Capturing thousands of hours of real-world design experience,
a downloadable handbook is available to guide designers
in applying the Common Power Format (CPF). The guide
draws from the format’s usage by many of the 26 members of the
Power Forward Initiative to offer detailed examples of optimized lowpower
design using CPF, one of two competing low-power design
intent formats (see “Power-Intent Standards Vie For Designers’ Loyalties,”
Feb. 14, 2008, p. 45, ED Online 18123, and “Power Formats:
You Can Have It Your Way,” March 27, p. 44, ED Online 18420). The
guide is now available for viewing and free download online at www.
powerforward.org.
Power Forward Initiative members have been using CPF in design
projects for at least a year and in some cases nearly two years. Along
the way, a good deal of practical knowledge has been compiled, much
of which was incorporated into revisions of CPF leading up to the
current v1.0. Now, that know-how has been encapsulated in the form
of a user guide that provides step-by-step insight into actual use of
advanced low-power design methodologies across various stages of
the design flow.
Included in the download are a foreword from industry luminary
Alberto Sangiovanni-Vincentelli, an introduction by Cadence CPF
architect Chi-Ping Hsu, and interesting low-power design examples
from PFI member companies. The guide will be continuously updated
with more examples throughout 2008.
POWER FORWARD INITIATIVE • www.powerforward.org