic,
• the power control mode register is arranged to transmit, by means of a hardware-unit-specific level-sensitive requirement signal, information to the power control logic about the powered-down mode defined into said mode register by programming for a single hardware unit, wherein
• the power control logic is arranged to combine said status signal and said requirement signal for transferring said hardware unit from the powered-down mode to the operational mode by influencing the clock frequency, or the clock frequency together with the operating voltage to be supplied to said hardware unit by a clock frequency control unit and an operating voltage control unit,
• wherein to transfer a single hardware unit from the powered-down mode, said hardware unit is arranged to transmit to the power control logic
• a first level-sensitive status signal for transferring said hardware unit from the powered-down mode to a wake up mode, and further
• a second level-sensitive status signal for transferring said hardware unit from the wake up mode to the actual operational mode.