High-level optimization for low power consumption on microprocessor-based systems

Power consumption is an important constraint in the design of battery-operated embedded systems. The problem of minimizing power dissipation may be handled in terms of hardware or software optimizations. High-level language optimization techniques appear as an alternative to achieve low power consumption when programming embedded systems. In this work, software optimization techniques were applied to a set of code segments in a high-level language, in order to analyze the effect that source code optimizations have on the power dissipation of microprocessor-based systems. Design of experiments (DOE) techniques were used in order to reach statistical sound conclusions about the actual impact that software optimization techniques have on power consumption.